Supporting Birds in Your Campbell River Garden This Fall and Winter

As the days get shorter and our gardens begin to slow down, the birds around Campbell River are adjusting too.

Fall and winter can mean fewer insects, flowers, seeds and other natural food sources. For those of us who enjoy having birds around the garden, this is a great time to think about how our properties can support them through the colder months.

And it turns out that what is good for birds is often good for our gardens and trees too.

Why We Want Birds in Our Gardens

Birds are an important part of a healthy landscape. Chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and many other species spend their days searching trees and shrubs for insects, larvae and other food.

They are part of the natural system that keeps our gardens functioning.

Supporting birds does not have to mean filling your property with feeders either. Trees, shrubs, seed heads, berries, leaf litter, water and even some safely retained deadwood can all provide food and shelter.

Sometimes helping wildlife simply means doing a little less.

Don't Clean Up Everything This Fall

There is always a temptation to make the garden perfectly tidy before winter arrives.

Consider leaving some areas alone.

Seed heads can provide food. Fallen leaves shelter insects and other small organisms that birds forage for. Dense shrubs and hedges provide protection from wind, rain and predators.

Leaves can also help protect your soil and return organic matter to your garden as they decompose.

Clear the areas that need to be cleared, but leaving some leaves beneath trees and in garden beds can be beneficial.

Fall and Winter Bird Feeding

As natural food becomes less abundant, feeders can provide an additional food source.

Good-quality seed, including black oil sunflower seed, is popular with many backyard birds. Suet can also provide an energy-rich food source during colder weather.

Our wet Campbell River winters make feeder maintenance particularly important. Damp seed can spoil or develop mould, so feeders should be cleaned regularly and old, wet food discarded.

It is also a good idea to clean underneath your feeders. Accumulated seed can attract rodents and other unwanted visitors.

Think of feeders as supplemental food rather than the main source. A garden with mature trees, berry-producing shrubs, seeds and insects is still one of the best bird feeders you can provide.

Don't Forget the Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds have always been a favourite of mine.

My Grandma lived over on Texada Island, and her home was always buzzing with hummingbirds. She kept her feeders going throughout the year, and it is something I have continued in my own garden.

For homemade hummingbird nectar, use one part plain white granulated sugar to four parts water. I boil the water first, then add the sugar so it dissolves completely it also helps kill anything in the water. Let it cool fully before filling the feeder.

You may hear of people using a slightly stronger mixture during very cold winter weather, such as one part sugar to three parts water. For regular feeding, 1:4 remains a good standard.

Keeping hummingbird feeders clean is extremely important. Replace the nectar regularly and thoroughly wash the feeder to prevent mould and microbial growth.

I also like to keep a couple of feeders up. Hummingbirds can be surprisingly territorial, and one little bird may decide the feeder is entirely theirs. Spacing multiple feeders apart, especially where one bird cannot easily watch them all, can give others a chance to feed.

During a cold snap, keep an eye on freezing nectar. Having a second feeder makes it easier to rotate them so there is liquid nectar available, particularly first thing in the morning.

The Best Bird Feeder May Already Be Growing in Your Yard

Before adding another feeder, take a look at what is already on your property.

Mature trees provide places to forage, perch and shelter. Shrubs provide cover. Berries and seeds provide food. Bark and fallen leaves harbour insects. Deadwood, where it can safely remain, can provide valuable feeding and nesting habitat.

This is why we often encourage people to look at their property as a whole rather than considering each tree or garden bed individually.

A healthy landscape is not just one that looks good. It is one that is alive.

This fall, consider leaving a few leaves, keeping some seed heads standing, putting out clean water, maintaining your feeders and letting a corner or two of the garden stay a little wild.

The birds will make good use of it.

At Vision Arboriculture, we believe nature and wildlife are something we should invite, not something we need to fight. If you would like to learn more about how your trees and gardens can support wildlife throughout the year, a Property Stewardship Walk is a great opportunity to explore your property with an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist and look at what is already there, what could be improved and what you might plant next.