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.

Bird of the Week 1/5/21 - American Goldfinch

Basics: The American Goldfinch is also known as the “Yellow Finch” and can be identified by it’s bright yellow coloring, nicely trimmed in black. These birds are a social flock that travel usually in large numbers. The bright coloring is most evident in early spring, as their winter color is a very dull version of the above. 

Housing: Most yellow finches will not nest in a bird house, but may use a basket-style house with a fairly open top as a base for building a nest. They will sometimes also use a regular birdhouse for temporary shelter.

Food: Finches like smaller seeds such as aster, sunflower, dandelion and especially thistle.

 How to attract: The easiest way to attract these birds is with a mesh bag feeder or a nyjer tube feeder full of Nyjer Thistle Seeds.

 Fact: A group of these birds are called a charm of goldfinches. Primarily, this species is monogamous!

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

Bird of the Week 12/29/20 - Northern Cardinal

Basics: Male Cardinals are easily spotted by their red plumage while female cardinals have lovely red highlights in their fawn colored feathers. A pair of cardinal remains together year round. So if you see one, look closely for its mate, as it will probably be nearby. Generally, one of the pair keeps a lookout while the other feeds.

Housing: Enclosed housing may not be appealing to this species. Platform housing is best for Cardinals. The planting of thick berry producing plants and evergreens are also very beneficial for this species to roost and nest in.

Food: Black Oil Sunflower seeds, and safflower seeds are two of their favorite foods!

How to attract: Provide food, water, shelter, and nesting sites

Fact: Keeping warm bodies is a number one priority during winter, a snug place to roost overnight is just as important as a full belly.

Tip: Choose larger, heavier feeders that will not sway, or placing feeders on sturdy poles rather than hanging them to provide more stability when cardinals are feeding.