Why Aren't Birds Coming to My Feeder? A Calm Checklist
Set up a feeder and nothing showed up? You're not doing it wrong. Here's the friendly, in-order checklist for getting your first visitors.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 24, 2026
The Blog
Birding guides & honest gear advice
Practical, jargon-free birding advice — gear comparisons, backyard how-tos, and the answers to questions every new birder has. No fluff, no gatekeeping.
Showing 1–30 of 31 posts
How to Stop Birds From Hitting Your Windows
Window collisions are one of the biggest and most preventable causes of bird deaths. Here are the fixes that actually work, ranked so you can start today.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 24, 2026
How to Attract Goldfinches to Your Yard
American Goldfinches are one of the easiest, cheeriest birds to bring in. A little fresh nyjer seed, the right feeder, and some patience is really all it takes.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 24, 2026
How to Attract Woodpeckers to Your Yard
Woodpeckers are easier to bring in than you'd think. The short version: put up suet, add a few peanuts, and leave a dead branch standing if you safely can.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 24, 2026
How to Identify an Unknown Bird: 5 Clues
Identify an unfamiliar bird by recording five clues in order: shape, bill, behavior, habitat, and sound. Color comes later.
Hilly Shore Labs6 min·July 22, 2026
Bird Buddy vs Birdfy vs FeatherSnap (2026): Which Wins?
Smart feeders that snap photos and ID birds for you. We compare Bird Buddy, Birdfy, FeatherSnap, and a value pick to find the real winner.
Hilly Shore Labs5 min·July 19, 2026
How to Choose Your First Birding Binoculars Under $200
You don't need to spend a fortune. The best beginner birding binoculars under $200, why 8x42 wins, and how to actually use them.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026
How to Squirrel-Proof a Bird Feeder: The 5-7-9 Rule
Squirrels raiding your feeder? The physics of a real baffle setup, the 10-foot rule, and the weight-activated feeders that actually work.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026
Bird Seed Guide: Sunflower vs Nyjer vs Suet, Compared
Which bird food draws which birds? A clear guide to black-oil sunflower, nyjer, and suet — and why cheap wild bird mix is mostly filler.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026
Common Backyard Birds: A Beginner ID Guide
Meet the 12 birds you'll actually see at a US or Canadian feeder, and learn the simple size-shape-color-behavior method to name them fast.
Hilly Shore Labs3 min·July 19, 2026
How to Attract Birds to Your Yard: Fast Beginner Guide
Attract birds fast with four things: food, water, shelter, and safety. Here's exactly what to add and which birds each one brings.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026
How to Attract Bluebirds: Mealworms + the Right Box
Bluebirds come for mealworms and a proper nest box over open grass, not for seed feeders. Here's exactly how to set your yard up.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026
How to Attract Cardinals: Best Food, Feeders & Cover
Attract cardinals with black-oil sunflower and safflower on a platform or hopper feeder, plus dense shrubs. Feed at dawn and dusk.
Hilly Shore Labs3 min·July 19, 2026
How to Attract Hummingbirds: Nectar Recipe + Feeder Tips
Attract hummingbirds with the right nectar: 4 parts water to 1 part white sugar, no red dye, no honey. Here's the full setup.
Hilly Shore Labs3 min·July 19, 2026
How to Clean a Bird Feeder (The Right Way)
Clean feeders every ~2 weeks with a 1:9 bleach-water soak, scrub, rinse, and dry fully before refilling. Dirty feeders spread deadly bird disease.
Hilly Shore Labs3 min·July 19, 2026
What Do Cardinals Eat? The Definitive Feeding Guide
Cardinals love black-oil sunflower and safflower seeds, plus peanuts, cracked corn, berries, and summer insects. Here's exactly what to feed them.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026
When Do Hummingbirds Come Back? Region-by-Region
Ruby-throated hummingbirds hit the Gulf Coast by late Feb-March, mid-latitudes by April, and Canada by early-mid May. Hang feeders ~1-2 weeks early.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026
Where to Place a Bird Feeder (The 3-and-30 Rule)
Place feeders within 3 ft of a window or more than 10-30 ft away, at least 10 ft from squirrel launch points, about 5 ft high, and near cover.
Hilly Shore Labs3 min·July 19, 2026
Why Do Birds Sing in the Morning? The Real Reasons
Birds sing most at dawn to defend territory and attract mates, when still air carries sound far and it's too dim to forage.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026
8x42 vs 10x42 Binoculars for Birding: Which Wins?
8x42 is the right pick for most birders — wider view, steadier image, brighter in shade. 10x42 suits open country and raptors.
Hilly Shore Labs3 min·July 19, 2026
Do You Need a Spotting Scope for Birding? Honest Answer
You don't need a spotting scope to start birding — get binoculars first. A scope earns its place once distance keeps frustrating you.
Hilly Shore Labs3 min·July 19, 2026
Bird Bath Tips: Attract More Birds With Water
Water pulls in more species than seed. Keep it shallow, rough-bottomed, clean, and moving, and warblers and thrushes that skip feeders will still show up.
Hilly Shore Labs4 min·July 19, 2026
Heated Bird Baths: Do You Actually Need One?
In freezing climates, open water is one of winter's rarest resources — a heated bath makes your yard a magnet from December to February. In mild regions, skip it.
Hilly Shore Labs3 min·July 19, 2026
Bird Photography for Beginners: Your First Real Setup
You already know the birds. Here's the honest gear floor, the four settings that matter, and the fieldcraft that beats expensive glass.
Hilly Shore Labs5 min·July 19, 2026
Digiscoping: How to Photograph Birds Through a Scope
Digiscoping puts a phone behind your scope for huge reach at low cost. How to kill vignetting, lock focus, and get usable eBird documentation shots.
Hilly Shore Labs5 min·July 19, 2026
How to Join a Christmas Bird Count (Beginners Welcome)
You do not need to be an expert to join a Christmas Bird Count. Find your local circle, email the compiler, and you'll be paired with a seasoned birder.
Hilly Shore Labs5 min·July 19, 2026
How to Learn Bird Songs by Ear: A Practical Method
Birding by ear is a memory skill, not a musical gift. Learn 10 local singers first, describe sounds by quality, and use Merlin the honest way.
Hilly Shore Labs5 min·July 19, 2026
How to Use Binoculars for Birding: 8 Fixes That Work
Keep losing the bird? It's setup, not skill. The raise-and-point method, the diopter step everyone skips, eyecups, steadying, and care.
Hilly Shore Labs5 min·July 19, 2026
How to Use BirdCast to Time Your Best Birding Days
BirdCast turns weather radar into a nightly migration forecast. Read it with the wind and you can predict tomorrow morning's big day before you set the alarm.
Hilly Shore Labs5 min·July 19, 2026
How to Use eBird: Your Birding Notebook, Explained
eBird is a free Cornell Lab app that turns your everyday sightings into a life list and real conservation science. Here's how to start today.
Hilly Shore Labs5 min·July 19, 2026