How Bird Watching Can Be a Great Family Adventure
Bird watching or what enthusiasts call birding is an excellent fun family adventure. The best part is families never have to leave their own back yard. Amateur-bird watchers always have their eyes and ears open for that rarest of rare bird. Families can watch birds in their own back yard by enticing them with ample birdhouses and feeders. Birds will always come back if they know the buffet is waiting. Birds will scout ahead in the fall, and if they realize dinner is served they will stay the winter.
To keep birds coming back and to attract new ones have the kids plant some bird friendly flowers. Birds love the colors and the family will love spotting all the birds. Like humans, birds love variety so keep a variety of birdseed on hand to attract all different kinds. The kids will love spotting that beautiful Red Cardinal and listening to it singing for its meal.
So grab the binoculars or spot them with the naked eye, birds are year round in any climate. Get to know what birds fly south for the winter and which ones stay. Well-stocked feeders will keep birds coming back. Birders know that listening for birds is as fun as spotting them. Their song identifies many birds. Listen for bird songs, and have the kids record the songs for hours of enjoyment and to learn how to identify birds by their songs.
Black oil sunflower seeds will attract those beautiful red and brown Cardinals. Thistle is excellent seed to attract those very colorful finches, they do warble for their dinner. Scatter millet on the ground and watch the birds go for it, or hang some suet from a branch.
Keep birds baths clean and full birds need water as much as they need food. Grab the camera and snap a photo of one taking a bath. Birds need water in the winter as much as they do the summer. Heated birdbaths make great gathering places for birds in the winter months.