Search Results for: feeding birds

Tips to protecting and feeding birds as winter approaches

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Tips to protecting and feeding birds as winter approaches

Last week I talked about bird feeders and squirrels. Today it’s about WHAT to feed those birds as winter comes roaring in… at some point.

To offset the white of winter, or the bleak brown, it’s the BIRDS that help us through. And this is OUR time to help THEM through with plenty of nutrition!

Contrary to what I’ve heard some people say, feeding the birds in winter  … [Continue reading]

Protecting and feeding birds

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Protecting and feeding birds

 Last week I talked about bird feeders and squirrels. Today’s it’s about WHAT to feed those birds as winter comes roaring in… at some point.

To offset the white of winter, or the bleak brown, it’s the BIRDS that help us through. And this is OUR time to help THEM through with plenty of nutrition! Contrary to what I’ve heard some people say, feeding the birds in winter is a good idea.  Birds will  … [Continue reading]

Birds are feeding!

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Birds are feeding!

 It’s full-on winter in much of the country. Last week I talked about ice and snow collected on our trees and shrubs and whether to knock it off.

I admit, the snow DOES look lovely resting on those branches. The birds feeding on some fun ornaments made of seed is also lovely to watch.

Note: the video I have isn’t formatted well for this space so I had to delete it. It’s on my  … [Continue reading]

Things that keep the birds away

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Things that keep the birds away

One of the joys of winter is feeding the birds. But there are some things we do that keep them away.

Cats is one of the first things. In my neighborhood we have a lot of stray cats, one of the neighbors feeds them.

Don’t be THAT guy. While he’s trying to be kind, it’s not helpful to the bird population! Something I USED to do, give birds my stale bread. This  … [Continue reading]

Foods for the Birds

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Foods for the Birds

There’s nothing like calming your spirit after a slushy, bumper to bumper ride home than watching the brilliant Red Cardinal feasting on bird food out your window.   Bird Notes from Cornell U’s Ornithology lab is a great read on feeding birds.

For your enjoyment, make sure you locate the bird feeders where you can see them keeping in mind that birds want to feel safe.  So an area that will provide quick cover should  … [Continue reading]

Foods for the birds

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Foods for the birds

There’s nothing like calming your spirit after a slushy, bumper to bumper ride home than watching the brilliant Red Cardinal feasting on bird food out your window.   Bird Notes from Cornell U’s Ornithology lab is a great read on feeding birds.

For your enjoyment, make sure you locate the bird feeders where you can see them keeping in mind that birds want to feel safe.  So an area that will provide quick cover should  … [Continue reading]

Foods for the Birds

Click below to listen to my 2 min Garden Bite radio show:  Foods for the Birds

There’s nothing like calming your spirit after a slushy, bumper to bumper ride home than watching the brilliant Red Cardinal feasting on bird food out your window.   Bird Notes from Cornell U’s Ornithology lab is a great read on feeding birds.

For your enjoyment, make sure you locate the bird feeders where you can see them keeping in mind that birds want to feel safe.  So an area that will provide quick cover should  … [Continue reading]

Tips for pollinator planting

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Tips for pollinator planting

The National Garden Bureau, of which I’m a member, offered up some fabulous tips for pollinator plantings that I want to share with you today.

While the point is to attract pollinators, the plants need to be nurtured. With their futures so intertwined, if we help one, we need to help both.

Tip number one… be kind to soil. Something like one tablespoon of soil holds more living forms than people currently populating  … [Continue reading]

Bird love in Winter

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Bird love in Winter

Wow, I hope you are surviving our roller coaster of cold arctic air! As I write this, the temperature is 6 below zero but tomorrow is supposed to be 30 above. And then the deep freeze comes again.

How on Earth do our wild birds stay warm? Ruffling their feathers is number one. Most of our birds look twice as chubby in winter as in summer due to fluffing their feathers to provide insulation.  … [Continue reading]

A grass for butterflies

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: A grass for butterflies

 Did you know I love grasses!? Today’s Bite is about attracting butterflies with grasses.  ‘Eyelash’ grass is a perfect example.

‘Eyelash’ grass won’t replace a manicured lawn but it sure attracts butterflies! That’s what the University of Minnesota Extension says. Blue Grama grass, which sounds funny itself, is a native grass that goes by a few other names including ‘eyelash’, ‘mosquito’ and ‘caterpillar’ grass because of its golden sails at the tip of  … [Continue reading]