eBirdseed.com Wild Bird Feeding Blog

Well, it's December 23rd, 2006, and if you're like me, you're probably just now thinking about buying Christmas presents. Good for you brother! Uhhh... Read that, "Shame on you!" (My wife is sitting right beside me.) In any event, it still isn't too late to order an eBirdseed.com Gift Certificate. Even during Christmas the certificates are sent immediately. (Is the Web cool or what guys?)

Now back to them birdies...

So far for us here on Cape Cod, it really has been a non-winter, which means that it will probably start snowing tomorrow and not stop until next August. (And yes, as the pictures below show, we can get more than our fair share of snow.)

A few thoughts...

• First, be safe. If you're not safe and well, your birds will also be in jeopardy. The following site offers exceptional downloadable advice for almost every type of natural-disaster preparedness including that for winter storms. http://www.capecodcommission.org/projectimpact/handbook.htm. The bottom line is that we all need to be ready. (Ask anyone in Denver about this.)
• If you can, keep a little bit of extra seed on hand, just in case “Old Man Winter” keeps you housebound for a while. My wife and I buy extra and either store it in plastic sealable bins in the garage, or perhaps better yet, in the trunk of the car. The advantages of storing it in the trunk include:
  • The feed stays dry.
  • It’s immediately available.
  • Rodents can’t get at it.
  • In a pinch, you can spread the seed under your wheels to help in the process of getting unstuck from a snow bank.
  • And the extra weight in the rear end gives rear-wheel drive vehicles a little better traction.
• Also remember, birds need water in the winter.

So there you go. We’re all ready for the snow. In this neighborhood, we expect to see the usual suspects such as chickadees, titmice, juncos, nuthatches, cardinals, blue jays, robins, gold finches, sparrows, carolina wrens, woodpeckers, crows, sea gulls. In addition, with a little luck, we’ll get a few visits from our owl and a hawk or two.

And what do you expect to see around your place? Just click on the “Comments” button below and let everyone know!

See you by the feeders,

Alan