Serving Up Suet

Female Red-bellied Woodpecker

Variety is the spice of life, and it should always be considered when feeding wild birds as well.  In addition to traditional feeds like black oil sunflower, safflower, nyjer seed and quality mixes, suet can add a whole new dimension to your birding experience.

Suet is inexpensive to provide, and will bring a variety of birds that you may not be attracting with other feeders, including:

• woodpeckers
• nuthatches
• wrens
• warblers
• creepers

  

  Pine Warbler at Suet Feeder
  

Traditionally, suet is the fat from the kidneys and loins of beef.  It can be offered raw, but is safe to use only when temperatures are cooler.  In recent years, manufacturers have created rendered suet recipes that prevent melting and make it safe to use all year long in many climates.

That is where the variety comes into play.  In addition to blends that offer a mix of seeds, there are suet mixes available that include a variety of different nuts, berries, citrus and even insects to attract more species of birds.  The Pine Warbler (above) was a welcome surprise to my suet feeder and allowed me the opportunity to observe a bird that normally would not come near a traditional feeding station.

Like me, if you have a yard full of squirrels where a suet cake will last only a few days, try offering suet that is mixed with hot pepper.  Unlike mammals, birds do not have the taste receptors to detect the capsaicin in peppers that makes them hot. The birds will love it, while squirrels and other mammalian pests will leave it alone.

Having issues with starlings at your suet feeder?  Then switch to a feeder that has a "roof" over the top.  Starlings do not like to feed upside down, and therefore, will be discouraged from a feeder that allows access only at the bottom.

Want to attract some of the larger species of woodpeckers?  Then look for a suet feeder that has a tail prop to help support them while feeding.  There are several varieties on the market that are environmentally friendly and made from 100% recycled plastic (below right), as well as sustainable bamboo.

Plastic Tail Prop Feeder

Downy Woodpecker

Want to blend in with your environment?  Why not offer suet in the form of a log feeder (left). This provides the most natural setting for woodpeckers and other birds that routinely feed off of insects on dead or dying trees.

Manufacturers now offer suet to custom fit these log feeders in a variety of mixtures, including "hot pepper".

If you are not already offering suet, you need to do so today!  Not only will it bring more birds, but will provide them with needed nutrition throughout the winter months.

Happy Birding!

I am available for birding presentations for your business, club or organization. For more information, visit my website at:  Belinda's Website

Snowbirds are on the Move

Male Slate-colored Junco
 (photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

No, not the mass migration of retirees to Florida, Arizona and other warm climates. I'm referring to the adorable member of the sparrow family known as the Dark-eyed Junco.  They are also affectionately called Snowbirds by many due to their "reappearance" each fall just before the first flurries fly.

Juncos breed in the coniferous forests across Canada, in the western and eastern United States and in the Appalachian Mountain area. Here in Southeastern Wisconsin, they head north in the spring, with the promise to return in late September and October.

There are multiple subspecies of juncos with different color variations throughout their range.  However, the adults in this part of the country are easily identified by the following:

•  dark slate-colored head and chest
•  white belly
•  pale "pinkish" bill

Tichigan Lake, WI 2015

Juncos prefer to forage on the ground looking for dropped seeds.  I have had a great deal of success attracting juncos to the area around my fly-thru feeder mounted to my deck.  The junco (at left) was photographed resting during a snowstorm just inches from the feeder and deck.

Scattering seed on the ground or in a low dish or ground feeder is a great way to lure them in.  Juncos are fond of cracked corn and white proso millet, as well as black oil sunflower.  However, in order to discourage nuisance birds and sparrows, I fill my feeder with just Golden Safflower seed, and I have plenty of visitors.

Happy Birding!

Original Watercolor by Belinda Abendschein

I am available for speaking engagements to groups and businesses.  For more information, visit my website at:  Belinda Abendschein  

How Sweet the Sound

Baltimore Oriole

I love that technology has given us many options to listen to music on demand. Most of the time you will find me listening to my favorite artists on Pandora at home or in my car. However, there are certain times of the year (Early Spring and Summer) that I enjoy unplugging my devices and simply listen to the sound of the birds.

