OPENING DAY FOR BIRD FEEDING SEASON (10/16/03)

Most sporting seasons have an official opener. The president throws out the first ball to mark the baseball season, while hunting and fishing have predetermined starting dates. Perhaps the opening of the bird feeding season is not as pronounced as those for professional sports, but mid-October seems like an appropriate time to announce the beginning of the fall and winter bird feeding season.

Although birdwatchers may pursue their avocation for as long as they wish during the year, there comes a time when the activity gets stepped up. This is when we lay in a supply of food and take stock of last year's equipment. Did we have enough feeders for our clientele? Did we wish for another style of feeder?

As to food, first and foremost are the oil sunflower seeds. Although cardinals, chickadees, titmice, blue jays, nuthatches and finches will eat the large striped sunflower seed, there is much less waste and a bit more nutrition in the small, oil type.

Goldfinches are especially crazy about thistle seed, but house and purple finches enjoy it, too. Although expensive, it is good to offer as it may also attract the more unusual pine siskin. White millet is important for many of our wintering birds, and you can include cracked corn in your offerings, scattering it on the ground or platform feeders, but not below other feeders for cleanliness sake. Mixed bird seeds should be bought with caution, as many mixes contain large amounts of seed, especially red millet and rape, that birds simply won't eat. What looks good to our eye is not necessarily viewed the same way by birds! Cracked corn appeals to many of the ground-feeding birds, as well as pigeons (rock doves / rock pigeons), which you may not want to attract.

Suet is as important as seeds when providing food for birds. You can obtain fresh suet from a meat market or buy rendered cakes in supermarkets and at specialty shops; set suet out in commercially sold wire containers or in holes you drill yourself in small logs or in those mesh bags that onions come in. Secure the suet to the side of a tree or suspend it from a post. Woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, creepers, nuthatches, Carolina wrens — and unfortunately, starlings — all benefit from suet. You may need to bring your suet in every night to protect it from being stolen by raccoons and other nocturnal mammals.

Did you know that grit is used by many birds to help them grind their food in their gizzards? Mix a little sand, dirt or fine gravel in with the seed or corn you supply, especially during the winter when snow covers the ground. In addition to a variety of seeds, suet and grit, water is an especially essential component for all birds. During freezing weather, be prepared either to refill your birdbath several times each day or invest in an electrical gadget that will keep you water thawed.

One more important step you can take to help our wintering birds is to save your Christmas tree and gather others that have been thrown away. Pile them near your feeders as shelter for the birds or “decorate” them with strung popcorn, grapefruit or orange cups filled with suet or bacon grease, and whatever else your imagination can supply.

If you access the Internet, you’ll find the following sites full of helpful information: http://www.duncraft.com and the National Bird Feeding Society at http://www.birdfeeding.org/. Join the Society and start reading The Bird's Eye reView, a bimonthly newsletter filled with tips, tactics and tales.

Hurricane Isabel interrupted my plan for several weeks ago to continue directly with a promised you a list of “do’s” and “dont’s” for bird feeding. However, here are some of them now. Please clip this article and keep it with your bird feeding equipment so that you can refer to it from time to time.

I’ll start off with the positives that should guide all bird feeding and then move into the cautionary notes. Be sure to store your seed in clean, dry, airtight containers, such as metal or plastic garbage cans to prevent egg-laying moths and other critters accessing your supplies and possibly spoiling them.

If you should be so fortunate as to have bluebirds wintering in your yard, or should some show up later on, “Miracle Meal” is something these birds will gladly eat. You will need to spread it on the ground, as bluebirds are not likely go to suet feeders. However, if you have a bluebird house, you can place this meal inside the house!

1 cup peanut butter or 2 cups peanut hearts/bits 3 cups yellow corn meal 1 cup lard (no substitutions) 1 cup white flour.

Bring lard to room temperature or melt it before blending with other ingredients. Store in refrigerator. Use this meal especially after a late and heavy snow, as many birds, especially robins and starlings, will appreciate it.

Here’s a trick from Bird Watcher's Digest: Give your seed feeders (especially thistle and tube feeders) a shake before you refill them, to dislodge any compacted seed. Dump out any wet clumps of old seed.

Place feeders where you can easily see them or else you won’t really enjoy your visitors and may miss a rarity.

I hope your bird diners are now open with a broad menu for your patrons!

Please send your comments and anecdotes about birds to me in care of the Cape Cod Times, 319 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 or, if you use email, to emiller@seepub.com. I regret that because of an overwhelming amount of mail, I cannot respond to each of you personally. However, I have added a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section to the web page with my current and past bird columns, now found at http://home.comcast.net/~elliemiller/index.html. If you can’t find the answer to your question there, try Bird Watcher’s Digest at 1-800-879-2478 or check out their FAQ at www.birdwatchersdigest.com.

GRAPHIC: Northern Flicker courtesy of Rob Kipp