Tilton Conservation Commission

“Feeding birds is one of the best ways to connect with nature without having to go far away,” says Dr. Emma Greig, an ornithologist. Emma manages Project Feederwatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, where amateur bird enthusiasts across the country can contribute to a data set by reporting on the birds that visit their feeders between November and April. This helps scientists better monitor and understand long-term bird patterns in the winter. The project also offers a helpful guide to bird feeders and feed for wintertime.

You can attract certain birds native to your region by selecting species-specific food and feeder, but to attract the largest variety of birds, Emma recommends hanging a suet block outside the window where you plan to do your winter birdwatching. Birds such as woodpeckers, warblers, kinglets, and even wrens will come to the feeder because the fat in the suet is a good source of energy in the colder months. “Even birds that don’t normally eat seeds will come and nibble from a suet block,” Emma says.

“Another benefit of a suet block feeder is that you don’t end up with seeds everywhere,” Emma says. “They disappear to nothing. They’re really tidy.”

To get the best view of the birds, place the feeder at least 3 feet from your window. Birds that build up speed as they land to eat will be less likely to injure themselves if they hit the window.

Climate Change Action - Reduce Your Carbon Footprint from Food

***Shop local. Eat locally-produced and organic food. It has been estimated that 13% of US greenhouse gas emissions result from the production
and transport of food. Transporting food requires petroleum-based fuels, and many fertilizers are also fossil fuel-based.
Click here to find a food access map for NH, provided by UNH Extension. Time to plan for this spring.

***Cut the beef and dairy. It takes a lot of resources to raise cows, and it's especially bad if you buy beef from somewhere like Brazil, where it was grazed
on land that used to be tropical forest but was cleared for agricultural use. Deforestation is a top contributor to carbon emissions and climate change.
https://cotap.org/

The Town of Tilton has a hidden gem just a few blocks from downtown's Main Street - 55 acres of
forested conservation land that can be used for recreational activities.

It's a perfect place to snowshoe in winter. It can best be accessed at the end of High Street Extension where there is
a kiosk and small parking lot. So, put on your snow shoes and take some time to enjoy Tilton in the winter.

Bring your camera or cell phone and take pictures. Look for animal tracks. Test your tree identification skills. Enjoy.

While most people who feed deer in the winter are well-intentioned, there are a number of negative consequences to their actions.
White-tailed deer, like many other wildlife species, have natural adaptations that help them survive the winter.
One of these adaptations involves the storage of fat in fall for use later during the winter.
Supplemental feeding interferes with how deer use these fat reserves, process food, and expend energy in winter.
Feeding deer also makes them more vulnerable to aggressive interactions, predation, disease, and vehicle collisions.
For the long-term health of deer, the best management strategy is to keep deer dependent on their natural food and cover.
(Taking Action for Wildlife)