I have noticed in the past few days, the outside birds were not only eating more seeds but they are looking for water, yes water......I kept putting water in the bird bath but it was freezing immediately these cold days. I got the brilliant idea to take the old barn cat dish that we used in the winter and plugged it in and filled it. It took only a few minutes for the birds to flock to it and drink. Squirrels too. I am not sure how many of you have outdoor pets or feed your outside birds, but please consider investing in one of the bird bath heaters or a cheap dog/cat warm water dish. I got mine on Amazon for just a few dollars and it was a great investment for me. My outside pets and wildlife now have water. Have a great day.

@JB Great suggestion. We have a heated birdbath, cleaned and refilled every couple days. We clear the snow off of a few roughly 8' by 8' areas in the yard and broadcast seed there and also on the deck. The birds love the seed and the indoor cats enjoy watching them.

@Mac that is great news. I had an outdoor car named Lucky for a long time and she loved watching the feeders both winter and summer. At times I would see her with a dead bird and that concerned until one time either someone told me or I read it someplace, that only the weak and sick birds will be caught by any cat, indoor or outdoor. I am hoping that is the case because I was always so upset to see she would have the bird. She never ate it because she was always well fed, but she did kill it I am sure and that breaks my heart.
Thank you for caring. I am sure the birds thank you also.

I was gifted a new bird bath that belonged to my Son-In-Law's grandfather. Since I have three birdbaths in my backyard and one in the front yard, I placed it out in the forest near the bird feeders. Now all the critters will find both food and water where they need it.

Somehow the squirrels are bypassing the squirrel baffle on the pole? Maybe jumping from a tree? I don't really mind. When the seed gets spilled the ground-feeding Mourning Doves fly down and feed off the ground. I feed peanuts to the squirrels. Winter is hard on all the critters.

Our Walmart sells 50 lbs of generic bird seed for $10. 25lbs for $6. I find that affordable to feed the birds.

Birdseed is very expensive here also. I was buying it wholesale when I bred parrots and saved money that way, now I have my SIL pick it up at Tractor Supply in the large bags. If I don't buy the better quality they will not eat much of it. They are a fussy lot they are.
I would rather go without something for myself and buy the better for them because I get so much pleasure watching them it is worth every cent. I do not have the variety I used to have thanks to the red tail hawks. They keep my outdoor flock to a minimum of only the toughest, ugliest back yard birds.

I saw of flock of hundreds of black birds yesterday here on the farm. I am not sure were they going South or North. Our weather has been warmer than usual. They had to be going South but they were hunting food and flying in circles. They stopped here and enjoyed something in the Daffodil field.

We enjoy all our creatures here. This time of year it's primarily Sparrows, Cardinals, Woodpeckers, Mourning Doves, and a few squirrels and rabbits. We buy mixed birdseed at the local farm store, two 50 lbs bags at a time. It just gets broadcast on the ground for the birds and squirrels. The rabbits find enough green stuff on the ground and under the snow to satisfy their needs. We live near St. Louis in Illinois so we usually don't get a huge amount of snow.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/...

Why oh why did we return north so early?
Eastern Bluebird and American Robin taking advantage of a heated bird bath in a snowstorm and a Great Blue Heron walking on the ice.
Pool closed. Need I say more?

This could be a turf war brewing!

We started the morning at -7° and the birds and squirrels showed up right after sun up. They've been busy all day in the seed and the heated birdbath.

Mrs just picked up 50 lbs. of mixed birdseed and 50 lbs. of sunflower seed for our furry and feathered visitors .

I saw some ducks flying around the St.Cloud , Mn area.
If they stay in the same area of water it does not freeze and they are down in a ditch area with heavy vegetation,.
I have not seen the Mississippi freeze over up hear, where there are rapids, since the eighties but that was a truly extended streak of sub-zero.

Our birds are also going crazy at the feeders and waterer. Fun watching them.

I'm almost out of seed. I'm going to get some soon. They are going through it like crazy. I caught a squirrel jumping on to one birdfeeder from *under* the supposedly squirrel proof baffle. I moved the bird feeder to another hook.

Brother Al filled the feeders 3 times today. Bless his heart for going out in this weather. He even put a tray on the ground for the squirrels. The same ones he battles daily to keep OUT of the bird feeders, lol.
He's a softie. The heater is in the birdbath but doing no good. It's frozen over anyway. We're on the lake though and that isn't completely frozen over, unless tonight does it.

I am spending as much on Bird Seed this year as I spend on my own treats. They need the food more than I need the cookies and candy.

I bought some foo foo bird feed from a clearance store today for the birds and squirrels.
One type is supposed to be cooked similar to oatmeal to feed some South American parrots, I think, but it is just different seeds and I will not cook for birds outside.

Lol, I agree, RpR! I draw the line at cooking for animals...except my family at the table, lol!

The feeders are kept filled daily, sometimes twice a day. The Cardinals like to feed in the evening so I sometimes put a little extra seed out then. Had some Blue Jays and one Downy Woodpecker on the peanut ring! Havn'e seen many Finches and nary a Chickadee.

No cooking for the birds here. I do put out a scoop pf seed each morning. it is gone by evening as the backyards birds come and eat it up.

Lots if Morning Doves here as well as Jays and others.

We put out over a pound of seed everyday for our year round visitors, birds and squirrels. And they love the heated birdbath/waterer.