Somewhere online I read an article on feeding birds throughout winter, and the ornithologist suggested it’s more beneficial to us (humans) than it is for the birds.
That’s likely true!
Like many people, I don’t offer food to wildlife spring through fall, (well, except for hummingbirds & the local fox kits), but it does feel wonderful to witness a few feathered friends during the dark depths of winter, when most others have migrated to warmer climes.
Perhaps it just feels good to think we’re nurturing wildlife in some small way. 🙂
Along with birdseed, seed heads from perennial plants left uncut in the fall will provide food and shelter for all kinds of birds and small creatures during winter.
A few examples of these plants include echinacea, asters, rudbeckia, and ornamental grasses.
Not only is this uncut fodder great for wildlife, it’s nice to have some structure in the garden over the winter when everything else is hiding out until spring. Ornamental grasses look especially lovely covered in fresh fallen snow.
The temperature has now dipped well below zero, (currently -14 Celsius).
Combine that with a blanket of snow, (not quite as much in that photo below -> last winter), I do think it’s time to make some suet for the hardy wee birds who choose to stick around all year, so I can enjoy watching them gather outside my window.
Wall Flower Studio 
I always leave the black eyed Susans and echinacea in the fall as they have seed heads that the birds like. We also have a feeder but these other seeds are a good alt4rnative for the birds.
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Excellent flowers to grow for winter seeds, Anne. I figure whatever seeds are overlooked may provide new flowers eventually, too! Like you, I have a feeder and suet for woodpeckers. Of course, the blue jays always get more than their fair share. 🙂
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This morning we have blue jays scrounging from a small feeder intended for the little birds 😄
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There you go, Anne! Such beautiful birds, but they sure can be bullies at the feeder, and elsewhere, too. I witnessed them harass our local Robins this spring to the point of them abandoning their newly built nests twice. They finally settled in my hydrangea bush, where I could keep a better eye on them. Win/win!
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I feed them here too after storms and especially hurricanes. I don’t ,t know how the survive excepting sensing the low pressure and flying away to higher pressures. Migrating birds enjoy the seeds too. Lol Bill
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Excellent point! After a hurricane, (in light of the devastation this past year), wildlife of all kinds would be searching for food. Interesting point about the air pressure, too. Birds especially must have some sense of that, which would aid in their survival.
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