A wee bit about....Our Store

We been unpacking boxes & filling our shelves for the season!! There's new arrivals, the return of some old favourites and as always, the best selection of bird feeders, bird seed & accessories that we can offer! While Wild Bird Feeding products would provide a fun idea for many on your list, we've got plenty of other interesting surprises for you to discover...something for all ages!  Hoping to see you soon, we thank you for shopping/supporting local in a town/city near you....today & every day!

White-breasted Nuthatches.....so cute!

Project FeederWatch began this past weekend and we were so glad to have lots of visitors at our feeders....including the cute White-breasted Nuthatches! Along with the Red-breasted Nuthatches, these guys provide some of the best entertainment in the garden and at the feeders. Whether they are working away at the peanut feeders, making a quick stop at the seed feeders (including the Squirrel Buster Plus) or spotted in nearby trees, the fun is always non-stop!! Offer a peanut feeder in your garden and you just might have these guys making your garden their home!

White-breasted Nuthatch has a peanut prize!!

Woodpeckers!!

We just love the constant visits of the Woodpeckers....pretty much throughout the year! The entertainment they provide brightens the day, their flights through the garden delight and their sounds are so much fun!! If you are thinking about getting in to feeding the birds that frequent your garden, a simple peanut feeder is often a great first choice. Many birds love peanuts and if you are worried about a mess under your feeder, there is none when you offer peanut halves. Check out our full selection of peanut feeders & welcome the birds to your garden!!

We were excited to welcome 3 Woodpecker species in one day - Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied!

Lest We Forget

Lots of Visitors

We spent a few moments yesterday capturing several shots of our bird feeders (video shot today)....they were extremely busy over a short period of time! The Blue Jays started the parade with Black-capped Chickadees, Downy, Red-bellied & Hairy Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Finches, Cardinal, Juncos also making several visits to our garden & our feeders. It is truly amazing how many beautiful birds can visit in a short period of time. Had the Project FeederWatch season been in progress, it would have been a fabulous count day for us...hopefully all of these guys & more return when the FeederWatch season begins this weekend!! We also hope they appear on our count days! This is how easy it is to report the birds at your feeders - Sign up; Put up a feeder; Pick your count days; Observe & Record the species you see; Report online!! Enjoy your day!!

Male Cardinal & Goldfinch visiting the Squirrel Buster Plus

Red-bellied Woodpecker lovin' the peanuts!

Hairy Woodpecker & Red-breasted Nuthatch

Project FeederWatch & Owl Prowl

If you're one of the so very many folks that feed the birds during the winter months, you might consider helping Bird Studies Canada by becoming a 'citizen scientist'! Count the birds that visit your feeders from November to April...fun & educational for the whole family and makes the winter season so enjoyable as you anxiously wait to see what bird species visit!! It's great to see & record all the birds that make your garden their home....easy too!

There's always so many fabulous activities offered by many - conservation areas, provincial parks, etc. This weekend is no exception....It is once again time for Ausable-Bayfield's "Owl Prowl"!! What fun is this...for the whole family!

Always wonderful to report Cardinals at our feeders during Project FeederWatch season!!

Fabulous Weather...Great time to plant!

Boy, we are certainly blessed this week with some fabulous spring-like weather! We've heard some early morning bird tunes, the sun is shining, the sky is blue and the temperatures are warm....Amazing!! Why not celebrate the record-breaking temperatures by planting some Milkweed Seeds or Butterfly Weed Seeds? We still have both available with any donation - big or small - to local rehab for Species at Risk...Swift Care Ontario. Not only will you be helping the Monarch Butterflies that return next year, you will also be helping Swift Care Ontario (with your donations) as they assist many Species at Risk at their rehab facility!! It is a win-win - Thank you!!

Happy Halloween!!

If this is a day that you are celebrating, we wish you & yours a Happy Halloween!! Consider recycling the pumpkins that you may have....they will provide some fun for you & the wildlife in your garden!!

Grab a Seed 'n Go!

It really is fabulous entertainment watching the movements & actions of the birds....not only in the trees & shrubs but especially at the birdfeeders. There's squabbles, there's sharing, there's lineups, there's seniority. While some birds linger for a bit, working away at seeds that they find at their favourite feeders, quite often others will grab a seed and take it elsewhere to enjoy....or even hide!! Chickadees around our garden will do exactly this and we love how they fly to a shrub where we can easily see them....it's just outside our kitchen window! During recent rain, the birds were lovin' the Weather Guard on the Squirrel Buster Plus. Take a few moments to observe the birds...they'll relax you, they'll cheer you, they'll make your day!

Squirrel Buster Plus with Weather Guard

Busy Feeders

Following Hurricane Patricia, heavier rain is in the forecast for our area over the next couple of days. We noticed this morning that our bird feeders were quite busy, as often happens when either rain or snow are headed our way. The birds will also flock to the feeders during or following a weather event. The entertainment earlier this morning was provided by the Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Goldfinches, House Finches with some Blue Jays and a Red-bellied Woodpecker also arriving!!

