I PUT OUT my first bird feeder of the season around Thanksgiving or so each year and get the party started. But there’s more to feeding the birds than just filling the feeders, like how to keep them safe in the age of increased disease transmission, or how to provide essential water in the coldest months, and of course, much-needed tactics for outsmarting the squirrels. Smart bird feeding and more bird-related wisdom was the topic of conversation I had in December 2022 with Julie Zickefoose, that I’m featuring in encore on the podcast. I’m always delighted to talk to Julie Zickefoose, who is a wildlife rehabilitator and artist and author of various books, including a favorite of mine, “Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-Luck Jay” (affiliate link).  Julie lives and gardens on an 80-acre wildlife sanctuary in the Appalachian foothills of Ohio. Plus: Enter to win a copy of “Saving Jemima” by commenting in the box at the bottom of the page. Read along as you listen to the Dec. 29, 2025 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and […]

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