​Most backyard enthusiast want to attract the greatest variety of birds to their outdoor space and one of the easiest ways to do that is by feeding the right seed. Some of these freeloaders will flock to a certain type of seed while others just have a quick look and move on. The seed that you put out, will depend on the time of year, the location in relation to your surrounding vegetation, the hardiness zone, the latitude and who you are looking to show up for dinner. There are several mixed blends of seeds as well as several levels of presentation. There are even special types of seed you want to avoid if you are looking to keep certain critters away. 

Birds have been one of the greatest sources of enjoyment in my life, besides my family. (My wife sometimes wonders, I know) I share this passion with some 20% of North Americans who spend more than 32 billion dollars on the hobby of watching birds.[i] They are colorful, melodic, comedic, diverse and never too far from where we are. There are many ways to get close to these wonderful animals and one of them is to walk out your back door. You may have a head start in the shape of a space that attracts birds just like it is, or you may have to do some work to get it just right. Be careful, the whole process may become addicting.

​How do you pick a pair of binoculars? If you have unlimited funds and don’t mind carrying a large set of glasses around, it will be easy to choose. For those of us that have a budget and don’t need the night vision, there are still choices. There are more styles of binoculars than a person can count and they come in all manner of different sizes, shapes, quality, optics and price range.  Read on and we can sort out what might be right for you while leaving some pennies in your pocket.  

​There are small sets of binoculars that are used for sporting events and operas and medium to large size sets that usually sit on a sill to a backyard window, but bigger is not always better when it comes to your optical assistance. The smaller binoculars are very easy to carry around and stow away but the downside is that these are usually not that great for magnification or light. There are the standard sets of binoculars which are the very same ones that you might find on a Boy Scout outing and they are the ones that I started my glamorous bird watching career with. This what you would call the Goldie Locks set, not to big, not to small ………. and you know the rest. There are larger pairs of glasses that allow a good deal of light in due to their large lense openings, but sometimes these can be very bulky. With the introduction of digital, you can view your subjects on a screen or record the image. What ever the look, you want something that fits your needs and the question is, what exactly do you want to do with them?   

​Recently, I shared a couple of videos of cool hummingbird feeders on my webpage. I noticed there was a good deal of interest and questions that came up as we all like to see these little gems up close as they are so fascinating.  Everyone has their preferences, but there are somethings that don’t change when it comes to our little feathered friends and what to put out, to bring them into our worl. Hummingbirds have an amazingly fast metabolism and must feed constantly to supply their little bodies with nutrients. This is why they love the quick and ready feeders but they do require more than just sugar water. We all love the buzz of a hummingbird in our gardens and I hope the next part of this story benefits not just you but the little birds that we all love so much.