We’ve lived in our house for 34 years now. In all that time, I’ve only seen Eastern Bluebirds once or twice. Even then, they’ve never stayed long . . . until now. For the past few weeks, two male and one female bluebird pop up at the feeders periodically. Most days I see them for at least a few minutes. I’m trying to encourage them to stay.
This post will be a bit different than my usual posts. Instead of sharing everything I’ve learned afterwards, I’m going to offer a real time journal along the way. Hopefully I’ll be able to report that I’ve succeeded in enticing a pair to stay and nest in the yard. I hope you’ll take the journey with me.
When I was a kid, we called Dark-Eyed Juncos “snow birds.” Until I started bird watching later in life, I thought that was their actual name. To us, seeing a snow bird was a sign. It meant that it was going to snow, leading to snowmen, snow forts, saucering down the side hill and a day off of school. I suspect this childhood joy may still be a bit of the reason that I still love these little birds today. Even today, when I know that birds don’t cause the weather, I still feel joy when I see the first of the juncos and their winter pals, the White-Throated Sparrows arrive in mid-fall. Here is what I do in my yard to make sparrows welcome during the winter.
Would you like to attract American Goldfinches to your bird feeders? They can be a little finicky but it is well worth the effort. As with all birds that will eat at feeders, you need to provide the food they like in a location and environment that works for them.
