It Was A Day For The Birds...

Early Morning View From The Farmhouse

 

When we got up yesterday morning, the sky was so beautiful I had to take a picture of it. Every morning offers another blessing for us, and I always take time to stop and be grateful.

I had read that this new-fallen (deep) snow has stressed out all the wild birds (and likely other wildlife, too).  The robins, especially, could use a little TLC because they're ground feeders (worms, grubs and other tasty earth-dwellers). We don't usually put out feeders, as we think the natural growth around the farm supplies the birds, but we decided to help them out for the rest of the winter - and future winters.

Handsome and I went to town and purchased two chicken feeders (which hold 20 lbs. of feed each); a covered feeding station we're called in the "Cedar Feeder"; two suet feeders; two 40 lb. bags of wild bird seed mix; four or five different kinds of suet, including one especially for bluebirds and robins, which contains dried fruit and grubs; and fresh apples and raisins.

Feeding Stations Are Set Up

We had fun deciding where to put the chicken feeders. One is on the side porch, because we saw lots of little bird tracks in the snow there. The other is across the drive under the large lilac bush, for protection from the wind.

We hung one of the suet feeders from the old apple tree, and the other from a wrought iron shepherd's crook, also near the lilac bush. Then, I scattered birdseed on the snow near the far feeders, as well as on the top of the pillar and on the boards of the porch (just to announce that there's food to be had around here).

We took the special suet for the bluebirds and robins, broke it up and scattered it in the bare ground to the right of the porch feeder. I'd seen those birds hanging around that area. It's warmer because of the south exposure, protection from the house, and because our dryer vents right there, outside the house.

Our Guests Have Arrived

 

It didn't take long at all for the birds to come in. By mid-afternoon, red-winged blackbirds, cardinals, crows, robins, bluebirds, chickadees, sparrows, wood tits and a few other types I don't recognize (yet) had come in to feed. Everyone was getting there fill, and there was plenty left so breakfast will be waiting for their return. 

Handsome and I both smiled, checking out the windows all day, knowing that we'd done something good today for all those hungry birds. We'll make sure their tummies are full the rest of this winter - and we'll do it again next year. It was a good day for the birds at our Hickory Hill Farm.