• "There are limits to a squirrel's jumping ability"
  • First and foremost I want to make sure that you understand that I have nothing against bees and wasps. They are very important parts of our ecosystem and many, many plants depend on them for pollination. That being said, they can be a pain in the “bee-hind” when it comes to hummingbird and oriole feeders.
  • "Erector Sets for Adults"
  • During spring and summer, Chimney swifts can be seen high in the sky constantly chattering as they forage for insects. They fly so high and so fast that sometimes you can only hear them not see them.
  • So who prefers which seed? The list below is purely an overall preference of seeds.
  • When the shortening days of late summer give way to fall, most people notice a substantial decline in activity at their feeders. Mother Nature provides a bounty that lures the birds from the feeders to something more tempting.
  • Are your birds safe in your yard? By placing a feeder or bird bath in our yard, we take on a certain degree of responsibility to protect them as well. In other words, we don’t want our yard to be “death traps.” We can minimize the threats that bird face in our yards with just a small amount of effort.
  • “It takes 390 to 570 caterpillars a day to feed a growing clutch of four to six chickadees in the 16 days from when they hatch to when they fledge. “That can be more than 9,000 caterpillars to make one batch of chickadees, we know they’re not flying five miles down the road to forage.
  • If you want to add to the number of birds using your yard this spring, get your water moving. All birds need water and your resident birds know where to find your bird bath at all times
  • There is a great deal of misunderstanding about hummingbird and oriole feeders. I think a lot of it has to do with the fill it and leave it nature of most other types of feeders.
  • Early autumn is one of the slowest times at your bird feeders each year. This is the time when nature's bounty is at its peak and wild animals have to take advantage of this natural windfall. Have no fear faithful bird feeders, the temperatures will drop, frost will come and so will the birds.
  • I remember the first time I heard about placing jelly out to attract Baltimore Orioles. Like most of you, I thought it sounded crazy. After using this nearly full-proof method for the past 10 years or so, I know that it is not only not crazy but one of the best things you can feed in spring and summer.
  • Is there such a thing as the “perfect” bird feeder? If you have asked me about this topic, I surely answered “no”. The different feeding styles and food preferences of birds make this an impossible task for one bird feeder. Birds and seeds haven’t really changed over the past 25 years, but people’s needs have.
  • Since purchasing the store in March, I have frequently been asked about the basics of setting up a bird feeding station. It really isn’t very complicated. To attract the greatest variety of birds to your backyard remember the needs of all living things – food, water & shelter.
  • Birds are attracted to water, especially moving water. At no time of the year is this more true than during migration. Birds that are “out of their element” count on cues to find the things they need the most. The sound of moving water is like a beacon to these birds in need.
  • Most of you have been waiting and watching your feeders to no avail. Some have had no hummers whatsoever, and some have seen one or two birds for just a day or two, then they disappear.
  • Is there really a difference in bird seed? What is the “magic” seed?
  • I have always said I am my worst enemy when it comes to selling Purple Martin houses. At this store you are only going to get the truth about martins and what it takes to attract them and maintain a good healthy colony.
  • Few birds are as popular with people as the American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis). For a bird that is so well known by bird watchers, surprisingly few know that these birds live a double life.
  • Every so often I get a call from someone who has the other “red bird” at their feeder. There are very few people who do not know what a cardinal looks like, but when a Summer Tanager shows up at their feeder or in their backyard, it quite often causes confusion. The most common local name I have heard used for them is summer redbird.
  • What was the first bird you can remember learning? For many of us it was the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). The bright red plumage of the male with its tall crest and large orange bill make it one of the most identifiable birds in the world.
  • If you have heard one my presentations about feeding birds, you know how I feel about providing water for birds. Aside from the obvious need to replenish their body’s moisture, birds need water to keep their feathers healthy.
  • What a difference a little bit of rain can make. We are in what the meteorologists are calling a snow drought. For those of us who love feeding birds in winter, the absence of snow and/or really cold temperatures have made bird traffic at our feeders very slow. But wait, I remember the winter of 2011/12 when we only got 4 inches of snow all winter. My feeders were busier than this year. What’s up with that?
  • Don’t you hate it when you go out to your hummingbird or oriole feeder and find it full of ants? Most of the ants are dead and the nectar has spoiled and smells bad. Then back in the house, you always end up with a couple of live ants crawling around the sink as you try to clean the feeders.