Deeds

CONTINUED FROM PAGE F8 and Lillian I. Mojic a-Lopez, 1080 Western Ave., $317,000.

U S A Housing & Urban Develop ment to Birdie Properties LLC, 3 Old Farm Road, $185,000.

George A. Chapman, and David recommend scrubbing your feeders with a solution of 10 percent non-chlorinated bleach a few times a year.

Window collisions are another danger. The Cornell Lab suggests placing feeders within three feet of the glass or more than 30 feet away to keep birds safe; if a feeder is too far from a tree or other shelter, it can expose smaller birds to hawks looking for their own lunch. (The Cornell Lab’s Feeder Watch has more details about determining the right feeder placement.)

Although the adjective “squirrel-proof” has been attached to many bird feeders, you’ll typically find squirrels attached to those feeders, too. Adding a baffle — essentially a dome — above or below a feeder can make it harder for a squirrel to land. Some feeders have weight-activated springs that shut off access when triggered by a squirrel. Lund sprinkles a little seed on the ground, to make feeders less tempting to lazier squirrels. But know that feeding birds probably means feeding squirrels, too.

W. Ostrander, trustee, to Michael D. Jones, 33 Adams St., $220,000.

Jonathan P. Camp to Brianna M. Decker and Kyle Decker, 17 Charles St., $282,500.

Kyle E. Beroth and Luke Cabana to Daniel Patrick Hill, 8 Morgan Ave., $335,000. Mactrem LLC, to Robert Boyer wasps. Bird baths are more than decoration, too — they help birds care for their feathers and remove pests when water is scarce; in winter, place a bird bath in the sun or find one that plugs in, to keep it from freezing.

• Let the birdwatching begin

Now that your home is a destination for the feathered set, you can learn the ins and outs of observing and identifying them.

gamifying birdwatching really drives their passion, but it’s a double-edged sword that drives other people away,” says James. “Birding isn’t a competition. Sometimes it’s just about stopping and sharing one moment with one bird.”

• Create a bird-friendly habitat

Offering birds a comfortable, safe place to hang out is another way to bring them to your yard.

“During spring and summer, when birds start nesting, habitat becomes really important for a bird - and by habitat, I mean living space,” says Purbita Saha, an avid birder and deputy editor at Popular Science. “If you want to attract songbirds like wrens, chickadees and sparrows looking for shelter, you might collect a little pile of brush by gathering downed branches from the last winter storm.” Some species, such as Eastern towhees and common yellowthroats, will make their nests in brush piles.

You can also build or buy a bird box (a.k.a. a birdhouse), which essentially mimics a tree cavity. Birds can be incredibly particular about the height, size and orientation of the opening, so get advice from Cornell’s Nestwatch site, which also has tips for dealing with predators and competitors like bees and

III, and Alicia Boyer, 8 Lewis St., Unit B, $312,500.

Madhu Siwa and Maya Lepcha to Jilliane Smith and Judith Slamin, 5 Forest Ave., $270,000.

Shirley A. Denardo, trustee, and Denardo Living Trust, trustee of, to Angela Buri, 231 Paper Mill St., $326,000.

Tykee James, president of D.C.’s Audubon chapter, tells people to start off with a “Familiar 5,” as a foundation for further learning: “Identify a few birds that you know really well,” he says, “then get to understand their habitat, the markings of a male and a female, and get to know their song. Are they in your backyard because they’re migrating, or are they locals looking for food and shelter?”

(James suggested that as a resident of D.C., my Familiar 5 might be rock dove, European starling, house sparrow, American robin and pileated woodpecker.)

To help spot those birds, get one of the many Sibley field guides, the go-to books for seasoned birders. If you prefer a digital option, try the Merlin Bird ID app from Cornell, which offers surprisingly accurate suggestions based on photos or a few moments of birdsong that you submit — “Shazam for birds,” as some have called it.

Lund and James recommend a guidebook or paper journal for taking notes and sketching. Many birders have a “life list” that includes every species they’ve ever seen. But if you’re not as obsessed with all the counting and labeling, that’s okay. “For some people, that aspect of

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Browndog 90 Realty LLC, to Randall G. Baker Sr., Masterson Road, $100,000.

WILBRAHAM

AC Homebuilding LLC, to Robert P. Hartwig, trustee, and Hartwig

Saha agrees: “Birding is so much more than counting,” she says. “It’s understanding how birds use the landscape, how they interact with plants, how they eat different insects on your property . . . all of that helps you understand your own local ecosystem. That’s the power of birding right at home.”

To capture those details better, get a solid pair of binoculars, because even in a small backyard, the magnification lets you see things you can’t spot with your naked eye, such as bird dances and other mating rituals. Lund recommends the Nikon Pro Staff series, which includes a few models in the $150 range, all of which should last for generations.

Last year, Lund saw his 700th species in the continental United States, but he has just as much fun keeping track of the birds around his home. “I’ve seen 112 species in my backyard, and the most recent one was a mallard,” he says. “Under any other circumstances, I’m not that excited to see a mallard. But when I see one in my backyard, I’m fist-pumping, jumping up and down. And when migrating birds come through, I may be lucky enough to see a Cape May warbler or blue-headed vireo that’s just stopping for a day or two, refueling ... on its way from South America to Canada.”

Scott Kirkwood is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.

Family Trust, trustee of, Sandalwood Drive, Unit 50, $529,900.

Suzanne R. Zeckhausen to Hannah Liggett and Andrew Clark, 4 Woodsley Road, $426,000.

Westhampton

Erica Trudell and Erica L. Kolakoski to Raul A. Bermudez, 342 Main Road, $235,000.