By Grant Toellner

Everyone has heard the phrase “diving into something head first”, but not the Nuthatch!

It’s a way of life! The Nuthatch gets its name from its unusual habit of jamming large nuts into tree bark, then whacking at them with their sharp bill to “hatch” out the seed from the inside. The White-breasted Nuthatch is the largest of all species of Nuthatches in the United States and lives here year round. White-breasted Nuthatch’s have a black-capped head with a grayish-blue color on their back and a snowy while face and belly.

Even though their colors are distinguishable, a Nuthatch’s behavior is what sets them apart. Different from other birds, Nuthatches often turn sideways and upside-down on trees and limbs as they forage for food. Usually, Nuthatches will start at the top of trees and barrel their way head-first down while scavenging for food.

Nuthatches live and primarily can be found around mature woods and woodland edges, usually traveling with their mate. In winter, Nuthatches join foraging flocks led by Chickadees and Titmice as another security source to look out for potential predators. One recent study found that when Titmice were removed from the flock, Nuthatches were more wary and less willing to eat at exposed bird feeders.

A Nuthatch’s main food source is insects like beetles and ants, but they are also regulars at most folk’s backyards. You most likely will spot one snacking on a suet feeder, peanut feeder, or even a regular bird feeder because they also eat sunflower seeds. Some of the feeders I have had luck with and would recommend would be the Songbird Essentials Suet Log and any of the Songbird Essentials Spiral Peanut feeders. These make it easy for them to cling upside-down.

Question: My Cardinals look horrible. Is there a disease going around?

Answer: No, what you are seeing is the Cardinals going through “molt.” This is when they shed their feathers and grow new ones.

For a while even a stately Cardinal is a big, ugly, sickly looking bird. But never fear! They’ll regain their former brightness. Do remember that many males brighten up “just for mating season.” Many other birds such as the Goldfinch, are starting to dull up so they fade into more bleak winter landscapes and thus are not easy targets for predators. Isn’t just amazing in how all of these changes take place every year!

As fall progresses the sources for food become less and less. Birds need to consume lots of

calories and protein which they can get from suet. Suet is raw beef fat. It is used to make everything from candles to Christmas puddings. Bird suet is a high energy formulation of animal fat and other ingredients to attract insect eating birds. It is a quick source of heat and energy for birds, whose metabolisms are set on fast forward. Traditionally it has been used as a good substitute for the insects that birds usually feed upon, but are not plentiful in cold weather. Suet can be presented all year long.

BIRDS THAT ARE ATTRACTED TO SUET
A wire cage suet bird feeder is a low-maintenance bird feeder. You refill only once every week or so, you never need to scrub the feeder, and you can leave it in your yard year round. Presenting suet in your backyard will also attract a greater variety of birds for your enjoyment. Some of the backyard birds that enjoy suet include Woodpeckers, Flickers, Chickadees,  Bluebirds,  Mockingbirds,  Warblers,  Kinglets,  Titmice,
Nuthatches, Bluejays,  Robins,  Starlings and  Wrens.

You can purchase suet from our website or you can make your own. Here are some suet

recipes using fresh ground suet for you to try.

Soft Suet Cakes

4 1/2 cups ground fresh suet

3/4 cup dried and fine ground bakery goods

(whole-wheat or cracked-wheat bread or crackers are best)

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds

1/4 cup millet

1/4 cup dried and chopped fruit (currants, raisins, or berries)

3/4 cup dried and fine ground meat (optional)

1. Melt suet in a saucepan over low heat.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Allow the suet to cool until slightly thickened, then stir it into the mixture in the bowl. Mix thoroughly.
4. Pour or pack into forms or suet feeders; smear onto tree trunks or overhanging limbs and branches; or pack into pine cones.

Hard Suet Cakes

1/2 lb. fresh ground suet

1/3 cup sunflower seed

2/3 cup wild bird seed (mix)

1/8 cup chopped peanuts

1/4 cup raisins

1. Melt suet in a saucepan over low heat. Allow it to cool thoroughly, then reheat it.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Allow the suet to cool until slightly thickened, then stir it into the mixture in the bowl. Mix thoroughly.
4. Pour into pie pan or form, or pack into suet feeders.

Optional or substitute ingredients: millet (or other birdseed), cornmeal, cooked noodles, chopped berries, dried fruit.

The video page of the blog has been updated with 11 videos made by my go to guy for all things about birds, Birdman Mel.
Click her to go directly to the video page.

Attracting Hummingbirds to your yard is easy and practically guaranteed!

Where ever you live in the USA there’s at least one species of hummingbird that will make your yard more interesting.    If you live in the Southwest you will get the lion’s share.

I feel that hummingbirds are the single most interesting bird to attract to your yard.  They are beautiful, their flight patterns are unique, and they make very unusual sounds which announce their presence.

They make a squeaky, chittery noise that sounds more like mice than birds as they perch and fly.  Their wings make noise, too, somewhat like a small industrial sewing machine.  During their courtship routine, they make a vrooming noise, somewhat like a child mimicking the sound of a jet airplane.  If God had given them the gift of song, they would be perfect!

Their behavior is aggressive, consistent and predictable.

Hummingbirds follow the food.  Wherever there’s an inviting supply of nectar flowers, the birds will be buzzing.  As nectar feeders gained in popularity in recent years, the hummers have shifted their migration patterns and species have begun to show up in new territories.  By keeping feeders available during the winter and early spring, you might keep them year round!  Go to Garden Accent Heaven for the best priced, highest quality, and greatest variety of hummingbird feeders.

Fall and winter are perfect times to plan the longest growing season of hummingbird plant magnets.  High nectar content is the first principle, and then choose red-orange, red, and orange flowers that are a tubular shaped.  Bees will also be attracted to many of the same type flowers.  Read on for some helpful hints.

Hummers also eat tiny insects and spiders.  They use the spider webs to make their nests so it is good to have webs about your yard for them to gather.

Providing water for them is highly recommended.  Spend the amount needed to purchase a bird bath with a mister just for your hummers. (Link to our site) They love the fine spray.  You can even add a timer and the hummers will learn the time settings and be waiting for their bath! And you will know when  the show will begin!

Now let’s talk about which plants to put in your yard.  Choose tubular shaped flowers, those with a flaring rim above a long tube that attaches to the stem.  Tubular flowers are inaccessible to other pollinators so that the hummers are assured of a reward when they visit them.  Example:  daisy type flowers have high nectar but all insects can get to them.  Some bees will get in to some of the tubular but the hummers and bees have a pretty good team approach .

You will want to plant perennials, annuals, vines, shrubs and small trees thus providing the widest range of choices and the longest growing season.   Following are the most common plants that will grow in most areas of the USA.  With a bit more effort on your winter reading, you will find more plants specific to your region.

Click here to see an excellent PPS special Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air.