Birds and Squirrels

We’re all familiar with the European honey bee – a species known for fiercely protecting the honey it stores for the winter. These bees live in hives, there is one queen per colony, and worker drones fly around doing the queen’s bidding. They are quick to sting people who venture near the hive, so some people look upon them as pests. Mason bees are often overshadowed by their hive-minded relations, but they live and behave in a completely different manner.

Gardeners covet mason bees for a number of reasons. First, they are more passive and restrained than other bees because they have no honey to defend. Each female bee makes her own nest, and she will only sting if trapped underfoot or squeezed. Perhaps most importantly, mason bees are efficient pollinators – a real boon to have in a backyard garden. They cannot make their own tunnel dwellings, so they rely on preexisting crevices like those in a bee house. These bees are also resistant to many of the diseases that have hurt the honey bee population.

Quickly becoming one of America’s favorite birds is the Oriole. With their striking black and orange or yellow feathers and their unique whistles and song it’s easy to understand why. So why not bring some more color into your yard with these beautiful birds! Orioles do most of their migrating at night so by the time they get to you they’re ready to eat. 

Now how to feed them? Nectar feeders with Oriole nectar are always a good idea. But nectar isn’t the only food on the menu. Try getting a fruit and jelly feeder. Cut oranges in half and attach them to the feeder with the juicy side out. The other favorite is grape jelly, I’ve heard many people say that not only do they keep their orioles around longer (some say all winter) but the sugar content makes for a high-energy food. And if you also love Woodpeckers, Robins, Warblers and Tanagers you’ll have your yard filled with favorites. Once you get them you can try some other foods. I had one person say her Orioles and Blue jays loved popcorn! No salt please. So feed and enjoy!

Sunflower seeds are an undeniable delicacy in the winged world as proven by the fact that birds will flutter from acres around just to indulge in the bite-sized morsels. Bird seed is also among the most convenient of foods to buy as it can be found in bulk at most farm supply stores. Still, this mainstay of the bird diet isn’t exactly the be-all, end-all. If you’d like to diversify you backyard birding portfolio by bringing in a few new specimens, try upgrading to suet.

To you and me, suet doesn’t seem like the most appealing dish in the world. To a woodpecker, nuthatch or chickadee, however, it’s one of the most heavenly concoctions ever devised. Suet is really a glorified term for a block of rendered fat that may feature a few additions such as seeds and peanut butter. Suet bird feeders resemble a small cage, which can be loaded with a brick of suet and left for the birds to enjoy.