Shorter days and cool weather often keep us indoors, and that means that the action at the bird feeders gets more attention.

Bird numbers around the feeders are at their peak as winter feeding patterns become established. While many of you are old hands at feeding birds, others are just getting started. Now is a good time to talk about what works best in the Pacific Northwest.

Our maritime climate brings rain, wind and dampness. Keeping bird seed dry and unspoiled is an ongoing challenge. Feeding food the native birds prefer is important if we are to attract an interesting mix of species, but this doesn’t mean we have to offer a wide variety of foods.

Northwest songbirds are primarily seed eaters. Consider what our Northwest habitat offers. The natural foods are mostly seed crops. Insects are also eaten by many Northwest birds, so when it comes to feeding them it’s important to offer a “fat” mixture.

The small black sunflower seeds are the most popular seed we can put in our feeders. When it comes to mixed birdseed, I scatter it under the trees and bushes where the ground-feeding birds forage. This is done from late fall into early spring.

It’s important not to put out too much birdseed. If the birds don’t clean it up in a day or two, other critters may become a problem. Rats, gray squirrels, opossums, raccoons and even bears can all be attracted to feeders.

The other popular food that brings interesting birds to the feeders is the “fat” mixture or insect substitute.

I prefer the lard/oatmeal mix because side by side studies show that the birds prefer it, too.

However, laziness sometimes tempts me to use the commercial “bird cakes.” When three species of woodpeckers feed several times a day, they go through lots of food and they aren’t as fussy about the mix they consume.

When preparing the lard and oatmeal, I melt 3 pounds of lard in the electric frying pan. To the melted lard, I add uncooked oatmeal that’s been run through the food processor. Stir the mixture until the liquid is absorbed. Then cool and store it in a 3-pound coffee can. It doesn’t need refrigeration. This mix supplies the fat calories the birds need and the oatmeal is added protein.

Our lard/oatmeal feeder is a 4-by-4 that hangs from a tree limb. Holes to hold the mix were drilled on all four sides. There are no perches. Woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, bushtits, kinglets, warblers and juncoes don’t need them.

Even the towhees, song sparrows and jays manage to feed from this feeder. If there were perches, the starlings would devour everything. As it is, there are times when they’re a real nuisance.

The feeders holding the black sunflower seeds are the tube type. They aren’t perfect when it comes to keeping the seed dry but are better than the tray-type feeders. They’re also more sanitary because the birds don’t stand in the seed they’re eating.

Keeping the feeders clean is a constant challenge, but it’s important. Clean feeders are less likely to spread disease. A solution of 10 parts water to 1 part chlorine bleach is good for cleaning feeders and birdbaths.

Feeding birds isn’t a complicated process but knowing what the birds prefer adds enjoyment and interest. That’s why we feed in the first place isn’t it?

Write to Joan Carson, PO Box 217, Poulsbo, WA 98370. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a reply.