Early May is when I listen carefully for one of my favorites...the distinct song of the Baltimore Oriole.  Not only does this song signal the official start of Spring for me here in Southeastern Wisconsin, but it also reminds me that it is time to fill my hummingbird feeder, as well as set out the oranges for the orioles. 

As the season progresses, it is the incessant trill of the House Wren that fills the the days of late May and early June.  The raucous sound of the Blue Jay often warns of intruders in the yard, and the song of the male Northern Cardinal (when whistled back) will often bring them closer to inspect the new rival to their territory.

House Wren

Listening for the first song in the pre-dawn hours often takes the edge off of insomnia.  It is relaxing to see which bird's song will emerge first each morning and how quickly others follow suit.  

Take advantage of this opportunity to immerse yourself in a symphony of song that has been perfected over the ages. The months of Summer will be over before you know it, and the birds will become less vocal. Taking time in the morning or early evening to relax with a cup of coffee or glass of wine and take in the intoxicating sounds of nature is one of my favorite "guilty pleasures".

Happy Birding!

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a great site for identifying bird songs and calls.  Songs & Calls

I am available for speaking engagements to groups and businesses.  For more information visit my website at:  Belinda Abendschein

Attracting Northern Cardinals

Male Northern Cardinal

Perhaps the most beloved of backyard birds in North America, the Northern Cardinal is quite easy to attract to your feeding stations.

Their seed of choice is black oil sunflower seed, and they prefer feeding from either a platform, fly-thru or hopper-style feeder.  Cardinals are not comfortable feeding from the narrow perches of most mixed-seed tube feeders. However, some bird feeder manufacturers have started making more  "cardinal perches" for their tube feeders.  Click here for information on bird feeder styles.

If you experience troublesome squirrels in your neighborhood, you may want to substitute safflower seed for sunflower seed. Cardinals really enjoy this white seed, but the squirrels are not as fond of it.  In fact, I use just safflower seed in my open fly-thru feeder, and the cardinals flock to it all year long.

Other unwanted visitors to your feeders may include "non-native" House Sparrows and European Starlings.  Both of these birds arrive in large flocks and may discourage cardinals from approaching your feeders. I have managed to eliminate both of them from my yard by making sure I do not provide "cheap" bird seed that includes filler seed and cracked corn.  Using sunflower or safflower alone will help to eliminate these pests.

House Sparrow

European Starling

Also, don't forget to provide a fresh water source.  The beautiful male cardinal (above) is enjoying a drink at the heated bird bath that I provide throughout the winter months.

For more information on Northern Cardinals, check out Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Please visit my website for more information and/or to contact me regarding doing a backyard birding presentation for your group or business at Belinda Abendschein.

Adopt the Pace of Nature This Season

Whitetail Doe Eating Crabapples

Adopt the Pace of Nature...Her Secret is Patience - Ralph Waldo Emerson

This week signals the start of the always hectic and often stressful holiday season.  It is also the perfect time to put into practice the wise words of poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. This is perhaps my favorite quote, and one that I often have to force myself to follow each day.

As I write this blog entry, the snow is blowing outside with almost zero visibility.  I made a special point of running my errands earlier in the morning and now can relax and enjoy the show!

Blue Jay at Heated Birdbath

Whether it is sitting back and watching the snow or watching the birds and deer outside, taking a few minutes each day to relax our pace can be restorative to the body, mind and soul.  It is no secret that taking a walk in nature is regarded as a cure for depression. Whether you live in the Sunshine State or the Frozen Tundra, nature is always right outside your door and accessible each and every day.

Patience can truly be a virtue this time of year, especially when vying for that coveted parking space while shopping.  Don't set yourself up for disappointment by trying to do everything on your list.  If something doesn't get done, it will not result in the end of the world.  If the weather is a bit "frightful", simply sit back with a cup of tea or a good glass of wine and take it in.  The malls will still be there when the rain or snow comes to an end.

