I Love Watching Birds

Birds entertain me through the cold winter months and into the spring and summer. Before COPD, my desk was facing into the room, and my back was to the window. Post COPD, as I spend more time in my office, I had my desk turned so I can see my yard and enjoy the birds, the bees, and butterflies all day long.

My visitors

Blue jays

Blue jays with their vibrant blue colors are aggressive bullies and manage everyone at the feeder. The jays cry out just as they are about to land at the feeder and all the other birds give them a wide birth. They eat in solitude unless they have young ones with them.

Cardinals

Cardinals on the other hand are sweet birds. The male is ruby red and gets a deeper red during mating season. The females are gold with a little red on them. The male feeds the female during mating and a pair will mate for life.

Chickadees

A favorite at every feeder. The chickadees will be the ones to ask you to fill the feeders. They wait patiently while you top it up and gladly jump in to feed. These cuties have a white stomach and black tuxedo jackets on their backs.

Other considerations

Suet cakes

We buy suet cakes by the case and put them out 4 at a time, sprinkling them throughout the garden. As dusk comes and the birds go home to roost, the squirrels and other rodents come in for their fair share of the feast. Suet cakes make less mess and leave little waste, unlike seeds.

Not too close

I like to have some distance between my house and the birds. Keeping them away from the house, I can easily view them at a distance and have the feeders perched high enough so the cats can not get to them.

Mental health

I like watching the birds because it helps my mental health. Some say that people living in a neighborhood with more birds, trees, and flowers are less likely to suffer from stress and anxiety. It doesn’t seem to matter what the species of the bird is, but it is more about the number of birds that people see.¹

Watching birds helps me to stay in the moment and to focus on what is happening. I easily meditate and feel comforted by their daily visits.

Year-round guests

I love to hear the song of the birds in the morning and after dinner before it gets dark, as they call the babies home. We will have our feeders full until the robins come to tell us that spring is here. Although robins don’t eat at the feeders, we boil and cooled some raisins to help them get started in spring.

Birds like blue jays, chickadees, and cardinals stay around all summer and winter as long as the feeders are full. Although each of the species can look alike, they are distinguishable by their daily habits.

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Editor’s Note: We are extremely saddened to say that on January 7th, 2024, Barbara Moore passed away. Barbara’s advocacy efforts and writing continue to reach many. She will be deeply missed.