Small Business Saturday

Tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 24, is Small Business Saturday. It's a day when folks are encouraged to "Shop Small Biz". It's local, family-owned businesses that do so very much for the economy and we're so very fortunate to be a part of it!! We thank you one & all for shopping/supporting family businesses like ours in a town/city near you...today, tomorrow and every day that you can!! We wouldn't be here without you!!

Butterfly Weed Seeds Available!

We've been offering Common Milkweed Seeds for the past couple of years. With a donation in any amount to local rehab for Species at Risk - Swift Care Ontario - receive a package of Milkweed Seeds!!

We currently have a limited supply of Butterfly Weed Seeds! This is what Swift Care has to say about this plant:  "This past summer, we found Monarch caterpillars on all of our established Butterfly Weed plants. The bright orange flowers and compact size makes this plant a nice addition to any garden."

The temperatures will be warm this week - A perfect time to plant these seeds & help the Monarch Butterflies next year!!

Snow is in the air...and on the ground

It's Saturday, October 17th and we're seeing some of the white stuff...SNOW! At the moment in our area, it is melting when it hits the ground, but other areas have a light covering. Now, if you were to speak to our 91yr old mum, she would tell you that we need the snow so that we can have "a little more summer-like weather". It looks as though we might possibly have some of that during the upcoming week....and hopefully more before winter settles in for good. In the meantime, we're enjoying that this first bit of snow is bringing the birds to the feeders!! Have a great weekend...still more autumn to delight in!

Snow earlier this morning!

A few birds arrived after the snow tapered off!!

Fill your Feeders!!

If you haven't been feeding the birds through the summer months, now is a great time to get your feeders cleaned & filled!! While the birds might not hang around at the present time, they ARE looking for places where they can find reliable food sources. When the weather turns cold & conditions are unpleasant, your garden & your feeders might just be the spots that they will return to!! For a limited time only, we have a supply of walnuts available. Use this as an alternative to peanut halves in your peanut feeders or on platform feeders. If you've not visited our location, you will be amazed at our selection of bird feeders - welcome all the favourites to your garden with our bird feeders & bird seed!!

Downy Woodpecker lovin' the walnuts!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We took a short road trip yesterday to take advantage of the terrific weather and to capture a few shots to share of this beautiful place we call 'home'. We sincerely hope that you too can get out and take in all that this season, this province, this country has to offer!! Happiest Thanksgiving to All of You ~ Thank YOU!

Much to be Thankful for

It is the Thanksgiving Weekend...a time to celebrate with family & friends...a time to be thankful for all that we have....a time to enjoy the season and all that it has to offer!!  We thank all of you for your support over the 60 years that our family has operated this business. It's been amazing and continues to be!! We wish you much happiness as you go about your celebrations this weekend!!

Gorgeous Print helps some amazing folks!

As you are probably already aware, we offer Milkweed Seeds with any donation (any amount welcome, including loose change) to local rehab for Species at Risk ~ Swift Care Ontario. This is a win-win situation with the donations assisting Swift Care Ontario's work while the plants you grow will help Monarch Butterflies!

Now there is another way to help! Artist Alan Li has just completed a gorgeous watercolour painting of the Eastern Whip-poor-will...one of many Species at Risk. Sixty limited edition prints have been reproduced from the original with Mr. Li donating 25% to the wonderful folks at Swift Care Ontario along with Bird Studies Canada & FLAP Canada. Your purchase will help the work of some amazing organizations while you will be rewarded with a beautiful piece of art!

Fall Fairs are some of the Best!

Autumn is a favourite time of the year for many....the colours, the food, the celebrations!

Fall Fairs are some of the best entertainment for the whole family. Many towns & cities around the province and around the country host fairs at various times of the summer or fall. There's many opportunities for folks of all ages to enter their talents in categories such as baking, crafts, farming & more in the various exhibitions offered and it's fun for others to check out their work! We spent a few hours this past weekend at the Ilderton Fair....there was a great midway for the kids, local food vendors, exhibits of baking, crops, school work, crafts, flowers, animals and so very much more! A new feature this year was the live "Birds of Prey" show - lots of great info provided by the presenter along with some beautiful birds!

Super Blood Moon + Eclipse!!

This past weekend was pretty amazing.....super actually!! We had events going on with family & friends and were also able to enjoy the eclipse of the moon while spending time around a campfire. It was cloudy early but luckily the clouds parted and we were able to see the gorgeous blood moon! We hope that you were too but if not, there's certainly lots of fabulous photos & videos available online. Enjoy your week!!

The moon as it rose Sunday night.

Critter Entertainment

While birds provide some of the best entertainment in the garden, plenty of folks enjoy the critters too! Many purchase peanuts, corn, etc. just for them!! The critters in our garden are offered water and often find seed "leftovers" on the ground around the bird feeders. It's important, for the health of the birds, to keep the area below the feeders tidy....these guys certainly are glad to lend a hand. They also can provide lots of fun entertainment as they hurry around, running under the shrubs & plants or up the trunks of trees. As well, they provide for some cute pics! Have a great Thursday....we're blessed with some fabulous September weather!!

Chipmunk watching us!