Backyard birding - Statesboro Herald

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Backyard birding

Feathered friends need feeders in the winter, too

The star of the show every year has to be the male painted bunting. They usually arrive in April or May and are pretty shy birds, tending to hang out along the woodline in brush and the lower branches of trees. They eventually will come to feeders, though patience is usually rewarded when these guys migrate through.

W bunting 1 of 1 — The star of the show every year has to be the male painted bunting. They usually arrive in April or May and are pretty shy birds, tending to hang out along the woodline in brush and the lower branches of trees. They eventually will come to feeders, though patience is usually rewarded when these guys migrate through.

Winter is here, the tree branches are bare, and the outdoor landscape can be, well, a bit drab this time of the year. But it doesn't have to be.

A few bird feeders in your yard can help spruce up the scenery as many birds overwinter here in the South. And many migratory birds will be arriving early in the year, bringing color and life to the grays and browns of the season.

Just keep your eyes open, be patient, and if you have a camera, use it. I did, and these are a few of my favorite bird images I captured in 2014, all in my backyard, right here in Bulloch County.