There couldn’t be a better way to introduce children to back yard birding than with a window bird feeder. Having birds right outside your window provides a close-up view and hours of enjoyment. Window feeders are made of clear acrylic and are attached with suction cups. Most window feeders have multiple deep dish feeders that can hold up to two cups of seed, fruit, suet or mealworms, attracting a wide variety of birds including finches, sparrows, chickadees and titmice. Measure the width of your window. Ideally your feeder should be no … [Read more...]

One popular fall bird sited in Ontario is the blue jay. Easily recognized, it is predominantly blue but sports a white underbelly. It has a blue tuft of feathers on its head, black neck collar and black border behind its crest. It is most often remembered for its noisy nature and distinctive call. Of all the regularly sited birds, blue jays have most readily adapted to human activity. They are known for their intelligence and complex social systems. They often mate for life, developing tight family bonds and remaining with their mates … [Read more...]

Winter feeding can be a chore particularly if your backyard is not easily accessible. For the no fuss, no muss bird-lover there is an alternative to bird seed – suet which fits nicely in a feeder as a cake or a ball. Bird suet is made from beef and lamb hard fat that surrounds the kidneys and loins. Raw suet is mixed with corn meal, peanuts, fruits or even dried insects in the form of balls and cakes that easily fit into a suet feeder. Tasty as well as easy to digest and metabolize, suet is high energy food for birds who stay over the … [Read more...]

With the loss of trees in our urban environment, there are fewer natural nesting places for birds. Having a bird house in your backyard is one way to help birds survive over the winter and capture some wonderful moments bird watching. One word of caution, birds are fussy tenants and have specific requirements. If you are planning on a bird house and need some advice, a trip to your local seed store such as Martha’s Mixes Wild Bird Store in Elmira, might be in order. Bringing a quick sketch and photos of your backyard will help you and the … [Read more...]

All animals need water. When it comes to wild birds, water is a great way to attract them to your backyard. This summer, why not provide your bird visitors with a bird bath. Birds love bird baths. They not only provide good sources of drinking water, but they’re a great place to splash around, clean up and cool off. Birds are creatures of habit so once you find a good location for your bird bath, keep it there. In colder climates, it’s wise to consider a south side location for good sun exposure. While a garbage lid will do the … [Read more...]

Spring is a great time for bird sightings. So grab your binoculars and field guide and head out to your local park or back yard to look for wild birds. Rob Jewitt of Martha’s Mixes Wild Bird Centre in Elmira www.marthasmixes.com recommends that you keep an eye out for the Indigo Bunting and the rose-breasted grosbeak. The male Indigo Bunting, true to its name, is a bright blue with black in front of its eyes. (The females are a dull brown.) Occasionally, the males will sport some brown on the back, wings, breast or under the tail, or a … [Read more...]

Hummingbirds and orioles love nectar. The best way to attract them to your backyard is with a nectar bird feeder such as one from Droll Yankee. Nectar feeders are a specific type of bird feeder. They have round covered bowls with several feeding stations. They are specifically designed for liquid nectar and won’t drip or leak. The multiple feeding stations often include jelly wells in the lid so you can include an orange half to make the nectar a little more delicious. Droll Yankee hummingbird and oriole feeders offer a high perch … [Read more...]

Is there really a difference in bird seed mixes? Apparently so. Since birds come in different sizes, shapes and species, they tend to have their favourite types of bird seed mixes and bird feeders. Rob Jewitt of Martha’s Mixes Wild Bird Store recommends at this time of year that bird-lovers stock up with black oil sunflower bird seed, striped sunflower seed mix and peanuts. Black oil sunflower seed is the most important seed for backyard bird feeding. The high oil content along with the high fat content are tasty to almost any bird and … [Read more...]