Winter Bird Feeders

Are you looking for something to do now that the holiday season is over? Like most people this time of year, you may yearn to be outside but it's too cold to stay there long. You should think about putting up a bird feeder. An overlooked gift card to a garden center or big box home improvement store can be beneficial to you, giving you a project, and helpful to some wildlife when they need it most.

By adding a feeder to your yard you can make their lives easier. As plants die back or go dormant, coupled with a snow cover, a bird’s food source is diminished. If you provide a feeder and seed during the winter time, you sustain our feathered friends which gives you a productive task during the bleak months of winter. A bonus would be to take up bird watching as a hobby too. You find anywhere from twenty-five to thirty-five different birds.

With that many kinds of birds, comes different feeding habits and food needs.  It might be good to put up different styles of feeders to be most helpful:

• Hopper feeders: It looks like a house with Plexiglas sides on top of a platform where the seed is dispensed as birds eat it. The Plexiglas makes it easy to tell when more seed needs to be added. The seed is protected against the weather but not so well against squirrels.
• Tube feeders: Hollow Plexiglas cylinders with multiple feeding ports and perches. These hanging feeders attract species that typically feed off the ground. You can attach a tray to the bottom to catch scattered seeds and to allow larger species to feed.
• Tray or platform feeders: Simple flat, raised surfaces on which you spread seed. Easy to make, they are one of the most popular feeders. Birds that typically feed on the ground are particularly attracted to this type of feeder. A disadvantage of platform feeders is that they are not squirrel-proof or weather resistant. They should have drainage holes for water and need to be cleaned often to remove bird droppings. Only one day’s worth of food should be put out at a time.

Taking care of our feathered friends is an enjoyable way to mark the time as winter progresses. Winter feeding isn’t just for the birds. For more information on this please contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County and request a free copy of “Winter Bird Feeding”.  If you are interested in becoming a master gardener, we are having a new training class beginning February 24. We can be reached at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator

Wild Bird Feeding- Is it OK?

More than 55 million Americans feed wild birds and a third of Pennsylvanians observe wildlife around their homes. And according to an article by Joe Kosack, Wildlife Conservation Education Specialist with the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), they spend millions of dollars on these pastimes; making them part of a full-fledged American industry that influences our economy.

And while Doug Gross, PGC biologist, prefers planting vegetation beneficial to birds before hanging feeders he recognizes not everyone can do so. So here are some bird-feeder tips from Gross.

Location

• Place feeders near cover to shield songbirds from avian predators AND at least 15 feet away from windows (that they may fly into) as well as from groundcover (that might hide cats).


• Make sure there is some nearby cover for birds to use for perching and seed-cracking.

Feeders, food, and water

• Select the feeder and seeds/food that would attract the species you want to visit. The three easiest ways to attract the greatest number of birds involve using cylindrical feeders filled with black-oil sunflower seeds and/or thistle seeds and suet feeders, and ground feeding with corn, millet and black-oil sunflower seeds.


• After seeds, some great choices are raisins for Carolina wrens and thrushes; peanuts for blue jays, cardinals and nuthatches; even peanut-butter smeared in tree crevices.


• A heated birdbath also attracts birds; not because it's heated, but rather because it offers accessible water.


• While most birds will not become dependent on feeders, if you commit to feeding birds in winter, it's best not to stop in the middle of winter.

Sanitation

• Keep your feeders clean so birds don't risk contracting diseases. If you're not seeing sick-looking birds at your feeder, cleaning it once or twice a month is sufficient. Increase the frequency to once a week if trouble shows.


• - Clean bird feeders with soap and water; then a solution that is one part of household bleach and nine parts of warm water. Rinse thoroughly and wait until it is completely dry before using it.


• - While bleach is the most effective cleanser, another cleaning solution can be made by mixing one part white vinegar to four parts warm water, but this solution will not kill viruses.


• "Another way to reduce the spread of disease at your feeders is to offer seeds in different areas and at multiple heights" Gross explained.

Unwanted visitors

Bird feeders could attract black bears, deer, raccoons, squirrels and field mice. Black bears had a rough fall - acorn crop failure - and some may be more active this winter than usual. Suet and black-oil sunflower seeds would be very appealing to them. Raccoons also are partial to suet. Deer, on the other hand, can be drawn by shelled corn. So can field mice. Squirrels come to just about everything you offer.

Flying squirrels, field mice and raccoons (and outside cities- Norway rats) sometimes look for and find hideouts in your house or garage. And once they get in, you have to get them out, find out how they got in and then seal the access point.

