Watch the birdie! >

Put the GameBoy down and grab the binoculars! Read more.

Lake Country kids love bird-watching. And, after reading Mike Link's article on "Nesting Birds" in the May/June issue of Lake Country Journal Magazine, you'll find they don't have to go far. Chances are, there are birds for watching right in your backyard.

One easy way to find out is to use this simple trick: slather a pine cone with peanut butter, then roll it in birdseed. Help your kids hang these tasty treats in nearby tree branches and then watch the birds come to dine. (Tip courtesy of Andrea, LCJM art director.)

Jodi, LCJM editor, suggests keeping binoculars and a bird book (like Stan Tekiela's Birds of Minnesota) close to your window for easy access. "Kids will feel like junior naturalists with these simple tools at their disposal," she says.

For more information on birding throughout Minnesota, you can visit Explore Minnesota.com or the Minnesota DNR website.

There is also an abundance of birding information available on such websites as Minnesota Birding.com, Birdwatching.com, and Birdingguide.com. These are some of my favorites—what are yours? Just register or login to add a comment and let us know.