Expert tips for birdwatching in autumn: ‘There’s a lot going on’

CTV News anchor Sarah Freemark discusses why now is a great time for bird watching with Kristen Martyn from Wild Birds Unlimited.

As the leaves turn and temperatures drop, it’s not just people preparing for winter — birds are too. And according to a Barrie bird expert, autumn is one of the best times of the year to grab a pair of binoculars and head outside.

“There’s a lot going on in the bird world, particularly migration season is happening right now,” said Kristen Martin, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Barrie, during a recent interview with CTV News. “We have a lot of birds passing through, so it’s a great time to see lots of different birds. And of course, they’re looking for lots of seeds to get ready for winter. So, they’re visiting our backyards in great numbers.”

Martin said blue jays are especially active right now, no, not those Blue Jays — she was talking about the bird, adding they’re not shy about visiting local feeders. “By far their favourite food is peanuts, specifically peanuts in the shell,” she explained. “You’ll see them pick them up and weigh them in their beaks and look for the heaviest one before flying off to stash it somewhere.”

And while their vivid colour makes blue jays easy to spot, Martin revealed a surprising fact about them.

“Blue jays aren’t actually blue. Their feathers have a structure that plays a little trick on our eye and the light bends and reflects blue back to us. That’s true for a lot of birds that are blue in colour.”

Other birds common in Simcoe County backyards this time of year include cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, sparrows, finches, and woodpeckers. To keep them well-fed through the colder months, Martin recommends foods rich in fat and protein. “Great seeds would be sunflower seeds, suet, peanuts, and tree nuts—always really good for the birds,” she said.

For anyone looking to add a bit of charm to their yard, Martin suggests using decorative feeders called seed characters.

“The fun thing about them—besides how cute they are—is all the different seeds that are in there,” she said. “You can attract a wide variety of different birds to just the one cute little character.”

When it comes to timing, Martin said mornings and evenings are best for birdwatching.

“When they wake up in the morning, the first thing they do is look for food,” she said. “They also feed throughout the day, but at the end of the day as well, they fuel up before looking for somewhere to roost.”

As nesting season approaches, she offered one more tip. “If you have a pet at home that has fur that does not have any tick or flea medication, offer that pet fur to your birds and they can use that for building their nest.”

Martin encourages residents to embrace the season by spending a few quiet moments outdoors.

“It’s amazing what you can find right in your own backyard,” she said. “You just need the right tools to draw them in.”