By Kevin Naze
Correspondent
BROWN COUNTY – If you’re not already a backyard birding fanatic, winter is the perfect time to get started.
Attracting birds so you can enjoy them up close is all about food.
Topping the list is black-oil sunflower, loved by all desirable species.
Safflower, suet and peanut chips are great, too.
Unless you want to draw flocks of sparrows and other less-desirable species, it’s wise to steer clear of cheap bags with fillers like milo or mixes dominated with red millet and cracked corn.
Pine tree cones packed with peanut butter and rolled in seeds are enjoyed by many species.
Creating them and figuring the perfect spot to hang outside can be a fun family activity.
Cover is important, too.
If you don’t have much, think about what you could plant this spring that’ll make your yard more bird-friendly.
A mix of evergreens, trees and shrubs is ideal.
There are dozens of good books on birding and many online articles on improving habitat and dealing with pesky squirrels.
Start with clean feeders or disinfect older feeders periodically.
That can be done by rinsing with soapy water and then dunking the feeder in a solution of one-third cup of chlorine bleach per one gallon of water.
Rinse thoroughly and let dry indoors this time of year before refilling.
Colder temperatures are on the way, meaning birds will likely flock to your offerings once they know they’re there.
The simple act of providing fresh water will attract a great variety of birds.
In our area, that means using an electric-heated dish or birdbath.
You can use the type meant for pets or find bird-specific models that can be placed on deck railings or posts.
If you’re short on habitat, recycling discarded Christmas trees this time of year is a great way to break the wind and offer some additional cover.
Those who live where there’s no option to feed the birds can still thrill to the views virtually.
There are dozens of live feeder cams available online.
If you want to share sightings and photos, see what others are reporting, scour data and check out hotspots from around the state, visit ebird.org/wi/home.
Another website to learn from is the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology page at wsobirds.org.
Comment on whitefish plan
Anglers and anyone else interested in the proposed permanent rule FH-02-20 relating to lake whitefish commercial harvest in the Bay of Green Bay and Lake Michigan can listen to the virtual public hearing Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. via Zoom (312-626-6799; Meeting ID: 844 2172 8819).
The rule increases the total allowable commercial whitefish harvest for the bay, reflecting changes to population abundance and distribution.
Daily electronic harvest reporting would be required, and a new restricted area for trap nets set for whitefish in the southern bay would be created.
While the proposed final rule would decrease the entire Lake Michigan commercial whitefish quota by 900,000 pounds, it would more than double the current quota in Zone 1 – the bay – to 800,000 pounds, reflecting a whitefish population that has nearly tripled in number since 2008.
In Zone 2, which encompasses the northern bay as well as Lake Michigan from roughly the Algoma area north, the quota would be cut by more than 1.3 million pounds.
Zone 3, south of the Algoma area, would remain unchanged at about 350,000 pounds.
The public can submit written comments by Jan. 4 to [email protected].
An antlerless-only gun deer hunt runs through Jan. 1, and the late Canada goose season wraps up Jan. 4.
Wild turkey, pheasant and Zone A ruffed grouse hunts all close at the end of legal shooting hours Jan. 9.
Gray and fox squirrel hunting is legal through Jan. 31, while cottontail rabbit hunting goes until Feb. 28.
Water levels update
As of Dec. 24, Lake Michigan was down 1 1/2 feet from late December 2020 and nearly two feet below the all-time high, set in 1986.
Water levels were still 13 inches above the 100-year average and 3 1/2 feet higher than the record December low, set in 2012.