Other unwanted guests include starlings, house finches and house sparrows. Starlings, in particular, can really crowd feeders, and aggressively chase away other songbirds you may want to see. Corn and suet seem to be starling magnets, so pull in the corn when they start showing up and use suet feeders that require users to cling and feed, which starlings can't do well.

Habitat

And remembering that creating habitat is preferable to putting out a feeder, the Game Commission will be offering a variety of wildlife-friendly tree and shrub seedlings in its annual seedling sale. Check out the Game Commission's website for information on how to select and order seedlings from the agency's Howard Nursery (found under General Store).

To see the full article go to www.pgc.state.pa.us, click on Resources then News Releases and then Wild Bird Feeding: Is it OK?. Or call your county extension office. In Lackawanna County ask for the Garden Help line at 963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu.

Terry Schettini, Extension Educator

Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Dead Trees Bring Life

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? This is a question asked for ages, and no matter the philosophical answers debated, a fallen tree may have uses no one sees. Trees have countless uses for humans. They offer shade, filter the air, and add value and beauty to the home landscape. Trees stabilize the soil and even produce food for us. When a tree is cut, it can be transformed into fuel, made into furniture, form the structure of our homes, and without trees, a newspaper could not be written, produced, or read.

Dead trees have a useful and special value, not for us but for wildlife. Dead parts of live trees, which are called 'snags', and fallen trees, referred to as 'logs' become important resources in nature. They become food and shelter for a number of species. As a tree decomposes, it recycles itself into the soil. The process enriches the soil and makes conditions favorable for the next generation of seedlings.

Logs become shelter for many layers of life. Insects, salamanders, mice and other small creatures seek refuge there. Other woodland life feed off them. Some grouse have been known to raise generations on the same logs. As the wood decays, it increases the mushroom population. During the harsh winter months, mushrooms are an important food source for birds, squirrel, and deer.

Snags, or standing dead trees, offer a nesting place for thirty-five species of birds. Wood ducks look for tree cavities near water. Barn owls look for nesting sites near large fields. Chickadees, sapsuckers, and woodpeckers make beneficial use of snags. As insects invade a dead tree, they attract turtles, shrews, salamanders, and bats among others, to sustain their life. One bat can consume thousands of mosquitoes while we slumber away.

While it may not always be feasible to keep dead trees on your property, some consideration should be given to sustaining the life we don’t see. On a smaller scale, brush piles, or even a post-season live Christmas tree set outside can create a haven for wildlife. Just because we don’t hear a sound doesn’t mean sounds are not being made.

For more information on this topic, The Penn State Master Gardeners have the publication 'Dead Wood for Wildlife'. Please contact us at 570-963-9642 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu to request your free copy.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Gourds

The rush of the first holiday of the season is over. Halloween is gone and all of the candy is too. The pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns are now part of the compost pile. However, with Thanksgiving a few weeks away, most people keep gourds around as decorations. They are ideal color for the whole fall season, as they do not rot like pumpkins. Also you may want to consider drying, or more precisely curing gourds to make them last even longer.

Curing gourds is a two-step process which may take 1 to 6 months depending on the type and size of the gourd. Surface drying is the first step in the curing process, and takes approximately one week. During this time, the skin hardens and the exterior color of the gourd is set. Place clean, dry fruit in a dark, well-ventilated area. Arrange gourds in a single layer and make certain that the fruits do not touch each other. A cooling rack will allow air circulation around the gourds. Check gourds daily and discard fruit that show signs of decay or mold and any that develop soft spots.

Internal drying is the second step in curing and takes a minimum of four weeks. Keep the gourds in shallow containers in a dark, warm, well-ventilated area. If any mold appears on the outside skin, gourds can be wiped clean and allowed to continue drying. However, any gourds that become decayed, shriveled or misshapen should be discarded. Periodically turn the fruit to discourage shriveling and promote even curing. Providing warmth during the internal curing process will accelerate drying and discourage decay. Adequate curing is achieved when the gourd becomes light in weight and the seeds can be heard rattling inside.

Once well cured, gourds may be waxed, shellacked or painted. A high-grade transparent furniture or floor wax is preferred to shellac or varnish because the latter may change the natural color. Dried gourds can be used for bird houses, bowls and planters. Decorating them with non-toxic craft paints is a great kid’s project. With some imagination, cured gourds can be painted for any holiday.

The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have the publication ‘Growing and Curing Gourds in the Home Garden’, for a copy, contact us at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Lackawanna County