|
|
Three essential foods for September and October Three foods to offer to attract flickers, juncos, and other birds By Anne Schmauss By Mary Schmauss By Geni Krolick
Published: August 21, 2009 Many of us think spring is the time to see the most birds, but autumn can be just as exciting. Attract migrants and keep year-round residents happy by offering the following three essential foods.
And don't wait: Fall migration really begins after the nesting season, which for many birds is in August.
1. Suet
Fall, of course, marks the start of the traditional suet season, and for good reason. High-fat suet is a perfect cold-weather food - and not just for backyard birds, but for migrants, too.
Woodpeckers love suet. Most can be seen all year, but a few - sapsuckers and populations of Northern Flickers - migrate. Look for them on your suet feeders as they move through.
Nuthatches and Brown Creeper eat suet, too. The White-breasted Nuthatch is widespread year-round, but the bold Red-breasted is irruptive. Most birdwatchers will see it in the north only in the fall and winter. Anne had one land beside her as she filled her suet feeder in Minnesota.
Fall also provides rare opportunities to see migrating Yellow-rumped Warblers and tiny Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets at the suet feeder. Since they don't cling particularly well, nestle your feeder into the branches of a tree for more perching options.
2. Nyjer/thistle
American Goldfinches are found in most of the U.S. in the fall and winter months but sometimes go unnoticed because they turn a dull yellow and light brown in the winter.
Lesser Goldfinches occur only in the extreme west and southwest in the winter, but in the fall, during migration, they can still be seen in much of the west.
Goldfinches are late nesters. Look for young goldfinches at your nyjer/thistle feeder well into September. We like the thistle sock or the stainless steel mesh-style feeder best as it keeps seed fresher and discourages House Finches.
And don't be surprised to see nyjer-eating Pine Siskins at your feeders. They can show up virtually anywhere in most of the country in the cooler months.
3. Seed mix
Add white millet to your birdseed mix for the many ground-feeding birds that move through or come to stay in the fall. A blend of 60 percent black-oil sunflower and 40 percent white millet will satisfy most seed eaters, no matter where you live. Much of the millet will be kicked to the ground, but that's okay. That's where migrating White-crowned, Chipping, and White-throated Sparrows prefer to eat.
Dark-eyed Juncos are another bird that loves to eat white millet on the ground, but they won't be just moving through. They'll be coming to spend the winter. We enjoy watching for the flash of their white tail feathers as they fly. |
Hummingbirds, too
Don't take your hummingbird feeder down too early. Fall feeding will not keep hummingbirds from migrating. In fact, late feeding often helps youngsters and stragglers make the trip. We recommend keeping your feeders out until you haven't seen a hummingbird for at least two weeks - this might be as late as early November. |
| Anne Schmauss, Mary Schmauss, and Geni Krolick are sisters and bird experts who live in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, where they own and manage Wild Birds Unlimited stores. Their book For the Birds: A Month-by-Month Guide to Attracting Birds to Your Backyard was published in 2008 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang. |
|
Not a registered member? It's free to sign up.
See great photos of birds, get birdwatching tips, learn about birding events, and more!
|