birds – New England's Narrow Road

My Winter Owl

Photos have been sitting in my camera all winter, but I finally downloaded them and managed to get them a bit organized. This barred owl was a regular visitor to my backyard. He had a favorite branch where I’d watch him sit for hours, but one day he perched up on this post. If he caught me moving around in the house he’d stare right at me with those dark eyes. He sure is beautiful. I know that they are common where I live, but I enjoyed it when he’d keep me company while I worked at my desk.

I’m not a good wildlife photographer at all, but this photo came out pretty good. I don’t see him any longer now that Spring is here, but I do hear the cry, which is very distinctive. I suspect there are many living in the woods around here.

Lately a red cardinal has been showing up late in the evening to pick through the dirt for who knows what. And I suddenly realized it’s May, and I need to hang my hummingbird feeder. Funny how the time just sneaks up on us.

My thoughts have been on gardening and putting up my mini deck-greenhouse. I also ordered another fabric pot to fill and plant in again this year which will expand the planting areas in my small backyard garden space. But birds are a big part of gardening and I want them around to help control the bugs. Owls are welcome too to keep the mouse population down. This year I had very few mice in my basement – that I heard / saw anyway. So we all have to work together – owls included.

The Chickadees are Building a Nest

Nest building by chickadees — Birdhouse and chickadee

I just noticed yesterday that a chickadee was peering into the birdhouse I’ve had hanging on the slanted post out back. I was so excited to see that maybe she was considering using it to raise a family, so I watched for a while and sure enough she went in. And another chickadee came along and he / she ? (who knows with chickadees) went inside too.

Then, today I ate my lunch outside on the deck and watched as they brought mouthfulls of grass into the birdhouse.

Chickadees are one of the most beloved birds. They are relatively unafraid of humans, and never squabble amongst themselves. They appear to be the best natured birds fluttering around the yard.

The birdhouse is one I’ve had for many years. When I lost my home, I took it (and others) with me and put them up at the various rentals I’ve had over the past six years, but no bird ever used it to build a nest.

Now that I have a home of my own, the house will be used! I think that is awesome. So I will enjoy watching the parents occupy the birdhouse, which sits just a few feet from my deck out back, and I’ll listen for the chirping of the babies one day!

I am not very good at photographing wildlife, but I’ll try to get some good shots as the babies appear.
You can see in the photo below how close they will be to my deck.

backyard deck and lawn — The proximity of the birdhouse to the deck.

Make the Winter Birds Happy With Homemade Suet

homemade suet in a foil pan — My Homemade Suet

Just about this freezing time of year, I usually begin to make up batches of homemade suet to feed my backyard birds. I bought some beef suet at the local grocery store and stuck it in the freezer for winter feeding and now that it’s January and finally getting quite cold, it’s time to give the birds a treat.

My recipe includes adding peanut butter and stale crackers, cornmeal and just about any other thing the birds might like to the store bought beef fat. I usually add some old bread (kept in the freezer too) and flour to hold it all together and then cool it in a large, foil pan.

Personally, I don’t like to add seeds. I keep the seeds in separate feeders.

Once it’s firm, it can be cut to size to fit your suet feeder or placed in a mesh bag. I only put one piece out at a time and freeze the rest, just in case some animal comes and takes it in the night. I had a fox eyeing the feeder one year.

Just a word of warning – your birds will love this and eat it up quickly! The squirrels will like it too, of course.

Yes! I Have Cardinals!!

In the three years I lived in my rental house just north of where I live now, I saw a red Cardinal bird one time. I had previously lived just down the road and used to feed many cardinals, but for some reason, the rental had none. No matter what I did I couldn’t get a Cardinal to visit, but now I have them again. I don’t know why this makes me so happy, but it does. Continue reading “Yes! I Have Cardinals!!”