Winter is a wonderful time and a hard time. It’s hard because we feel housebound, and it’s hard because the power can be intermittent. We stock the pantry, we get warm clothes and sheets, and we persevere.
For birds, winter can also be hard. They’ve stocked their pantry as well, eating as much as they can during the summer to get through the cold winter months. However, when the snow falls thick and covers just about everything, it can be harder for birds to get by. This is the best time to feed the birds.
Preschoolers love feeding birds. There is a lot of instant gratification in the task. Place some seeds on the snow and watch the birds flock to your garden!
Get a plastic needle from a craft store and make some garlands for the birds. Thread the needle with embroidery thread, then push it gently through hard apples, cranberries, and other fruits.
Make suet-covered pine cones. Roll or dip the pine cones in suet and then roll them in bird seed. Tie a ribbon tight around the pine cone and hang it outside near a window or a tree. Smaller children can also roll balls of suet and seed to place on top of the snow. They don’t fall into the snow drifts quite as easily as plain bird seed. Don’t use bread to feed the birds – this is not a very nutrient-dense food for birds, and it is more like bird junk food.
To make the birds particularly happy, provide a warm bird bath where they can wash and preen.
As the birds come, watch them and try to figure out what they are. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a good online “who’s that bird” site. After the birds have gone, look for tracks in the snow and try to identify them too.
Happy birding!