American Goldfinches in Fall Are your goldfinches packing their migratory bags, have they already headed south or are they only changing into winter clothing? The answer could be any or all of the above. Adult male in pre-breeding plumage, April 2025/photo credit: David M A O’Neill from Facebook The American Goldfinch (AGOL) spends the … Read more
Many people come to the Avant-Garden Shop repeatedly for our great selection of greeting cards! We carry over fifty different lines of cards that cover many occasions. We recently did a count of all the lines that are Canadian and local artists, and that number is over thirty! These cards are beautiful pieces of art, … Read more
We have a new artist in the shop! Megan Archer (they/them) is an autistic nonbinary artist based in rural Nova Scotia. They founded Aflame Creations in 2011, and have been single-handedly crafting this unique and vibrant enameled copper jewelry ever since. Every piece is a small story in colour and texture. Each piece begins with … Read more
On today’s episode Brenda is talking about some of the specialized bird seed, blends, and the feeders you can use to attract certain birds. The American Goldfinch is one of our favourite year-round birds. To keep them happy we have a blend of their most loved seeds called NiChip. It includes Niger seed and chips … Read more
With birds migrating south to winter homes, and starlings and grackles pretty much gone, now is a good time to make seasonal changes to your bird feeding routine. Something that new bird watchers may not know is something veteran birders have known for years (and that squirrels don’t particularly like): White millet. A grass seed … Read more
This time of year, as the weather starts to cool, we start to get our fall items in. We received some new really fun tea towels and napkins with art from Vicki Sawyer. We have carried her cards, mugs, and tea towels for many years and will soon be ordering her new calendars for 2026! … Read more
For all the reasons you think you can’t have a bird feeder, think again. Too many trees, too many squirrels, too much soggy seeds or not enough yard? Whatever the problem, we can likely help you build a system that works in your space, whether garden, patio or deck. Many who have said “we just … Read more
This summer there sure have been a lot of American Goldfinches at the feeders! These birds are such a joy to watch and hear their sweet songs. They are nesting right now and feed their young seeds, so they really appreciate you keeping your feeders full and clean. The finch tube feeders from Aspects in … Read more
This week we are featuring one of our newest artists, the Downtown Sketcher! Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Wynand van Niekerk is the sketch artist that created the brand Downtown Sketcher. Ever since he was a child, he has had a unique vision and passion for urban landscapes. We met Wynand in January and commissioned … Read more
It’s been a really hot summer so far! Many days without rain makes it harder for our bird friends to find a cool drink. There are many ways you can help, which will also bring more birds to your yard. Hanging bird baths, hanging waterers, pedestal bird baths, even small dishes of water left out … Read more