Usually only seeing one pair, today we spotted five male red-breasted grosbeaks and two females at the platform feeders. Hummingbirds and cat birds are back, several indigo buntings (the other bluebirds) are hanging around, and we managed a fleeting glimpse of a Baltimore oriole today too.

With spring migrations upon us it’s an awesome time to catch some new visitors… vivid colors abound in the landscape if you happen to be feeding birds right now. If you’re not- it’s a primo time to start!

Offering a variety of food like fruit and jelly and fresh water affords the opportunity for migratory birds to take up residence at your place and maybe even decide to nest there. This may require a few additional feeders, but you can be crafty here and fashion non-traditional items to use as feeders. A hanging glass candle holder makes a great jelly feeder, and there’s even an orange feeder for orioles made from a wire coat hanger. The “how to” is floating around the web somewhere! Fresh water works great in a simple plant saucer, and very shallow is always best for birds’ safety.

So even if you can craft a few new feeders… you’ll need somewhere to hang them! It’s like all hands on deck… the more bird feeder brackets the better this time of year! Whether you’re a novice to backyard birding, or a long-time veteran, a good pole system just can’t be beat. If your battling pesky critters at feeders, the Squirrel Stopper comes with the most effective baffle around. From one of our customers: ‘We absolutely love the squirrel stopper so much so that my husband wanted another right away. It’s been comical around here watching the squirrels trying to win the battle of the baffle. LOL! and having to resort to what we put out for them elsewhere.”

It features four arms with eight sturdy hooks to hang any kind of feeder, even a birdbath too! Especially if your yard is small, you’ll be able to maximize with a variety of treats for feathered friends.

If you’re new to the backyard birding scene, or know someone who is (hint: Mother’s Day), this complete bird feeder bracket system gets you up and running immediately! It comes with four basic feeders offering seed, peanuts, thistle and suet. That’s a fantastic mix to attract a wide variety of birds. The water dish promises to be a big hit, and the mesh tray is always open for options! Live or dried mealworms, fruit, even a cup of jelly for catbirds and orioles.

The only drawback is no baffle… we’d highly suggest using one to save your sanity and your bird food should squirrels abound in your yard!