During this past snow storm, we lost several trees in our back yard.  The day after the storm I spent the day with the chain saw cutting up the wood and piling up the branches.  The next day I noticed an increase in the number of birds at my feeder.  Then I looked further and found a huge increase in birds in the yard, mainly in and around the piles of brush.  They love that brush, just like a hedge row.  Personally, I'd just as soon leave the piles where they are and enjoy the birds, but my wife vetoed the idea.

So apparently you don't necessarily have to do a lot of fancy and expensive planting to bring in more birds, just put out piles of brush around your yard.  See how that goes over with your spouse.

Winger West
Millersville, MD