The Avant-Garden Shop: Your Garden & Bird Store

Back Yard Bird Watching

Garden Gate: Episode 6 – Identifying birds

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Suet FeederCHEX TV air date: Fri. Feb 22nd, 2013

Click here to watch this episode of?The Garden Gate.

Drew Monkman joins Brenda Ibey, owner of The Avant Garden Shop, to discuss how to identify your favourite birds during nature walks and birdwatching outings.It was a cold day in January but the birds were out singing and we were also entertained by crows chasing a hawk!

Drew Monkman is a retired teacher, naturalist and writer whose popular nature column ?Our changing seasons? appears weekly in the Peterborough Examiner. He participates in wildlife-monitoring programs, including the Breeding Bird Survey and the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and is author of Nature?s Year in the Kawartha?s. He lives in Peterborough.

His book is available at The Avant-Garden Shop.

 

Garden Gate: Episode 5 – Attracting birds to your back yard with Drew Monkman

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Upside down suet feeder

CHEX TV air date: Fri. Feb 8th, 2013

Click here to watch this episode of?The Garden Gate.

Brenda is joined by special guest, Drew Monkman to talk about ways to attract birds to your backyard. It was a cold day in January but we saw a lovely little woodpecker enjoying some suet and peanuts and also learned a few things!

Drew Monkman is a retired teacher, naturalist and writer whose popular nature column “Our changing seasons” appears weekly in the Peterborough Examiner. He participates in wildlife-monitoring programs, including the Breeding Bird Survey and the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and is author of Nature’s Year in the Kawartha’s. He lives in Peterborough.

 

Come in to Win a Squirrel Buster Bird Feeder

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comeintowinBrome, the manufacturers of the BEST squirrel proof feeder, is having a contest. Come into the store for a secret code. Enter online often for your chance to win one of 150 Squirrel Buster bird feeders.

We carry 5 different styles of Squirrel Busters. The Plus, peanut, finch, classic and mini. Visit our website to see all 5!

Garden Gate: Episode 4 – Choosing feeders for specific birds

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Droll Yankees Finch Feeder

CHEX TV air date: Fri. Jan. 25th, 2013

Click here?to watch this episode of The Garden Gate.

This episode of The Garden Gate discussed how to attract specific birds by choosing the right feeder and also the most attractive seed to each bird.

Cardinals, woodpeckers, finches and many others each have a favourite food and a favourite style of feeder.

Garden Gate: Episode 3 – Choosing quality bird food

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Seasons Woodland Bird food CHEX TV air date: Fri. Jan. 11th, 2013 Click here to watch this episode of?The Garden Gate. Episode 3 of The Garden Gate discussed the difference between big box store bird food and Mill Creek bird food, which we carry. Birds don’t like stale food any more than you do. Tune in to learn the difference! ?

Garden Gate: Episode 2 – Baffling squirrels

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baffleCHEX TV air date: Fri. Dec. 28th, 2012

Click here to view this episode of?The Garden Gate.

This episode of The Garden Gate focused on different baffles that can be used to stop squirrels from getting to your bird feeders. If you already have bird feeders and don’t want to replace them with squirrel proof feeders, there are alternatives available.

 

Garden Gate: Episode 1 – Squirrel Buster Bird Feeders

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Squirrel buster plusCHEX TV air date: Fri. Dec. 14th, 2012

Click here to watch the FIRST episode of The Garden Gate.

Late in 2012 I began a short TV spot on The 5 o’clock show on CHEX TV.? The first episode was on Squirrel Proof Bird feeders. YES, they do exist!

I’ve had a great response so far and will continue with more episodes!? They will be on CHEX bi-weekly on Fridays and also available on my YouTube channel.

 

 

 

Hummingbird Tips

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Little Flyer Hummingbird feederBesides nectar, Hummingbirds consume protein in the form of insects which they find inside flowers, on plants and in trees, in spider webs and in midair as they travel through your yard. Consider that when using pesticides in your yard and gardens. Hummers also drink water.