Happy Holidays!

Does Enjoying a Snack of Acorns

Holiday Tip:  Pick up a few gifts, gift wrap and/or ingredients for a batch of cookies.  Keep them ready for a snowy/rainy day. Relax and enjoy!


I am available to speak to groups and organizations on a variety of nature-related topics.  For more information, check out my website at: Belinda's Website

Fall and Winter Bird Feeding Tips

Male Downy Woodpecker

As predicted, Winter is making an early appearance this year.  You can prepare now to help see your feathered friends through the upcoming season.  Here are some of my favorite Fall/Winter feeding tips to help you get the maximum enjoyment from your bird feeding efforts:

SUET -  Suet is a great way to give your birds a little boost during the cold weather months. This is a favorite food source for woodpeckers, and Fall\Winter is an ideal time to put out a suet feeder to attract them.  In periods of intense cold, look for “high-energy” suets.

SEED – When selecting a seed blend, remember that you get what you pay for.  A quality mix of seed will have a high concentration of black oil sunflower, which is a favorite of most birds.  Inexpensive blends are mostly filler (white millet and red milo).  These seeds are kicked out of the feeders and attract undesirable birds like English Sparrows and Starlings.

  

FRUITS & NUTS – Dried fruits and nuts will attract a large variety of species and supplement their winter diet.  Look for quality bird mixes and suet cakes, which include fruits and nuts.  Nuts are a favorite for attracting both woodpeckers and nuthatches.

SQUIRREL ISSUES - If you are experiencing trouble with squirrels, try offering safflower seed.  It is a favorite of cardinals, chickadees and nuthatches, but squirrels avoid it.  If you don’t want to use safflower, try a “Squirrel-Proof” feeder or add a pole or squirrel baffle.  The extra investment will more than make up for itself in seed savings!

Cardinal in heated birdbath

WATER - Along with making sure that your birds have plenty of seed for the winter, you might want to think about getting a heated birdbath.  Water is vital to all living creatures, as well as birds.  During extended sub-zero weather, there is often no open water to be found and providing it will make your backyard very desirable.  My heated birdbath was a very popular spot last season, and it was visited regularly by all my favorites, including the Cardinal (right) who enjoyed a drink of water at minus 13 degrees below zero!

American Robin

TREES, SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS - Fall is a great time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials.  Select varieties that can provide birds with fruits, nuts and seeds. Last year, I witnessed two American Robins making a meal out of the berries from my Red Cedar tree (left) during a particularly chilly visit by the "Polar Vortex".

NESTING BOXES – It’s never too early to prepare.  Place your nesting boxes in the Fall, and you won’t be too late for any “Early Birds” that show up next Spring.  Nesting boxes can also provide a shelter for birds against the elements.

SHELTER - Make sure that the placement of your feeders is within close proximity to trees and/or shrubs for shelter.  Not only do the birds need protection from the snow and cold, but from predators like raptors and feral cats.  

I am available for backyard birding presentations to your club, business or organization.  For more information, send me an email at: wabendshein@wi.rr.com or visit my website at Belinda Abendschein.

For daily updates and nature-inspired photos, "Like" my Facebook page "Nature by Design - Belinda Abendschein" (above right).

Farewell Little Friends

One of my favorite days of the year has always been the arrival of the first Ruby-Throated Hummingbird each Spring.  It is something I look forward to after enduring the long midwestern Winter.

Today I enjoyed watching what I believe to be a group of young siblings taking turns at the feeder and buzzing around chasing each other throughout the day.  I can't remember when I have been so entertained by so many juvenile hummingbirds, and it is confirmation of a successful breeding season here in Waterford, WI.  Farewell my little friends...I look forward to seeing you next Spring!

Nature by Design - Belinda Abendschein


Belinda's Website