The Avant-Garden Shop: Your Garden & Bird Store

That’s great!

Did you know that Peterborough was certified by Nature Canada as a bird-friendly city last year? Bird Friendly Peterborough worked hard for this and provides resources to support us in supporting birds. Bird Friendly Peterborough recently held a contest to select Peterborough’s first official city bird, and the winner was recently announced… The Great Blue … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 250-Bird friendly coffee (Sept 23, 2022)

On this episode I speak to David from Birds and Beans coffee about the importance of buying shade grown, organic and bird-friendly certified coffee. Bird friendly certified coffees come from farms that provide good, forest-like habitat for birds. Unlike many coffee farms, which clear forest to grow in the full sun, bird friendly coffee grows … Read more

Snowbirds – we get it!

Fall migration is underway. Like many Canadians, a lot of bird species prefer to spend their winters in warmer climes, often for the simple reason that food is more abundant there than it is here. Migration is risky business, though, and the move to the food is replete with challenges. First of all, it takes … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 246 – Benefits of feeding the birds in the summer (July 29, 2022)

  Many people stop feeding the birds in the summer because they feel birds don’t need their help or that they’re worried the birds will become dependent on them. But this isn’t the case. Birds only take about 25% of their food from your backyard feeders. The rest of the time they’re out foraging and … Read more

Those epaulets! On Red-winged Blackbirds…

Even many non-birders are familiar with Red-winged Blackbirds. They breed in wet areas including cattail marshes and roadside ditches, and, as their name indicates, they’re black with red (and yellow) epaulets on their shoulders. Their song is a loud “o-kra-lee!” We’re hearing from you that there seems to be more red-wings around this year than … Read more

Garden Tips: Birds need water, too

Birds need water for drinking and bathing, and the heat of summer is a good time to get your bird baths out. Drinking Birds don’t need to drink as much water as mammals do, because they don’t have sweat glands. They lose water through breathing and their poop. Most songbirds feed on insects and get … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 243 -Tools, hats, gloves to help you garden! (Jun. 17, 2022)

We carry a wide variety of tools to help make your time in the garden a little easier. From gloves, small hand tools, weeding tools, hats to heat guards for you and your pup!   Our Garden Bandit is our best selling tool and helps you get those weeds out! Hats protect you from the … Read more

Feeder interlopers – on grackles and starlings

You’ve bought and/or cleaned your feeders. You’ve taken the time to set up your feeding station to maximize the numbers of birds and bird species that might use it. You’ve purchased high-quality, non-GMO bird feed and have stocked your station. You’ve waited with excitement to see who comes to use your new arrangement. …Common Grackles … Read more

The Avant-Garden Shop