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Now is the time to get your yard and yourself ready for the wild birds this winter.

Cleaning. First, clean out your nesting boxes and put a little grass or nesting material such as nesting hair in it for the birds to cuddle up in. Then check yourfeeders and bird baths. Make sure they are clean and ready to be used for another season. If you had a garden or flower beds this summer, here is a cheap way to feed some birds. Just leave the plants in your garden and beds until spring, the wild birds will enjoy feeding on the left over vegetables and seed heads.

Start offering feed to the birds now. They will be scouting out places where food will be available when the cold weather hits. If you’re not offering water and seed now you may not see any wild birds this winter. Birds will scout this fall and remember the places that had seed and water available and return to those places when their natural food supply is scarce. If you wait until winter to supply seed and water the birds may not realize your yard has anything to offer. When the cold weather hits the birds will tend to stay in the areas where they know that food is available.

Don’t forget the water. It can be hard for birds to find fresh unfrozen water, so also provide water near your feeders. You may need a heated bird bath if you live in an area when the temperature is often below freezing. Make sure to keep your water clean.

Start feeding now so you can enjoy the birds all winter long.