Carlisle, Pennsylvania –
Gina Hoffman has learned something over the years: if you want a lot of different birds in your backyard, it helps to learn what each one likes.
Blue Jays get peanuts. Bluebirds get mealworms. Orioles get oranges and jelly. Hummingbirds have nectar waiting for them. And, of course, there’s plenty of birdseed.
Gina jokes that she has the best bird “restaurant” in the neighborhood.
Judging by the guest list, the birds seem to agree.
The Moment She’d Been Waiting For
One of Gina’s favorite backyard successes took a little patience.
She had put up a nesting gourd hoping Tree Swallows would move in, but year after year, no one did.
Then this spring, it finally happened.
A pair of Tree Swallows chose Gina’s gourd, built their nest and raised their babies there.
After waiting and hoping they would discover it, Gina finally got to watch a new family grow up in the backyard she had created for them.
A Surprise Outside the Kitchen Window
One of Gina’s feeders sits right outside her kitchen window, which means an ordinary glance outside can turn into something completely unexpected.
That’s exactly what happened when she looked out one day and spotted a brilliant blue visitor: an Indigo Bunting.
“It’s so cool to look out and be surprised,” Gina says.
That element of surprise is part of what makes feeding birds so much fun. Even when you know your regulars, you never quite know who might show up next.
The Best Restaurant in the Neighborhood
Gina has learned to pay attention to what her backyard visitors like and give them reasons to keep coming back.
Her regulars include Cardinals, Blue Jays, Tufted Titmice, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, hummingbirds and plenty of others, while visitors like Baltimore Orioles and Cedar Waxwings (pictured below) add to the excitement.
And birdseed is at the heart of Gina’s backyard restaurant. She’s a longtime HappySeed Box subscriber, and No Waste Blend is a regular on the menu.
Gina’s Happy Birdwatcher Pick
Gina keeps her feeders stocked with our No Waste Blend, a shell-free mix filled with sunflower chips, peanuts and other bird favorites. It’s a great choice for attracting a variety of backyard birds without leaving piles of shells beneath the feeder.
The menu doesn’t stop there. Gina puts out peanuts for her Blue Jays, mealworms for bluebirds, nectar for hummingbirds, and oranges and jelly for Orioles.It’s exactly what makes her “restaurant” idea so fitting. There isn’t just one thing on the menu, because Gina has discovered that attracting more kinds of birds often means giving them more reasons to visit.
And sometimes the meals lead to moments like this one, captured by Gina’s husband: a male Cardinal feeding a youngster right in their backyard.
A Backyard Made for Watching
Gina hasn’t just created a place for birds. She’s created a place where she can enjoy them, too.
Trees and shrubs provide places to perch and take cover, flowers fill the landscape, and birdhouses and nesting spots are tucked among the greenery. Feeders are positioned near the house and deck so birdwatching becomes part of everyday life.
And when something especially photogenic happens, Gina has help documenting it.
Most of the beautiful bird photographs she shared with us were taken by her husband, whom Gina calls her “official photographer.”
Together, they’ve captured hummingbirds suspended in midair, Orioles stopping for a snack, Cardinals caring for their young and all kinds of other moments that happen when birds make themselves at home.
A Place for Birds to Call Home
Gina’s backyard restaurant isn’t only about what’s on the menu. She’s also made room for birds to stay.
Tucked among the flowers and greenery are birdhouses that offer another reason for birds to make themselves at home. For Gina, it all adds to the fun of watching her backyard change with the seasons and seeing who might show up next.
Gina’s Backyard at a Glance
| 📍 Location | Carlisle, Pennsylvania |
| 🌿 Setting | A landscaped backyard with trees, flowers, feeders and nesting spots |
| ❤️ Favorite Thing to Watch | The surprise of seeing which birds show up outside her windows |
| 🐦 Regular Visitors | Cardinals, Blue Jays, Tufted Titmice, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, hummingbirds and more |
| 🌻 Favorite Happy Birdwatcher Product | Starter HappySeed Box - No Waste Blend |
| 🎉 Special Backyard Success | Tree Swallows choosing her nesting gourd and raising a family |
| 📷 Official Photographer | Her husband |
Congratulations, Gina, and thank you for sharing your Happy Backyard with us!
Could Your Backyard Be Next?
Share some of your favorite bird and backyard photos and answer a few questions for a chance to be featured in a future Happy Backyard Spotlight. Selected customers receive a $50 Happy Birdwatcher gift card and will also qualify for our grand prize: a year of free birdseed!