Preparing for Spring!

Spring is an exciting time, especially here in Wisconsin.  In addition to the activities of our resident species, we are also privileged to experience a large number of migrating species (especially warblers), as they work their way north to the boreal forests. Don’t wait until the hummingbirds and orioles arrive to make your preparations.  Many birds are already making their way north as early as late February/early March.

•         Put out nesting boxes for cavity-dwelling birds (chickadees, wrens, woodpeckers, bluebirds, swallows, owls, wood ducks).  A good resource for nest box specifications:   http://www.sialis.org/nestboxguide.htm 

•         You can also help nesting birds by providing clean, natural nesting materials (string, animal hair, twigs, straw).  Tip:  Place these items in an empty suet cage.

•         Get a good pair of binoculars and a great field guide.  Recommended field guides include:  Peterson’s, Sibley, National Geographic.  Also, a great resource for beginners is “Birds of Wisconsin” by Stan Tekiela.  The photos are arranged by color to help make identification easier for those who are still learning the various species.

•         Have feeders cleaned and adequately filled with a good quality seed/suet.

•         Make sure you have a water source available.  If possible and weather permits, a moving water source will get the most attention. This is important to attract insect/fruit eating species.

•         Have a camera available for those “surprise” visitors.  Nothing is more frustrating than having that “rare” visitation, and you can’t capture the moment.  It also makes it easier to make proper identification if you can go back and review a photo.

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