The Avant-Garden Shop: Your Garden & Bird Store

GARDEN GATE: Episode 305 – Suet & Seed Cylinders! (November 8, 2024)

Suet, seed cakes and cylinders are a great feeding option for the colder months. Birds really love the quick energy boost they get from suet, peanuts and sunflower seeds! There are six different kinds of our premium suet from Mill Creek. They have only the best ingredients that birds love, including mealworms and fruit! Suet … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 279 – Squirrel Buster Suet! (Nov 10, 2023)

It’s getting colder so that means it’s time to get out your suet feeders! Suet is easily digestible fat and calories which provides fast energy for hungry birds. In this episode the Squirrel Buster Suet is in the spotlight. This is a great feeder to keep the squirrels from devouring all the tasty suet before … Read more

What do trail mix and feeding birds have in common?

Imagine a bowl of trail mix in front of you. Assuming no nut allergies, you may be faced with peanuts, cashews, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, and M&Ms. Many people “high-grade,” sifting through and picking out favourites and leaving the rest behind. I know I end up eating a lot of peanuts and sunflower seeds if … Read more

Garden Tips: Woodpeckers and other cavity nesters

Our year-round resident cavity nesters are getting busy with courtship and breeding behaviours, well ahead of the migrants, most of whom start returning from their southern breeding grounds in late-April. Behaviours to watch and listen for include calling/singing (nuthatches & chickadees), drumming (woodpeckers), ritualized displays (keep an eye open for dance-like movements between birds), and … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 259 – Different types of suet feeders (Feb 10, 2023)

In a recent episode I went over the benefits of feeding our high-quality suet to your feathered friends, especially in colder months. In this episode I show you some of the suet feeders we carry in the shop. Some are wreaths that hold suet balls, cages with tail props, and squirrel proof suet feeders. There … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 257 The best suet for winter feeding (Jan 13, 2023)

In the colder months, suet and peanuts are excellent sources of fat for the birds. This helps to keep them warm during long cold winter nights. The suet attracts blue jays, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and other feathered friends. Our suet is super quality. There is no filler in it. Often times cornmeal is used to … Read more

GARDEN GATE: Episode 227 (Oct 22, 2021)

It’s that time of year again. Time to clean and set up your bird feeders! If you don’t feed all year then now is the time to get your feeders out again. It’s very important that the feeders are clean and that you use good quality fresh seed. And to get the most enjoyment from … Read more

Garden Tips: For the love of (su)et

Love feeding woodpeckers and nuthatches? If so, suet feeders are the way to go, but suet attracts more than woodpeckers and nuthatches, and not all suet is created equal. First, suet is a firm usually animal-fat-based cake filled with fruit and seeds that are eaten by birds. Many bird species frequent suet feeders in the … Read more

Garden Gate: Episode 211- Suet and peanuts for the birds (March 12th, 2021)

In the colder months, suet and peanuts are excellent sources of fat for the birds. This helps to keep them warm during long cold winter nights. Our peanut ring is one feeder that customers (and the birds) love! These can be filled with whole peanuts and also our perfectly sized suet balls (available in 6 … Read more

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