just for fun - February is Bird Feeding Month

February is Bird Feeding Month! According to the website, "Days of the Year", "Bird-Feeding Month was established in 1994 by John Porter, a man who so cared about the health and welfare of the birds that he read a resolution into the Congressional record. 'I would like to recognize February, one of the most difficult months in the United States for wild birds, as National Bird-Feeding Month.' These were the words he spoke to the Speaker of the House, recognizing the importance of birds both in our ecology, as well as the hearts and minds of people everywhere. Nothing says spring like the singing voices of our favorite wild birds."

Ordinarily the month of February, at least the start of it, is pretty cold and snowy here in Michigan, so the idea of focus ing upon feeding birds makes sense! Apparently 1/3 of the people in the USA feed birds in their yards - my mom is one of these people. She is actually registered as an official bird counter!

Last year I had my grandsons make, "bird feeders" . . . all you need to do this simple project with your grandchildren is chenille wire and cereal with a hole in it (we used Cheerios). Have them string cereal on their chenille wire - fill it generously and then twist the ends together to make a circle of cereal which they are then able to hang on low tree or shrub branches in their yard. The birds will love them!

So, grab a bird book, make some bird feeders, hang them where you and your grandchildren will be able to see when the birds come to eat the cereal and enjoy identifying the birds in your yard!