Bird of the Week 2/2/21 - Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Basics: This bird can be identified by its white back, black nape, and black wings with white spotting. Another amusement on this species is its quick moves up and down the tree trunks. You’ll find Downy Woodpeckers in open woodlands, particularly among deciduous trees, and brushy or weedy edges. They’re also at home in orchards, city parks, backyards and vacant lots.

Housing: Naturally, these birds excavate nest holes in dead tree trunks that are 6-12 inches deep with an entrance hole around 1-1.5 inches wide. The cavity is wider at the bottom and packed with wood chips for nesting. You may be able to get Downy Woodpeckers to use a nest box. A bluebird house that will open from the top or on one side is a good choice. The only difference for the downy woodpeckers is that you need to pack the interior with wood chips, tamp them down firmly, and position the nest box on the edge of a wooded area.

Food: Downy Woodpeckers are the most likely woodpecker species to visit a backyard bird feeder. They prefer suet feeders, but are also fond of black oil sunflower seeds, millet, peanuts, and chunky peanut butter. Occasionally, Downy woodpeckers will drink from oriole and hummingbird feeders as well. You can get pretty close to these birds as they feed, due to their being quite brave. Add a suet feeder and suet to get a close up view of these beauties feeding near your home!

How to attract: Downy Woodpeckers are attracted to places where the foods mentioned above is abundant.

Fact: This is the smallest Woodpecker in North America.

Tip: Downy woodpeckers look very similar to hairy woodpeckers. However, remember that when distinguishing between the two, downy woodpeckers are smaller, with smaller bills.

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Bird of the Week 1/26/21 - Blue Jay

Basics: This bird is easily recognized by it’s perky crest and blue, white, and black plumage, as well as it’s noisy calls. The Blue Jay is a very aggressive bird at the feeders, because of its size and character. Even though some people do not like to attract Blue Jays, they are a beautiful addition to the winter backyard.

Housing: Open flat platform nesting is necessary, as in their natural habit they are attracted to flat spaces on tree branches.

Food: Offer a variety of food, to attract the maximum amount of Blue Jays to your area. Peanuts, black and striped sunflower seeds, elder berries, cherries, dogwood and acorns are Blue Jay favorites! Since the blue jay's bill is powerful and all purpose, it can handle peanuts either in the shell or out. Suet is also something that attracts jays.

How to attract: Install a bird bath, put out a variety of seeds, berries, and suet, as well as maintaining flat platform areas around your yard.

Fact: Dinnertime is all the time for birds. Birds have a high body temperature and a high rate of metabolism, and digest their food rapidly. Each day they have to eat a lot to store energy and body fat.

Tip: Use baffles or put up temporary covers to keep the feeders from becoming clogged with ice and snow.

Bird of the Week 1/19/21 - Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Basics: Eastern Bluebirds are the Missouri state bird. Male bluebirds are a brilliant royal blue on the back and head, and warm red-brown on the breast. Blue tinges in the wings and tail give the grayer females an elegant look. This species of bird is one of our favorites along with the Cardinal.

Housing: Eastern Bluebirds don’t often visit feeders, but they are a great prospect for nest boxes if you have the space to put one up in your yard, and if your yard isn’t too hemmed in by trees or houses. Bluebird houses that are available in the garden center or one built to suit them are best. They need a smaller entryway and a deeper nest box. The houses should also be cleaned out before each nesting season. The bluebird houses should be placed 4-7 feet above the ground. Face the houses on fence posts or tree trunks that face south to protect them from the prevailing northern winds.

Food: Their feeder favorites are mealworms and small pieces of fruit or berries, including raisins. When insects and other natural food supplies are scarce, they will also eat small peanut and sunflower kernels, as well as suet. Bluebird feeder types range from dish-style to the predator-resistant, house- style.

How to attract: Offer mealworms, (available dried or live). Put a birdbath out in your yard (a heated birdbath in winter)! Blue birds are quite attracted to water, especially running water. Above all, patience is required when learning how to attract bluebirds. Bluebirds are very loyal visitors if they find what they need for survival. They are social birds as well, and travel in pairs.

Fact: The oldest recorded Eastern Bluebird was 10 years 5 months old.

Tip: Discourage feral cats, and keep pet cats indoors to decrease the threat to the bluebirds.

Because who doesn't love a nice, warm bath?