Hummers feed 5 – 8 times an hour.

Hummers have the greatest energy output, gram for gram, of any known warm-blooded animal. If your sugar water freezes, replace it immediately (even at dawn). They rely on established food supplies.

A Hummingbird’s wings can beat 200 times per second during courtship!

A Hummingbird’s tongue is roughly twice the length of its beak. It licks the nectar. (Approximately 13 licks per second!) You might see its beak and think that it can’t reach the nectar in the bottom of the feeder. Look closely with binoculars to see the tongue.

The Bee Hummingbird is the smallest hummingbird in the world at 2 inches long, weighing 1-15th of an ounce!

Under no circumstance should insecticides or other poisons be used at Hummingbird feeders.

By: Droll Yankees

Attracting Hummingbirds to your garden

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HummZinger Hummingbird Feeder

 

Choosing a Hummingbird Feeder:? There are many varieties of hummingbird feeders available today. Most feeders are made of plastic or glass. If your birds seem to prefer one style feeder over another, it’s probably a simple matter of familiarity. If you change feeders, they may not feed immediately from the new one, but they will adapt; it may help to hang the old feeder, empty, next to the new one.

 

Any feeder can attract hummers, so perhaps the most important design feature to look for is ease of disassembling and cleaning. The basin-style feeders are much better than the inverted-bottle types. I recommend the Aspects HummZinger or the Droll Yankees Little Flyer for their durability as well as their ease of maintenance. Hummingbirds will come to any feeder that holds fresh syrup, so you might as well buy one that’s easy for you to keep up.

 

Location, Location, Location: Where to hang your feeder? A new one may be found sooner if hung over or near a garden of hummingbird plants. Hang a red scarf or flag until the hummer finds your feeder. You can hang them near windows, where you can watch and enjoy them.

 

Filling the Feeder: The sugar water we use to fill hummingbird feeders is only a supplement to the birds’ natural diet. Use only white sugar in hummingbird feeders at a ratio of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Premade mixes can also be purchased.? Many mixes often contain extra vitamins and make them more appealing and more nutritious for the hummers.? Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool and fill your feeder. Store the excess syrup in the fridge for up to two weeks.

 

Please, do not put honey, Jell-O, brown sugar, fruit, or red food coloring in your feeder! Honey ferments rapidly when diluted with water and can kill hummingbirds. The effects of red dye have not been not scientifically tested, and it is not necessary to color the water to attract birds to your feeder.

 

Cleaning:Clean your feeder in hot water each time you refill and more thoroughly at least once a month.

 

Ants:Ensure your feeder has an ant moat to prevent problems with ants. Hummers will not drink from a feeder filled with dead ants.

 

Bees, Wasps, and Yellowjackets:These insects are attracted to the colour yellow. Look for feeders without yellow flowers. If they are a serious problem try moving your feeder or reducing the sugar ratio.

 

At The Avant-Garden Shop we have a wide variety of basin/saucer style feeders, with ant moats, nectar guards and BPA free plastic that won?t yellow or crack. They are leak proof and guaranteed for life! Drop by soon for a look and hopefully you?ll be able to enjoy these little gems!

Where are all of my finches?

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Finch feeder

If your thistle feeder is not as busy as normal, there could be one of a few things happening.

The finches have found natural food and are enjoying that source for the time being. They’ll be back once that source has been depleted.

Another reason they may be avoiding your feeder is stale or dried up seed. Drop by our store for some fresh seed and your finches, chickadees and their friends will return very quickly.

And a third reason the birds may not be at your feeder are blocked ports. Sometimes the seeds get jammed up around the tiny feeding port and the birds can’t reach the seeds. Out of frustration they go looking for a better source. Clean your feeder and refill or try giving the feeder a shake to dislodge the seeds.

Use one of Droll Yankees brand or the Aspects brand feeders for best results. Both brands now come with quick release bases making the feeders easy to clean and refill quickly. These great feeders will really impress your dinner guests. Both come with Lifetime Warranties.

The Avant-Garden Shop