My brother-in-law is in the military. As a military family, they move a lot. We have visited them in a few of the places they have been stationed, particularly Fort Drum, NY and more recently, Fort Lee, Virginia. Here is my experience with wildlife when visiting.

Over a Thanksgiving holiday, my family visited my husband’s brother and his family in Fort Drum, NY. The neighborhood was straight out of the 50’s – all the homes looked the same on the same size lot, the same distance apart. There were little to no plants or trees as the neighborhood was just completed. It snowed about five inches on Saturday and an additional dusting on Sunday. When venturing out on Saturday morning, kids were out building snowmen and shoveling snow. I saw a couple of kids pulling sleds, although I have no idea where they were headed. June Cleaver was probably inside baking cookies waiting for Beaver to come home after a busy day in the snow.

But bird life? There was none to be seen. No plants with seed heads to attract the playful feathered friends, no feeders on posts or attached to trees to bring the birds to the neighborhood, no evergreens to give shelter - a sad outcome of any new neighborhood that’s been started from scratch. The neighborhood was alive with people, but void of wildlife.

Their home in Fort Lee wasn’t much different – in reference to wildlife. Their home was inviting, as always. Although this time when we were visiting, the neighboring homes were empty. No one was around, no kids, no adults. As he climbs the ranks, the homes become larger and families become older. This neighborhood was newly constructed as well. There were a few trees planted, with the typical evergreen shrubs on each side of the porch. Somehow, my sister-in-law makes things so inviting for guests and visitors. We are always welcomed to their home, wherever it is. However, the bird activity in this location was rather quiet, yet again. The few perennials that may have been planted were all cut back. There was little food for any feathered friends. And as a bonus, the crepe myrtle that was planted was basically buried. The mulch was piled so high – 18" high – on the trunk that the lives of those trees are limited.

So what do these two environments tell us? It tells me that we can fix these flaws in construction. Unfortunately, neighborhoods like this are not limited to the military. These neighborhoods are all over the country.

Understanding and educating folks on the benefits of planting properly and environmentally friendly maintenance practices can go a long way for our feathered friends.

Watching birds in the winter is enjoyable and fun to do. During the dreary days, we can lift our spirits by watching the little creatures flitting around the feeders and seed heads of perennials, and in and out of evergreen trees and shrubs. Our feeders are outside our family room windows, and I can watch the activity for quite a long time as the birds visit different feeders.

Many types of birds visit in any given period of time. Red-bellied and downy woodpeckers, chickadees, juncos, white-throated sparrows, house finches, cardinals and tufted titmice grace us with their presence. An assortment of feeders and food choices will attract a larger variety of our flying friends.

Plant Life: When planning for winter visitors, plant things that have seed heads that can remain through the winter months. Common perennials such as black-eyed susans, coneflowers, and asters will provide seeds. Evergreen shrubs and trees, like inkberry holly, American holly and white pines will provide shelter for the birds. Deciduous shrubs like viburnums, winterberry holly and sumac provide berries. Allow old, dead trees to remain standing if safety to any buildings is not an issue. These will provide nesting holes in the summer, but also the woodpeckers and other birds like blue jays love to use the trees to break open seeds and nuts.

Take advantage of the winter months to plan for a bird habitat. Research the sizes of shrubs and trees, study the best locations to plant bird attracting shrubs, trees and perennials. Understand and see the beauty of a less than tidy garden, as the dead stems and thick brush are the reason bird activity will happen in any given area. Keep in mind the visibility of the feeders from inside your house so you can properly locate the plants for your view of the bird activity.

Supplemental Food: We can supplement this natural food source by providing additional seed through bird feeders. Many styles of feeders are available, from tubes and platforms to nets and hoppers. The more variety of feeders you provide, the more variety of visitors you will have. Tube feeders typically attract finches, while the platform feeders will attract larger birds like cardinals and blue jays and the netting can be filled with suet for the woodpeckers.

Probably the most versatile feeder is the hopper. At our hopper, one located on our deck the other outside the kitchen window for easy view, we have finches, juncos, titmice and chickadees visiting daily. We keep it full of black oil sunflower seed. Another feeder that we use is a suet feeder. This feeder allows the birds to feed on the underside as the holes are below the suet cake. Mostly woodpeckers hang out at this feeder, literally. It’s really enjoyable to watch them!

We also have a net that we fill with suet or a peanut butter mixture that includes sunflower seeds. This attracts the woodpeckers, but we get flickers and jays flitting around as well. A piece of a wooden post with holes that we spread the peanut butter/sunflower mixture provides cardinals and blue jays as well as finches and titmice a feast to partake. Gold finches love the tube feeders. The gold finches will feed upside down, making this an interesting watch.

Just as there is a variety of feeders, so goes the types of feed. Millet, sunflowers, corn and peanut butter can all be a food source for birds. The most versatile seed is the black oil sunflower seed. This seed can be mixed with peanut butter and put into the suet feeders, and it can be used in hoppers as well as platform feeders for the cardinals, chickadees and titmice.

The least useful type of feed is millet. Typically when buying a bird feed mix, the millet is what the birds will scratch to the ground and discard. It’s mostly just a filler to add weight for the bag. Niger (thistle seed) is used in the tube feeders for the finches. These are tiny seeds and are typically on the pricier side, but the finches just love it!

A winter tradition in our family is to smear peanut butter onto pinecones and hang them on the trees. We also use orange and apple slices, string them together and have an outdoor tree for the birds! Even at 25 and 22, our daughters still enjoy this winter tradition.

Feeder Location: When locating the feeders, whatever type you choose, remember one important element: shelter. The birds need to feel protected and have a quick get-away from any potential hunters, like hawks and cats. Be sure to locate the feeders near evergreen trees or near brush or plants that they can quickly fly to when danger is in their midst. Our feeder on our deck has evergreen trees to one side and a dense, deciduous tree to the other. This allows them cover from potential predators.

Water: For best bird activity and bird health, not only should you provide a food source (whether with plants or store-bought bird feed) and shelter, but you should also provide water. A heated birdbath can provide that. There are many types of bird baths and heaters on the market. Small fish ponds, or just a clean dish of shallow water set out each morning can provide this source of water as well.

I remember, not long ago, thinking that bird watching was for the older generation. In the early days of dating my husband, I can remember visiting him in San Francisco. At the time, he was working with the U.S. Dept. of Interior, researching waterfowl in the bay area. As an avid bird watcher in his mid 20s, the first place we went after he picked me up at the airport was "some place" in this marshy area looking for a black rail. All these birders, with their scopes, binoculars, and other gear that I didn’t understand, were just waiting for this little bird to "flush" out of the grasses. I thought they were all crazy, including my boyfriend. (I suppose that should have been my first clue…)

But now, in my early fifties, I, too, find this a hobby worth the time. Maybe I’m now a part of that "older generation" I not so long ago deemed worthy of birdwatching. Look into acquiring field guides to help you identify the birds visiting your feeders in the winter. Some guides you may want to look at are Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America and Sibley Guide to Birds. A website to check out is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds (www.allaboutbirds.org).

My guess is, when spring comes, you’ll be more aware of the bird activity around you and utilizing a guide even more frequently than you have during the winter. Enjoy the quiet of the winter and the flurry of bird activity. When we get "snowed-in" again this winter season, remember to take the time to relax and watch the birds. Enjoy the relaxation now, because spring is just around the corner!

Read other winter related gardening articles