An impressive and colorful photo of a feeding Cedar Waxwing taken by Laura Frazier won 2nd Place overall in last winter’s BirdSpotter Photo Contest, sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited as part of Project FeederWatch.

February is a big month for all birders with an emphasis on our home courts, participating in Project FeederWatch and the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). And both of these high profile events have associated bird photo contests that provide an opportunity for you to share your photos with fellow birders from across the country and around the world. With these events in mind, give some thought to how you can attract new birds to your yard this month, perhaps by offering a new food, adding a new feeder, or including a water feature that will add species to your counts as you participate in February events.

Project FeederWatch activities continue through April, while the Great Backyard Bird Count takes place over the long weekend coming up from February 14 through 17. You can get all the relevant information to participate, and you can monitor the action at the links provided below. Participating in the two associated photo contests couldn’t be more fun, with the opportunity to view the photos other birders who have already entered their photos, along with some of the recent category winners of the BirdSpotter Photo Contest associated with Project FeederWatch.

Teachers, students, parents, and schools can prosper even more by adding a feeding station and participating in FeederWatch in the Classroom, which children ranging from pre-school to college are engaged in and love the daily connection to nature through birds. Share the idea with your children’s teachers, while sharing the fun and responsibility of a feeding station at home.

Backyard Improvements

Are you already feeding an assortment of bird foods, including suet, nyjer thistle seeds, and peanuts that might attract new birds if you don’t have them on your menu currently? One super-attractive bird food that comes to mind that may attract new birds to your feeding station is Bark Butter Bits from Wild Birds Unlimited. For more information about WBU’s Bark Butter and other associated wild bird foods, see https://www.wbu.com/products/bark-butter/bark-butter/

If you are already offering fresh water during February, consider adding some sound to attract new birds to your water feature (including bird baths), like a dripper, a mister, or a solar water wiggler. See an assortment of water features at https://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/bird_baths.asp and if you aren’t already providing winter water, you can check out the selection of heated bird baths and water heaters on that webpage too.

Keep up the great work you’re doing keeping your yard a winter haven for birds, keep your feeding station and water feature filled and clean, and enjoy the birds you are benefitting each day.

February Backyard Event Links

For more information about Project FeederWatch, please refer to https://feederwatch.org/ and get detailed count instructions at https://feederwatch.org/about/detailed-instructions/

Teachers, students, and parents can learn more about FeederWatch in the Classroom at https://feederwatch.org/blog/feederwatch-in-the-classroom-middle-school-menagerie/

And to learn more about the BirdSpotter Photo Contest, which is Project FeederWatch’s on-going photo contest, see https://feederwatch.org/birdspotter2019-20/ and while you’re there, check out the wealth of photos other birders have been sharing through the winter months.

You can get all the official information about how to participate in the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count at https://gbbc.birdcount.org/ along with the GBBC Photo Contest rules at https://gbbc.birdcount.org/photo-contest-rules/ You can begin entering photos February 14.

Share your backyard birding experiences and photos at editorstbw2@gmail.com