Caring for birds in your garden

Autumn is the time of year to prepare for winter. For those of us with gardens, we’re cutting back and dividing plants in the beds as well as raking the leaves as they fall off the trees. But it is time to care for the birds, too.

  Nest Boxes:

 If you have bird nest boxes in your garden, the time to clean them is now, between September and December. The birds have finished raising their young, so the boxes will not have any birds living in them. For each box, open the lid, remove the contents and dispose, then pour boiling water in the box concentrating on the corners and bottom. When birds nest, they will have mites, ticks, and lice living in the box and feeding on both adults and chicks. These parasites can survive all winter and resume their activities in the spring, so it’s best to get rid of them now. Do not use any kind of powders as they can harm birds. Leave the box to dry, add some fresh dry grass or leaves, close the box and rehang. Sometimes a nest box might have unhatched eggs and dead chicks; this is not unusual as adult birds might lay more eggs than they can raise or adults cannot find enough food to feed the chicks.

  Food: 

Some birds live here all year, and some migrate through on their way to their winter home. At this time of year, feed the birds high energy foods such as fat balls and cheese, supplementing with fruits such as apples, grapes, and dried fruits. Good quality bird seed and dried meal worms are both appreciated by the birds, too. Water bowls should be cleaned daily if possible. Set your bird feeder where you can see it out your window so that you can watch the birds enjoying their feast.

  Plant a Meadow :

If you have an area in your garden that has been neglected for a while, consider clearing off the grass and sow native flower and grass seeds. Once the area grows, birds will enjoy eating the insects

they find and some ground nesting birds may find a home.

  Happy Autumn!

   Cindy Crump