The sign on the store shelf read: “Warning! Watching television gives emotional distress—Watch birds instead.”

What a great idea for people of all ages.  And you can watch birds right out your back door.  The hobby is easy, low-cost, and ever-changing.  And simply by sitting on your deck for a while, you can enjoy Outdoor Living at its finest.

“You don’t have to know birds, to enjoy watching them,” said Scott Menough, co-owner of Lakewood’s Wild Birds Unlimited, himself an enthusiast for over twenty-five years.

Here in Colorado, birding is especially rewarding as we sit in the midst of the Central migratory flyway—an upper air highway of sorts for birds who move from Canada down to Central America and back again in their need for optimal living conditions.  We have 495 species of birds native to our area, which makes Colorado eighth in the nation for hosting the most variety of bird species, according to Scott.

So, whether you’re a casual viewer of nature or a determined bird watcher like the character, Brad Harris, in “The Big Year,” there is a bird outside calling for you.  In the fall, you may notice Blue Jay’s more. These birds are clever and entertaining, will use the scream of a hawk to scatter bird feeder competition and is particularly active this time of year.

Some other birds Scott mentioned to be on the lookout for, include the house bird species like finches, sparrows, chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers.

Asked about the damage a woodpecker might do to a wooden deck, Scott shook his head.  “Woodpeckers are only drawn to damaged or decaying wood.  And the drumming you might hear on your chimney is more of a means of attracting a mate.”

And speaking of attracting birds to your back yard, here are some things you can do:

Put out Feeders – there are two basic kinds you can start with.  The hopper, or house-shaped feeder is a great all-around feeder that protects birds and food from Colorado’s changing weather, and the tube feeder for smaller birds.

• Use a deck mount for bringing birds even closer to your back door.  At Wild Birds they have all the equipment you need to make a beautiful feeding station, including hardware and decorative finials that won’t damage your deck railings.
• Feed birds with seeds that don’t have shells.  “Your hobby should be watching birds, not cleaning up messes,” said Scott.  Wild Birds produces seeds without fillers such as flax-seed or wheat.  And because the birds eat more of what you put out then, you don’t accidentally attracted unwanted creatures to your back yard.

Are you ready to get started in a bird watching adventure?  Would you like to make your yard “bird friendly” to attract more species?  Here are the four basic needs you can meet that will attract birds to your yard:

1. Food – Birds eat seeds, nuts, fruits, and bugs.  Don’t use too many chemicals in your yard, as they kill bugs and push away birds.
2. Water – remember birds need it both for bathing and for drinking
3. Cover or Shelter – Whether you have planting of trees or provide small covered eating areas like the hopper design feeder, a little protection from the elements goes a long way.
4. Safe nesting places – Again, this can be trees, or you can add bird houses.

A great book to help you get started is Birds of Colorado Field Guide, by Stan Tekiela.  And you can join Scott and his brother, David on their BirdTalk radio program Saturday mornings at 8:00 on AM 710 KNUS.

On the way out of Wild Birds Unlimited, there’s another sign.  This one shows a squirrel looking straight at you from the side of a bird bath:

“Hello? The birds wanted me to tell you—the feeders are empty.”

Looks like fall is a great time to seed up and look outdoors.

(Photo by Ano Labb)