Our house is tucked away in the woods. When we built it 20 years ago, I wanted to bring the outdoors inside as much as possible. If my budget had supported it, I would have had walls of windows. Instead, I have five tall cottage-style windows and a set of French doors on the front and side of the house. They allow lots of light and great views.

I’ve learned to have my camera ready, as you never know what kind of wildlife will appear outside my windows. I pull out a couple of screens in the winter to give me a better view. The resulting problem has been the bird strikes. The reflection of the trees in the window glass lures birds toward the window with disastrous results.

I’ve explored a variety of window clings that claim to help, but unfortunately, they obstructed my view of the outdoors. This fall, I discovered black marker dots. They come in tape strips that you apply to the outside of your window. The application is tedious, but I’m pleased with the results. If you look at the window, you do see the dots. However, the dots fade away if you study the view outside the window. Paul didn’t appreciate that I’d put them up until I pointed it out to him.

The dots disappear when taking pictures with the camera focused on the birds and bird feeder.

I’ve spotted birds flying towards the window a few times. In each instance, the bird visibly puts the brakes before hitting the window, slowing down and changing direction.

I purchased my dot tape from Feather Friendly, but similar products exist from other vendors. All in all, the bird tape has provided me with a guilt-free view of the outdoors!