Let's Help Feed Those Backyard Birds Returning From Their Winter Migrations!

It's onto March! Let's hope the 'In like a Lion, out like a Lamb' comes true!

For those birds that have wintered 'up nort', they must have had quite a time of it. Record snowfalls and bitter cold sure makes it hard on them. But for those birds that migrate south during the winter, March is the start of their migration back 'up nort'. Here are a couple of neat ideas you may want to consider throughout the month of March to help their migration out.

First, try putting out fruit Apple halves, browning bananas, even overly ripe grapes will all work. Fruits are not typically found outdoors in March (at least not in the upper midwest), so the early arriving tanagers, grosbeaks, and orioles will find them a great treat They may even be willing to stick around a few days later if they know you are serving up their favorites.

Secondly, here's an interesting tip we have used. Take an old cupcake baking pan and attach it to your deck rail or other feeding platform. Either nail or screw it in place, or better yet, wrap it with small bungy cords to secure it in place(that way you can easily remove it or move it, and you wont leave holes in your decking). Next, place different foods in each cupcake bowl. Then watch the activity! You can see which bowls get emptied the quickest and which birds enjoy each treat. You may just discover that a ripe grape is preferred over a brown banana or that a piece of an old donut beats any fruit you offer up.

And to combine 2 wild bird food favorites into 1 (Berries/Cherries and Peanut Butter), here's a popular and effective homemade recipe:

This is a great project for 3 year olds or older - with supervision

Complexity - Easy

Time to Complete - just 5 to 10 minutes

Needed - Bargain-brand granola bar (your backyard friends wont know you bought generic), Peanut Butter (with our without nuts is fine) and Chopped Berries or Cherries

Step 1 - Spread peanut butter onto a granola bar.

Step 2 - Roll the bar over a plate of chopped berries or cherries, pressing them in place.

Step 3 - Place the bar in your open roofed, platform feeder. Watch the enjoyment begin!

Stay Warm, Spring is just around the corner, and Enjoy your backyard birds!