My Favorites for Backyard Bird Watching

April 05, 2023

The cutest bird feeders and accessories for bird watching!

Since we moved into this house I've become an avid bird watcher. I think it's because we have such big picture windows and we can easily see right out to the back patio

I find great joy in watching them and keep adding to their accommodations around our backyard. I've officially turned into my father. :)

Is this what happens when you get older? Ha! Or maybe I'm just enjoying the simple things more as I age. Let's go with that.

I wanted to show you a few of the things I've picked up for the birds lately and then some favorite items I've used for years. You know, in case you want to become a bird geek like me.

Our patio is our absolute favorite place to be on nice days. I love sitting out here, watching and listening to the birds in the backyard: 
large patio with fire pit
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The birds LOVE this bird bath I found it at Lowe's -- it's a bird bath with a planter underneath 
Bird bath with planter

I thought the combo of the two was such a good idea. It's pretty shallow so I do have to keep up with adding water every few days. 

I found this solar fountain for the bath and was super impressed with how well it works!: 
Solar fountain for bird bath

It just floats around -- if it's in full sun it works great. It does not hold any kind of charge, so as soon as it hits any shade it will stop working. 

See how high it throws out the water?:


Solar fountain for water feature outside

It comes with different caps to change the fountain if you'd like. 

We don't keep it in the bird bath all of the time because it tends to float to the edge so the water is thrown out of the bowl. I plan to tie a rock or something to the bottom to keep it from moving around so much. 

I'm impressed with how powerful it is! It would be great in any backyard water feature. 

The sound of this little water fountain is so calming!

I found this Adirondack chair bird feeder years ago and it's my absolute favorite: 
Adirondack chair bird feeder

The birds love it even more! It's so easy for them to fly up and eat what they want. As you can see, our Blue Jays love it. :) 

The cardinal couple we have nearby visits often as well: 
My favorite bird feeders

Sometimes they knock some of the seeds out, but they always eat what lands on the ground too. I like having this one up by the house so we can see the birds up close. 

Another one of my favorites is this tire swing bird feeder
Tire swing bird feeder
It's seriously the cutest thing ever. It's very small though, so you'll need to fill it often. This one would be great for smaller, younger trees!  

I prefer open feeders because I can fill them so easily. These basket-type hanging bird feeders are so convenient: 
Easy fill hanging bird feeders

We have a ton of squirrels around here, but I've never seen them on these. It could be I'm just not seeing them, but we don't seem to have a big problem with them eating the bird food. 

I use this bird feed container to store their food -- it's easy to pour the seed right into the feeders. 

Here are some of the cutest bird feeders I found online if you're interested in becoming a bird nerd like me: 
cute unique bird feeders

1. White cottage bird feeder 
7. Window mounted bird feeder

Are you an avid bird watcher...in your backyard at least? :) I actually considered buying some binoculars so I can see some of them better. 😂 

You better believe when we plant more trees in the back I'll be adding more feeders!

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Comments

  1. Doesn't the metal bath get super hot in summer?
    It sure is cute!

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  2. I just started this year and can't believe how much I am enjoying it. I do have squirrel issues. I might have been seen chasing one across my lawn one morning in my underwear after I caught him climbing the feeder pole. 😅

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    Replies
    1. Ive taught my dog to chase the squirrels. She does awesone

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  3. I just started this year also. I suppose from being home due to the quarantine. I have tried several types of feeders this year. I was really liking the suet cage because it's so easy then the black birds found it and demolished a cake in under a day. So I gave up on that idea. I also found a sweet old concrete bird bath and love it. It's so cute watching them splash around.

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    Replies
    1. Make your own suet cakes. I make a big batch and freeze them in little square plastic containers the size of the suet cage. I bought the little suet cages and fill them with my own mix. Since it calls for peanut butter and lard it melts in hot weather.

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    2. I turned into a bird nerd years ago. I love watching them & the squirrels. Good therapy! Beautiful patio! Enjoy!!!

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  4. If you buy binoculars for bird watching be sure they are light weight....makes a big difference when holding them steady for more than a couple of minutes. I wish I had known.

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  5. I'd be happy if my problem was with squirrels. We have bears! There are two bears (Shorty and Lefty) who make occasional appearances as they make their rounds. I have a double suet feeder from Tractor Supply that is in a cage and has a lid that prevents larger birds from eating the suet. It has survived several bear attacks so it's pretty sturdy as well..looks a little worse for wear, but still works.

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    Replies
    1. LOL.. my issue too.. 5 different bears plus a mother and her two very young cubs. I've had to modify my feeders on to bungie cords so if they pull them down they don't get ripped of their hanging cords and take off with the feeder to the back bush. Bears, squirrels and birds habitat quite well around here 🤗

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  6. Love your posts! I heard the little fountain moving around in the water helps keep the mosquitos from laying eggs in the bird bath.

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  7. I've been using eBird and Merlin to ID/track our birds. We recently moved to a new state and it has been so helpful! Both are free. Our cats love watching the bird feeder. We also have found a chipmunk and we feed him sunflower seeds on the patio. :)

    https://ebird.org/home
    https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/download/

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  8. I have a huge squirrel problem.i dont mean the squirrel s are huge .just lots of them.
    So I have resorted to greasing the metal pole ..it works pretty well.

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  9. You have shown some of the best bird feeders. Thanks for that.

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  10. I have become a home bird watcher since COVID. We have 2 seed feeders, suet and a hummer feeder. I also get photos of our visitors.

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  11. There is no shame in being a bird nerd. I have been one for 35 years! Happy birding!

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  12. My husband is a bird nerd! When he was a child, he would spend the summers with his grandparents who didn't have TV. He entertained himself by bird watching over their 800 acre Texas ranch. He can identify a bird a mile away! I love how bird watching is getting so popular during these crazy times. One of the nice things that have come from the cover-19 lock down.

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  13. I highly recommend the BirdGenie app for your phone. I allows you to record a bird's song and it gives you information about the bird.
    http://www.birdgenie.com/

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  14. My daughters recently gave me a bird feeder with a motion activated camera in it. It records the birds as they eat and sing and sends to my phone or iPad. It’s fascinating. Mr and Mrs Cardinal are regular visitors 🥰

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  15. What a fun post! Yes, I am a birder too...mostly for the beauty of the birds themselves. As far as the solar fountain, we also use them and LOVE them. There are models that come with 'bumpers'. Long, straw-like appendages that you snap into place under the disc and they 'bump' into the sides to keep the fountain centered in the pot/bath. Saves a lot of water being sprayed out. Keep birding! :)

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  16. I also love the Merlin app. Thanks for this very informative post!

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  17. When you said you have turned into your dad it reminded me of myself. My dad was an avid birdwatcher.. I never paid much attention to birds when I was younger. Since his passing I became the bird nerd that I am today. My dad would have loved all the bird feeders and accessories that are available today. He died in 1990 and, besides bird baths, there wasn't alot of that stuff around at that time.

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  18. I believe, that when you live in bear country, that you either are only supposed to have feeders out when they are hibernating, or that you are supposed to bring them in every single night. At least, that is what is done in New York State. I appreciate all that I have gleaned from your blog, for my home DIY, especially the landscape lighting that in installed last fall, after reading your post on it. I advise that you check out a site, such as Wildbirds Unlimited. If you are serious about bird feeding and watching, you really should have actual feeder posts with squirrel baffles, along with some better feeders. Along with researching what seed to offer, so that you aren't getting a lot of waste.

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THANKS so much for reading!