With such a warm fall I wondered if the birds that spend winter in Southern Wisconsin would arrive later than usual, but they were right on time.
White-throated Sparrows showed up for the first time this year on October 4th. I’ve been keeping track of their fall arrival for 17 years now, and the latest they’ve ever arrived here from their breeding grounds in Canada is October 11th.
White-throated Sparrows are ground feeders. To attract them to your yard, offer them some cover like a brush pile. Or wait to cut down your perennials and annuals until spring.
Dark-eyed Juncos were on time too. They showed up on October 7th. The latest I’ve seen them arrive in my yard in the fall is October 21st.
In winter I scatter millet on the ground for them (thankfully it’s currently the cheapest birdseed available!). Right now there are still plenty of plant seeds for them to eat, so I’ll wait until our first snowfall. Otherwise the chipmunks just vacuum it up.