I made up my mind that I would try to increase the bird population on the farm, and I started a program to entice all types of feathered friends to the property. We began by using a variety of seeds to fill feeders hung under the eaves of my garage. I also installed bluebird houses here and there on the property, owl houses high in the trees and large feeders near wetlands, in old apple trees and next to carriage roads for easy visibility.

It worked. After just three months, a check of the bluebird houses revealed that each one had inhabitants, two owl houses had attracted new tenants and many different birds were visiting all the feeders with increasing regularity.

That first winter I counted 20 or so species at the feeders. Not all of them came at the same time. It appeared to my unpracticed eye (I am not a trained bird-watcher - not yet anyway) that each species had a specific feeding time and would arrive in a flock to devour vast quantities of seeds.

Friends from the Bedford Audubon Society visited the farm and were impressed with the numbers and types of birds enjoying the daily feasts. They guided me on which types of seeds to feed which birds, and told me of even better ways to get more birds to visit. I became a major purchaser of bird food - safflower seeds, black-oil sunflower seeds, thistle and nyjer, to name a few.

Now we see almost 30 species at the feeders, and I've counted more than 40 other kinds of birds on the property. It's so inspiring to catch a glimpse of wonderfully colored Baltimore orioles, scarlet tanagers or pileated woodpeckers. I've been rewarded with some spectacular photos. It's also good to have on hand a pair of powerful binoculars and a digital camera, as well as reliable ornithological guides.

When first planning my program, I looked for sturdy, well-built bird feeders that were easy to fill and clean. When purchasing feeders, keep in mind that certain seeds should be offered in specific feeders so that birds are able to extract the seeds.

I start feeding birds the moment that the weather turns cold, when there are fewer seeds and berries available. I continue feeding them until early summer, when nature once again sustains these voracious eaters.

BIRDSEED-AND-SUET FEEDERS: Suet is an important winter food for insectivorous birds; it provides the fat and energy they need to survive the cold weather. It can be purchased raw from a butcher, rendered following the instructions below, and molded using any convenient form - muffin tins, cans or food-storage containers, for example.

SUET HOW-TO: To render suet, finely chop 2 pounds of it, and heat it in a large saucepan over medium heat until it liquefies. Strain through fine cheesecloth into a bowl. Let cool until it hardens. Heat and strain suet again to ensure that it will cake properly when mixed with birdseed.

FEEDER HOW-TO: Mix together 5 pounds mixed wild birdseed, 2 pounds rendered suet, 1 pound dried cranberries, and 1 pound raw peanuts (shelled). Firmly pack mixture into five 1-quart plastic take-out containers, placing a loop of twine down the center of each, for hanging. Freeze until hard, at least 2 hours or overnight. Unmold, and hang each using twine loops.

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