Go for the Gold!!

Goldfinches, that is! These guys are getting more and more yellow everyday! And boy, can they eat!If you can, try putting out a Nyjer (thistle) feeder. Nyjer is a little black seed that finches just love and, best of all, most squirrels won't eat. The simplest feeder is a nyjer "sock". This is literally a mesh bag in black or white (we like the black!) that holds the seed. The number os different feeders available for this little seed is astounding!We had plenty of goldfinches at our feeders all winter, but some people feed only in the summer. They semi-migrate. That is to say, some will migrate to areas south of Philly, but again some stay year-round. Still others migrate here from points north, so you never know what you're gonna get!Try some nyjer today and see what happens.

FREE Hummingbird Seminar March 18th

Want more hummingbirds in your yard? Come by on Saturday March 18th at 2:00 pm to learn more about these tiny flying jewels. We'll talk about how they fly, their nesting habits, feeder dos and don'ts, preferred plants and a host of other topics.

We also encourage sharing of your hummer stories. The seminar is FREE and no reservation is necessary!

Birds are beginning to Nest

Yesterday I saw a bunch of different birds all chirping and gathered in a tree. There were bluejays, chickadees, titmice and a host of other birds. It seems there was an abandoned squirrel nest there and every bird in town wanted a piece of the action. Oh, there was plenty to go around! Big birds took the larger sticks, while small birds took bits of fabric and small twigs.

Bottom line - birds are nesting now, so it is a good time to get your nesting boxes out. Stop by the store and we can swap more stories and give you more information.

Red-breasted Nuthatch Explosion

There has been a recent explosion of Red-breasted Nuthatch reportings in our area. I have also seen the first ones in my yard since we have been in our house.

You will probably first see a bird that you know is not a chickadee, and not a White-breasted Nuthatch, but has some similarities to both. The Red-breasted Nuthatch has a prominent white eyebrow and a bit of orange color on the upper breast. The orange color is similar to that of a robin, but there is less of it. If he is perching on a feeder or tree, he often stands with his head pointing downward, like his white-breasted cousin.

Have you seen these little gems in your yard? Let us know of your sightings!

Welcome to Birds Around Philadelphia

Winter is a great time for feeding birds in Philadelphia. A backyard bird feeder is appreciated by most of the birds we have in our local area including cardinals, chickadees, titmice, juncos, woodpeckers, nuthatches and carolina wrens (whew!), just to name a few. The favorite seed is black oil sunflower, but birds like the variety of peanuts or safflower. Have you tried cashews? We have found them to be favored by many birds visiting our feeders. Cashew chips are found in the Winter Endurance Mix available at the Wild Bird Center in Willow Grove (215-657-0400).

Our scientific tests have also shown almond suet to be favored over peanut suet by woodpeckers and other nutloving species. We wtill have many godfinches around, so have continued to put out nyjer (thistle) for them.

Have you heard any owls hooting lately? Great Horned Owls mate in the winter months and it is fairly common to hear them calling in cold weather months.

Let us know about the birds (or other nature) in your yard. We will talk about birds and our pal, Mr. Squirrel (!) in future postings to this blog. We also plan to be a forum to local bird sightings and goings on. Thanks for signing on.