Inviting birds to your backyard

Black-capped Chickadees, bright red Northern Cardinals, and the White-breasted Nuthatch are just a few species of birds that can hang tough through Maine winters. A lot of people will ask:

• What is the best way to attract birds to your yard in the wintertime?

• Is there any way to stop those pesky squirrels from eating all of the bird seed?

• How do these adorable creatures get water when everything is frozen?

During the winter months here in Maine the weather is sometimes brutal. Looking out the window at snow-covered trees we often spot a glimpse of sometimes colorful life in the backyard, which reminds us that spring is coming, even if it feels like it is 10 months away. According to the experts, winter can be a desperate time for a lot of birds; and they spend most of their energy looking for food, shelter, and water.

You can learn about winter feeding, bird-friendly plants, hummingbirds, bluebirds, and more at a special presentation by Victoria Perry, "Inviting Birds to Your Yard", at Bonney Memorial Library on Thursday, January 24, 2019* from 6:00 - 7:00 PM, in Cornish, Maine.

A few Maine winter birds. From top left: Black-capped Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal (male and female). Photo outdoors.org

*Snow date, January 31, 2019