ANN’S WINDOW TO NATURE By Eagan Store Manager ANN MCCARTHY The phrase, “the good ol’ days,” means something different to everyone, and depends largely on age. To me as a 60+ year-old woman, the good ol’ days were wistful, carefree days spent outside. I remember birds, butterflies, bees, and fireflies. I remember diggin’ in the dirt looking for worms, catching…
Are you working to create a bird-friendly yard? Don’t forget about the pollinators! A pollinator is any animal that visits flowers in search of nutritious pollen or energy-filled nectar and, as it travels, moves pollen between plants. Hummingbirds, bees and butterflies are well-known pollinators—but they’re not alone. Here in Minnesota, many kinds of wasps, flies, moths, beetles and other insects…
ANN’S WINDOW TO NATURE Social media. Politics. Aging. Covid. Disability. Geography. Economic factors. For whatever reason, loneliness is on the rise nationwide according to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murty in a recent NPR Morning Edition interview. Loneliness can impact mental health resulting in depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideology. Loneliness can also impact physical health resulting in obesity, a…
From Craft Fair Bird House to Native Bird Habitat and Feeding Stations By Minnetonka—Westwind Plaza Senior Sales Associate Sharon Veno I have always had a love of nature. My venture into bird feeding started at a craft fair. I bought a cute bird feeder thinking it would be adorable garden art. That began the adventure of feeding birds, in Columbus,…
ANN’S WINDOW TO NATURE Twice each year, many of our favorite songbirds, raptors, and waterfowl species migrate between breeding grounds and wintering grounds. Peak spring migration for Minnesota is May 1 through May 15, but it can start as early as March for some species. Fall migration generally begins mid-August and lasts through mid-November. Upwards of 80% of migratory birds…
Ann’s Window to Nature The Bad News ~ Ongoing habitat loss and decay continue to devastate wildlife and wildlands nationwide. In fact, in North America alone, we have lost roughly 3 billion songbirds in the last 50 years. The Good News~ We can make a difference in our own backyards with minimal effort and at very little cost. The State…
SPRING IS A GREAT TIME TO PLAN AND INSTALL A BIRD FEEDING POLE SYSTEM. Here at All Seasons Wild Bird Store, we carry Erva Pole Systems because they’ve been manufacturing quality bird feeding systems for over five decades, they offer the heaviest duty bird feeding hardware on the market, and they’re made in the USA. I personally love this system…
ANN’S WINDOW TO NATURE It’s a beautiful day. Everything seems a little bit brighter now that our days are growing longer, and our temps are warming. There’s a feeling of “we made it through another Minnesota winter. How did our ancestors do it?” I couldn’t live in a region that did not have four seasons. As the snowpack melts, little…
Seed cylinders, cakes and bells are a simple, affordable, long-lasting and less-mess solution for feeding birds.
ANN’S WINDOW TO NATURE “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” (1880s) Ralph Waldo Emerson Winter is a time for rest. Trees rest. Critters rest. We rest. As the days grow shorter and nights grow colder, we layer up with wool, fleece and down. We eat comfort foods cooked in the crock pot and we drink hot tea…
Want to attract more birds to your yard this winter? Supply a source of open water! When temperatures drop, birds are in a constant struggle to maintain their body temperatures. A steady source of fats and proteins will help to nourish and fuel birds’ metabolic needs and keep them warm. But also important—a source of water that is accessible (i.e.…