Different species of backyard birds have different food preferences. You can optimize which birds you’d like to attract by carefully selecting foods and feeders. For more information, visit https://wildbirdstore.com or talk with any of our local backyard birding experts at any local and family-owned All Seasons Wild Bird Store location.
ANN’S WINDOW TO NATURE Those of us who feed the birds are part of a long and rich tradition. Someone introduced us to birds, bird watching, and bird feeding. Maybe it was intentional. Maybe it was by accident. Either way, we count ourselves fortunate to be part of an amazing group of people dedicated to birds and nature reaching back…
ANN’S WINDOW TO NATURE Connecting with nature can be done indoors. Yep. Consider watching the birds from your window or reading a book on bird behavior. In fact, we can readily connect with nature in many ways. Consider sketching, painting, journaling, photography, and even games and puzzles. When it’s wet and cold outside consider setting up a family puzzle table. We…
American Goldfinches are our latest songbirds to nest, timing their broods to the ripening of Canadian Thistle. Because of this, they have particular feeding needs in the late summer/early autumn. Also, goldfinches have a late-season molt that may make them unrecognizable to the uninitiated. Around all winter, goldfinches appreciate a heartier seed once temperatures drop. Video content adapted from an…
Autumn is an active time for finches, especially for late-nesting American Goldfinches. Here are some tips for attracting and feeding finches this autumn. Expert tip: During nesting season (July and August) and throughout September, goldfinches are particularly drawn to Nyjer® and Nyjer® mixes as they feed young and teach them how to forage. Nyjer® and Nyjer® mixes are best served…
Note: this is the full interview with Russ Sandstrom. A summary of his photography tips is published in the Sept/Oct 2024 Bird’s-Eye View Newsletter. What is your earliest memory of a bird? (Is there one that sparked your interest or curiosity?) I wasn’t really into birding at the time, but when I was a teenager, I remember seeing a…
Swallows are found around the world, on all continents, including Antarctica. Here in Minnesota, you can find three species of swallows: Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, and Cliff Swallow. Barn Swallows are sparrow-sized, with a steely blue back, wings and tail, and tan-to-white underparts. Their throat and forehead feature rusty spots. Their tail extends beyond the wingtips and the long outer…
ANN’S WINDOW TO NATURE The “dog days of summer” are here and the kids are “BORED!” How about a fun, inexpensive, outdoor activity? Break up the day by getting them outside for bit of sunshine, and fresh air each day. They will benefit greatly from a change in scenery and time away from screens. Set up a bird feeding…
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…