Fall is a fantastic time that all birdwatchers live for! As fall draws nearer, migratory birds will set out on their journey to warmer places to pass the winter. Unlike the mad rush in Spring, wild birds have different calendars for migration. While they travel to winter destinations, they may make stops at your garden to refuel and refresh themselves. So it would be a great opportunity for your to spot different kinds of birds passing through your garden. Bird watching is a relaxing and sometimes exhilarating activity that anyone can enjoy. It’s a great pastime for seniors. Easy to pick up, casual, and no special gadgets required. And right here is a good chance for you to get close to wildlife and explore the secret lives of nesting birds.
What do You need to Know About Fall Migration?
Fall migration starts earlier than most people think. By late June, the first squad of wild birds will head south soon thereafter. The migration will last for months, mainly from August to October (peak season), but for shorter-distance land birds and waterfowl, the migration will continue into December. For certain species, once initiated, it is a single non-stop flight; but some will stop to refuel for the next flight. And weather also has a great influence on bird migration. If you pay close attention to season changes, you will have a good chance to see many migratory birds traveling through your region. Moreover, birds will not migrate until their offspring mature and grow strong enough to survive their first migration journey. So for birds that breed in late autumn, they will typically migrate later.
Here, we will give you some useful tips on how to prepare your garden for the fall migration and how to observe these adorable creatures from a distance.
How to Prepare for Fall Migration?
Time to get your garden ready for bird migration! Here are a few tips to help you create a bird-friendly environment for your feathered visitors.
1. Get Your Bird Feeders Ready
Fall is the perfect time to put up your feeding stations. Wild birds can benefit greatly from the refueling station that provides them with abundant food sources. Placing a bird feeder in your garden can not only help those peckish passers-by get enough nourishment but also help you catch sight of unusual visitors at your feeders. Most migratory birds feed on insects, fruit and even seeds, but high-nutrition and high-calorie food is their top choice to survive the long-winded winter ahead. Different species have distinct preferences for specific bird food. Hummingbirds are more attracted to nectar or sugar-infused bread crumbles, while bluejays’ favorites are peanuts and berries. Among all, black oil sunflower seeds are most appealing to wild birds for their high nutrition and calories. And high-capacity bird feeders like tubes, hoppers and trays are great options for holding black oil sunflower seeds.
Your food choice also affects the type of bird feeders you use. Tube feeders are suitable for holding tiny nyjer and sunflower seeds to attract birds like finches and chickadees, while tray feeders are the simplest kind of bird feeders that you can put in any kind of food, including seeds, fruits, bread, and nuts to attract ground-feeding birds like sparrows. Green Backyard has launched a chalet-style, platform bird feeder. Made of natural cedar wood, this bird feeder is naturally rot-resistant and weatherproof. The hollow-carved design and large capacity make it easy to refill and clean the feeder. It can hold at least 5 pounds of mixed bird seeds to reduce the frequency of refilling. And beyond all hesitations, it’s a beautiful addition to your garden. Moreover, a mini bird feeder camera can also be attached to the feeder to capture some close-up images of your feathered friends as they are stuffing their mouths with bird seeds.
2. Place a Birdbath for Water Supply
Keeping your water source clean and fresh is essential if you want to attract more wild birds to your garden. Some migrant birds may not be feeder visitors, but they all need and require water. Birds need a dependable supply of water for drinking and bathing. During their journey heading to the south, they need water not only to refresh themselves but also to keep their feathers in good shape for smooth flying. Many insectivorous birds can get hydrated from their food like fruits and syrup, while seed-eating birds that have a dry diet, need a direct water source for survival. Water to bathe in is just as important for migratory birds since it plays an important part in feather maintenance. By bathing in water, birds can remove the dust, loose feathers, parasites and other debris from their plumage. Therefore, placing a birdbath in your garden will quickly help you attract feathered friends. Birds prefer birdbaths that are set at ground level, where they typically find water in nature. And you should clean and change the water regularly to prevent birds from catching diseases.
3. Provide Shelter for Unexpected Visitors
Regardless of providing food and water, all birds need a safe shelter If your garden is attractive enough, chances are higher that they may choose to spend the winter here or make a permanent settlement in your backyard. Made of natural cedar, this birdhouse offers great durability for years of outdoor deployment. A 38mm stainless steel cover plate is pre-installed around the entrance to stop even the most aggressive predators from invasion. It is equipped with a removable rooftop and a front panel, so you clean the birdhouse more easily after each brood. The side window is covered with a removable panel made of highly translucent acrylic material to let the natural light in while keeping the rain out. In addition, at the bottom of the birdhouse are four ventilators, which greatly maximize air circulation to ensure maximum sanitation and prevent insect infestation.
How to Watch Migratory Birds in Your Backyard?
A bird box camera is an excellent device to capture images of migratory birds without disturbing their daily activities, and they come in various shapes, shades and features.
Outdoor WiFi Bird Box Camera
This outdoor WiFi bird box camera is designed to work with most standard-sized nest boxes – easy to install with the included bracket and screw pack. It employs a 2.5mm wide-angle lens to capture fully-detailed images in vibrant color – ideal for use in enclosures. This outdoor WiFi bird box camera is one of the very few models that support dual lighting, i.e. daytime and infrared LEDs to illuminate the birdhouse in low-light conditions. Once configured through the iCSee app, you can watch live feeds either on a smartphone or tablet. Continuous video recording allows you to playback the recorded footage anytime. Message notification is available at every trigger event to ensure that you never miss a moment.
Outdoor PoE Wired IP Bird Box Camera
The outdoor PoE wired IP bird box camera is a more reliable solution to stream live feeds over the Internet with little or no interference and image degradation, using a single Ethernet cable to transmit data and power. This outdoor PoE wired IP bird box camera features industry-leading video clarity (3MP/4MP) and vivid color reproduction with an invisible night vision function to secure round-the-clock live streaming to your smartphone, tablet or PC. And this bird box camera can auto-switch to nighttime mode to capture crisp black-and-white images at night without disturbing the nesting birds.
Long Range Wireless Outdoor IP Bird Box Camera
This long-range wireless outdoor IP bird box camera is suitable for observing wildlife outside your backyard, ideal for long-distance deployments, especially in nature research and wildlife monitoring. Market-leading Xtreme WiFi technology secures the long-range signal transmission of up to 300 meters without severe frame drops. The long-range bird box camera employs a 2.5mm wide-angle, adjustable lens that gives you the best possible perspective inside the nest box while maintaining high-quality color images and clear audio. The invisible infrared LEDs help to deliver crisp black & white images at night without emitting glaring flashes. Working together with motorcycle batteries, this long-range bird box camera can be installed in places where there is no existing electrical infrastructure.
TV Birdhouse Camera 3MP with Digital Wireless Receiver
Whether you are tech-savvy or tech-dummy, this TV birdhouse camera is exactly what you need to enjoy bird watching from the comfort of your home. Video and audio transmitted from the camera are picked up by the receiver wirelessly from a distance of up to 50 meters to reduce wired cabling. This waterproof TV bird box camera is able to generate 3MP high-resolution color images by day and pin-sharp B&W images at night with infrared LEDs. A highly sensitive microphone is also incorporated for audio recording. Coming in a compact size, it can easily fit into any standard-sized nest box.
