With the coming of September and the start of school, the cooler weather sets in and many of our backyard birds will start their Southern migration, but not all of them migrate. It’s time to start thinking about getting your bird feeders ready for Fall.
Cleaning House
The most important thing to do first is to clean out your feeders. Get rid of old seeds and shells and wash off the bird poop that has collected there over the summer. Give your winter birds a clean place to start. Then prepare your own mixture of seed or add in a commercial mix.
Take Care of the Squirrels
Be sure to feed those squirrels that would normally get into your bird feeders. Give them their own treats somewhere apart from your bird feeders. This is not an end-all answer for squirrels that enjoy feeding with your backyard birds, but it does help.
Add a New Feeder for Your Winter Birds
This may also be a good time to add a new feeder or two to your yard. If you have a broken or damaged feeder, definitely replace it for the sake of the birds. But, also think about attracting more of those beautiful backyard birds that will spend the winter in your yard, giving you plenty of entertainment as they go about their winter lives. Then they will be ready to nest and raise a new brood in the Spring.
Favorite Choices for Bird Feeders
These are some of the my favorite bird feeders. Hanging them from a tree or setting on a pole in your backyard will help encourage those winter birds to come to your yard. We all love that bird feeders will give us new opportunities to watch the birds.
Perky-Pet 312C Panorama Bird Feeder, Copper
Birdscapes Clear Window Feeder 348Garden Song 480 Classic Bird Feeder
If you like the idea of seeing the birds up closer, try a window feeder. The one in the center above has strong suction cups to attach to the outside of a window in your house. The birds will quickly discover the food you put there. Then you can just sit back and enjoy their antics as they flit around and feed.
We just spent the afternoon cleaning and restocking bird feeders! What a timely message. Now they are clean, restocked and ready for the fall.