Oh, I love birds! Any birds! Big birds, small birds, brown birds, red birds, birds with talons, birds with none…if it has feathers I just love them! I can’t help it, I’m obsessed with birds. I’ll talk birds all day long with anyone who wants to participate. Every spring I wait anxiously for the Hummingbirds to return; every fall I await the return of the sparrows that nest further to the north.

I’ve been stopped dead in my tracks many, many times by the beautiful songs of White-throated and Harris’ sparrows when they bestow such a gift on a winter’s evening.  Giggling chickadees, petering titmice, cheering cardinals…they make every day an adventure. I can sit for hours just watching the birds at my feeders. A day in the woods or wetlands is made magical by the birds. Really, how can you resist the charm of a bird?

And, I’ve always loved gardening. Birds singing, bees buzzing, green things growing, warm sunshine on your back…pure perfection. Back in my younger days I had a head full of long, wavy hair. When I’d garden I’d tie it all up with red bandanas. It helped me stay cooler and kept the hair out of my eyes. I get messy! I practically wallow in the dirt and love every minute of it. Except when mud would get in my hair, and it did, therefore the handy red bandanas.

One summer when I was living in Lucas, Texas, I experienced Hummer Heaven (had nothing to do with over-sized vehicles). There were so many hummingbirds that there was constant commotion, swooping and diving, battles galore! There were Ruby-throats and Black-chins everywhere. I bought more and more feeders, boiled up gallons of sugar water and filled those feeders like an obsessed woman…and I was!  I could watch hummingbirds from every window in my house…and I did! It was fantastic.

One day when I was not gardening I was sitting under the shade trees in my yard, reading a book and keeping my eyes on all those little hummers. I was wearing my hair all twisted up with a red bandana and had on one of those flowered, sleeveless summer dresses that were popular a few years ago. Suddenly, a hummingbird came buzzing in. It looked to me like it was going straight for my eyes. It stopped and hovered in front of my face. Before I knew what was happening, that hummer began poking at my hair. It took me a second to pull my thoughts together and realize the bird was trying to get a sip from the bandana in my hair (I just kind of figured there were no gnats in my hair but ya never know). I stayed as still as possible so I could draw the experience out. It was so thrilling.

The bird got the message and flew off. Much to my surprise and delight it came back a little later. The next time, however, it didn’t go for my hair, it tried to get a sip from a red flower on my dress. This afforded me the opportunity get a great look at the hummer’s long, thread-like tongue. After those two encounters I knew what I had to do next. I got up and grabbed a hummingbird feeder and sat back down in my reading chair. I held it right in front of myself and waited. Zoom! Buzz! Hummers came zipping in from all directions. They hesitated but then they started sipping. It took them a while to perch on the feeder while they were sipping but they finally did. I was as still as I could possibly be with my heart pounding like a jackhammer. But then I had this thought, the hummers were not behaving as though they felt threatened by me. Was this a good thing? Maybe I was wrong to be “hand-feeding” them. I mean, you never know what the next person they zoomed up to might do! I decided I’d better stop what I was doing in the best interest of the hummingbirds. I figured that putting out feeders was enough.

Don’t Just Feed Them, Take Care of Them

You are accepting a great deal of responsibility when you decide to feed birds.
It's extremely important to keep feeders spotlessly clean to avoid making the birds ill and to prevent the spread of avian diseases. There are more diseases being spread between birds at feeders than ever before. House finches seem to be afflicted more than other species, at least at my home. Avian pox on House finches (large, lumpy growths that appear just about anywhere on the bird but are more readily visible on the head and legs), has, unfortunately, become almost commonplace. It’s up to us to feed the birds responsibly if we don’t want to help spread avian disease!

At least twice a month, feeders should be cleaned with a solution of one part bleach, ten parts water. Allow the bleach/water mixture to set on the feeders for 15-20 minutes, drain off the solution, and then rinse thoroughly. Allow the feeder to completely dry before refilling it. If a feeder is moldy, scrub it thoroughly with the bleach/water solution, using a stiff brush. Once it is clean, soak the feeder as described above.

When cleaning hummingbird or oriole feeders, be sure to clean the feeder ports well. These ports can easily get a black mold on them, especially during the summer. You may need to dismantle the feeder ports to get all parts sparkling clean. There are special, little brushes you can buy to help you out with this.
Be sure that bird seed is kept dry, and discard any that might have gotten wet. Remove any fruit, seed, or suet that is molded or spoiled. Change the nectar in hummingbird and oriole feeders at least every few days, more often in hot weather.

New Surprises Every Day

Every morning I go out to fill my bird feeders. It’s my calm before the storm time; you know, that time before you head off to work. This morning when I went to put out breakfast for the birds I was surprised by a “blonde” cardinal. She was an immature bird whose new growth of adult plumage is resulting in a head and wings that are white. She sure stands out in the cardinal crowd and I have to wonder how long she’ll last out there in the wild with that “Hey, look at me” plumage. I’ll enjoy her oddness for now and make sure there are seeds, in clean feeders, for her to eat.

There is so much to be learned from the wildlife around us, including the birds.  Everyday can be an adventure if you stop and take the time look and listen. Our wild neighbors don’t have as many choices as we do about where to live and what to eat. So, if you’re going to take the time to lend them a hand, be sure that you’re doing it the best way that it can be done. Like us, birds need proper nutrition and a sanitary place to eat. Let’s be certain that what we provide meets their needs.