Because who doesn't love a nice, warm bath? (Or for the wild birds, any water that is not frozen in winter). Give the birds some much needed water to help them survive the winter. Besides for drinking, birds need to clean their feathers to keep them fluffy and warm in winter. Check out these heated birdbaths and de-icers available in our Garden Center - then come visit us for the item(s) that are right for you.

Songbird Essentials Heated 14” Bird Bath with post - $139.99.
Songbird Essentials 14” Heated Deck Birdbath - $85.99.

Bird Bath De-Icers - various types ranging from $24.99 to $60.99

Bird of the Week 1/12/21 - Tufted Titmouse

Basics: The Tufted Titmouse is a little gray bird approximately 6 inches in length with a white front and grey upper body outlined rust colored flanks. Other characteristics include their black forehead, and the tufted grey crest on their head. It is common in deciduous forests and a frequent visitor to feeders. The large black eyes, small, round bill, and brushy crest gives these birds a quiet but eager expression that matches the way they flit through canopies, hang from twig-ends, and drop into bird feeders. When a titmouse finds a large seed, you’ll see it carry the prize to a perch and crack it with sharp whacks of its stout bill. You’ll often hear the high, whistled peter-peter-peter song well before you see the bird.

Housing: Tufted Titmice nest in tree holes (and nest boxes), but they can’t excavate their own nest cavities. Instead, they use natural holes and cavities left by woodpeckers. Therefore, putting up nest boxes is a good way to attract breeding titmice to your yard. Make sure you put it up well before breeding season. Attach a guard to keep predators from raiding eggs and young. If you have a natural wooded area leave some dead trees for nesting titmice.

Food: Tufted Titmice are regulars at backyard bird feeders, especially in winter. They prefer sunflower seeds but will eat suet, peanuts, and other seeds as well. They also eat insects, which is a good reason to attract them to your yard.

How to Attract: Tufted Titmice will visit feeders year-round. Offer sunflower seed, a seed mix containing sunflower seeds, and/or suet in feeders. In addition, hang bird houses and leave some older dead trees in wooded areas so they can nest in old woodpecker holes and crevices. Don’t forget that a birdbath will also help attract these and other wild birds.

Facts: Tufted Titmice hoard food in fall and winter. Usually, the storage sites are within 130 feet of the feeder. The birds take only one seed per trip and usually shell the seeds before hiding them. Their nest (probably built by female) has foundation of grass, moss, leaves, bark strips, lined with soft materials, especially animal hair. Bird may pluck hair from live woodchuck, dog, or other animal, even from humans.

Tips for the Garden - January 2021

            HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! We truly welcome 2021!!  May the COVID pandemic become a thing of the past and just a bad memory. But this past year has taught us so much about ourselves and our communities. We do normal activities in a very different way now, such as going to church, grocery shopping, family gatherings, hangouts, and parties. I believe some of these new habits will stay around for a long time.

            But when this pandemic started here in mid-March of last year, we did hunker down and stay home. That has brought a lot of families closer together and now enjoying bonding at home. We are doing more home gardening and there has been a lot of success with that. So now is a great time to gather the seed varieties you want to grow and plan out your garden process for this year. We are here to help if you need assistance.

            Birds appear to be homeless in winter, which makes people wonder where they go at night. In general, they choose to roost in the same kind of places as they build their nest during breeding season. Some birds will use the same roosting spot every night unless predators disturb them.

            It’s hard to say who benefits more from backyard bird feeders, the birds or the people who feed them.  It is important to provide unfrozen water for the birds throughout winter. Put your birdbath in an open area, but near some trees or bushes to permit a quick escape if predators approach. Birds will visit regularly once they discover it is a safe and steady source of fresh water. Open water in freezing weather will attract as many or more birds, as a well-stocked feeder! Besides for drinking, birds use water to help keep them warmer in winter. By cleaning their feathers and grooming them with natural oils, our feathered friends are able to help insulate their bodies from cold. You can keep water thawed with a submersible heater placed directly in the water. Heated birdbaths are also available.

            Visit the nursery often as the greenhouse is a great place to spend some time during dreary days of winter. In addition, new houseplants will be arriving weekly!

            Time flies fast, so enjoy this winter, do an analysis on your landscape and prepare for spring projects… and we will “see you in the garden”.

Sandi Hillermann McDonald