[sweetliberty]

My feeders are very lively in the winter months, although the variety of birds is a bit different. The finches stay year round, they just aren't as colorful as in thier spring and summer wardrobe. The Cardinals are year round also, as are the Chickadees, Nuthatches, Titmice and most of the woodpeckers. There are others.

I have all of the thistle seed feeders hanging on the overhang of the patio. Works out very well because I can watch the birds from the kitchen window. Food is scarce for the birds in winter weather, so they appreciate the offerings.I'm not sure where you live, but if you make sure there is always fresh water availble, that will make your yard more attractive. I need to get a birdbath heater, but what I've done up till now is set a pan of fresh water on the birdbath morning and evening. I would suggest that you make the feeder a bit more protected from the hawks though. Good luck with the birds.

[Sundog]

That is interesting, you must have a southern / south-eastern location.

I'm sitting at the base of a 12,000 ft. mountain here in Utah, and we get the migrations of the birds that live in the mountains out in the fall and back in the spring. Sometimes they fly up a week or two early, when there are storms up there still, and the valley is thick with cedar waxwings. We have a few hooded orioles for color, some canaries which have acclimated to the wild, and some pale orange birds more civilized than sparrows. Being on a migratory path for arctic birds going north and south, Utah has a fair number of bird-watching clubs.

I like the heated bird bath idea. I may add that to the hawk feeder.

http://www.willieholdman.com/images/large/100370106410.jpg

This link shows exactly what we saw tonight when we went down to the lake at sunset (The view is facing east) and we are located right square in front of the center of that mountain Timpanogos.