The Zen Birdfeeder

Now That's a Mouthful!!

The Zen Birdfeeder — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:34:00 -0400

During Black-capped Chickadee nesting season (April - July), you can tell alot about what's going on in their lives by what they're carrying in their beak. Here's a guide to some of the stuff you might see them carrying and...

Top 3 Benefits from Bats

The Zen Birdfeeder — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:07:00 -0400

Bats can sometimes get a bad reputation, but before we judge them, here are three really big benefits that bats provide: Pest control They eat millions and millions of night-flying insects They help control agricultural pests - farmers love the...

Bats by the Numbers

The Zen Birdfeeder — Mon, 13 May 2013 09:48:00 -0400

66 percent of bat species that hunt insects 1000 the number of mosquito-sized insects that ONE Little Brown Bat can eat in just one hour $3.7 million the estimated value of bats in the U.S. in reduced crop damage and...

Help Produce the Passenger Pigeon Documentary "From Billions to None"

The Zen Birdfeeder — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:33:00 -0400

Last fall, I wrote a post entitled "Too Many Doves", which was to illustrate that the Mourning Dove population of 400 million birds shouldn't be taken for granted, a point proven by the extinction of a bird that used to...

5 Tips to Attracting Orioles into your Yard

The Zen Birdfeeder — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:18:00 -0400

One of the first questions we ask customers who come in our shop hoping to attract orioles is whether they've seen them in their area before. If they answer "no", we usually suggest they watch for them and pick up...

They're Not Late, You're Just Early!

The Zen Birdfeeder — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:46:38 -0400

It's only the first week in May and already we're wondering where the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are. Well, they're busy migrating. They're probably right on schedule. We're just antsy!! Here are my hummingbird return dates for the last 7 years: 2006...

Wasp Nests in My Bat Box

The Zen Birdfeeder — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:18:00 -0400

If you maintain a box for bats, you'll need to occasionally look inside to make sure wasps have not built a nest inside it. Bats may be reluctant to occupy a bat box or a box chamber that has an...

FAQ - If Squirrels Don't Like Niger Seed, Why Do They Chew My Finch Sock?

The Zen Birdfeeder — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:09:00 -0400

Q. If squirrels don't like niger (thistle) seed, why do they chew my finch sock? A. When squirrels chew a hole in your finch sock, they're curious about the food inside. But once they find out it's something they don't...

Male Mallard Aggression

The Zen Birdfeeder — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:26:00 -0400

Mallard drakes can become very aggressive toward other males. Here, two males attack a less dominant bird, with one actually mounting the bird as it would mount a female during a mating attempt. This is entirely a show of dominance,...

Top 5 Tips for Welcoming Native Sparrows to Your Yard

The Zen Birdfeeder — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:19:35 -0400

Fox Sparrow It's peak time for native sparrows in our area right now. Those most likely to visit your yard include Fox, Chipping, Song, White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows. But also keep an eye out for less common Savannah, Field, or...