Mother's Day in Quarantine Gift Idea: Beginner Backyard Birding Kit

Get mom started with attracting birds to her yard with a feeder. An elaborate feeder system might be overhwelming; a simple feeder like this one can be hung from a tree. This affordable feeder is weight-activated to keep larger birds and especially squirrels away from the food without having to worry about purchasing a separate squirrel baffle or installing a pole system.

This is a highly-rated window feeder that sticks with the use of strong suction cups. Wary birds might take longer to find using this feeder safe, especially if it is in a high traffic area, but getting close-up looks at birds with a window feeder like this one is hard to beat.

Mom will need something to fill the feeder. Note that different seeds will attract different birds. Some birdseed sellers even offer regional blends suited to attracting birds in different areas of North America. If you're not sure what to get, this general bird seed blend should be good for a start.

Give the backyard squirrels something to keep them occupied besides going after the bird feeders you sent to mom. This funny little picnic table makes a perfect serving area for squirrels.

The amount of different binoculars on the market can be overwhelming. This sturdy and affordable pair from popular brand Bushnell is very highly rated. They have 10x magnification and have a near focus range of 25 feet, which should be good for most backyard situations. 

There are a lot of different bird field guides from which to choose. Roger Tory Peterson practically invented the modern field guide so his books make a fine choice for beginners. Note that you'll need to pick the right guide for your intended range (ie where mom lives). The linked book here is the Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North America. Make sure to pick up a western guide if that's what you'll need.