Looking ahead to March

A robin ... thinking of spring!

The weather seems to say otherwise, but March is finally here. The official start of spring is three weeks just away. This month brings enormous changes in bird life in the backyard, with some species leaving and others arriving. It's time to take stock of your backyard and prepare for the changes ahead.

You may be a bit tired of trudging through the snow to refill your bird feeders but keep at it! As the snow melts and the ground becomes exposed, birds must work hard to forage for natural sources of food. Berries and fruits have been picked over. The grass and weed seeds that have been buried under snow since January may have rotted or spoiled.

Also keep in mind migration patterns. Birds that arrive here from their wintering grounds in the south have depleted a lot of their reserves during flight. They'll be hungry and looking for food.

On the other hand, birds that have spent the winter here, away from the worst of the Arctic blasts, will be consuming more seed so they can fatten up for their migration to the north.

Soon you may notice fewer juncos--those small "winter birds" that have been flitting on lawns, beneath shrubs and around bird feeders foraging for tiny seeds including white millet. Once the worst blasts of Arctic air ease, they'll be heading to the forests of Canada to breed.

Other departures will be White-throated Sparrows and American Tree Sparrows. They, too, breed in the northern forests and forest edges.

In March you should begin seeing a greater number of robins, Northern Flickers and bluebirds. Tree Swallows, Eastern Phoebes, Chipping Sparrows and Field Sparrows may appear in late March.

Increase use of black oil sunflower

The best seed mix for birds in March is a bit different from February's favorites.

Use a blend with more black oil sunflower seed. Cardinals, chickadees and House Finches are among the species that welcome this food. You can begin easing off on the proportion of millet for your feeders.

A good recipe for March is a blend of 60 percent black oil sunflower, 30 percent white millet and the remaining 10 percent consisting of peanuts, safflower seed or striped sunflower seed. Feel free to add sunflower chips to the mix. Every backyard bird considers sunflower chips a treat!



Upside-Down Suet Feeder deters starlings

Continue offering suet. Woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and wrens will enjoy it. Keep in mind, though, that starlings can dominate suet feeders. If you encounter this problem, you have two solutions. One, you can use a feeder that can be accessed only from the bottom. Woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees are comfortable hanging from below to reach the suet; starlings are not. The second option is a caged suet feeder. The metal mesh will allow the smaller birds to reach the suet while keeping the starlings out.

Mating behavior begins

As the days go by, you'll begin hear robins, cardinals and finches singing to attract a mate. The chirping of robins is a welcome sound and a sure sound of spring. Cardinals will be at their most vocal early in the morning and toward dusk.

Already a few species are thinking about finding nesting sites. If you haven't done so by now, remove any nesting material leftover from last year so the new tenants will feel welcome this spring. Birds will bypass a birdhouse that is full of debris--and you'll lose your chance to observe an important cycle of life.

The first birds searching for nesting sites are the Downy Woodpeckers. They are cavity nesters, preferring decaying trees or nesting boxes for breeding and raising their young. No later than mid-March, attach a nesting box on a tree or pole. Make sure to leave some wood chips at the bottom of the house.

Downy Woodpeckers perform an important role in keeping trees healthy. They mainly eat insects, including beetle larvae that live inside wood or tree bark. They also consume insect pests such as tent caterpillars, bark beetles, apple borers and corn earworms. Other foods on the woodpeckers' diet are ants, berries and acorns. Offer them suet to supplement their diet.

As the weeks go by, we'll present additional tips for enjoying backyard birding in March. This month is one of the most interesting for backyard birders. Enjoy the season!