A Spruce Budworm outbreak in northern areas meant a lot of food for Evening Grosbeaks and Purple Finches this year. That, coupled with a smaller mast (seed and nut) crop, means there are more individuals of these species than there is food to support them, so many will move father south than usual this winter … Read more
Time to freshen up the outside of your home! We have beautiful quality mailboxes that really enhance the look of your home. Cast aluminum so they won’t rust. A great size to hold lots of mail and small parcels. Newspaper hooks included. There are a few styles and colours available as well as horizontal and … Read more
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
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
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
To get the most enjoyment out of feeding your birds, it’s a great idea to set up a bird feeding station. When set up properly you can keep squirrels and chipmunks off your feeders. They spend a lot of time filling their cheeks and chewing your feeders so if you can keep them from the … Read more
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
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
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
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