The Peterborough area is blessed with an abundance of American Goldfinches, which some people call Wild Canaries. Male Goldfinches are a rich lemon-yellow, with black wings, a black tail, and a black “toupee.” Females are a paler yellow and lack the toupee (perhaps the males struggle with male pattern baldness?). Goldfinches alternate between flapping their […]
Category: Avant-Garden Blog
Garden Gate: Episode 166 – Best places to go birding (June 7th, 2019)
We have so many great locations for bird watching in our region, sometimes we just don’t know where to start! On this episode of Garden Gate I speak with local ornithologist Andrew Jobes about his favourite spots to go birding!
Garden Gate: Episode 165 – Orioles with Andrew Jobes, Ornithologist (May 24, 2019)
We have had a massive number of orioles coming to our backyards since late April.. We’ve been hearing comments from across the province that there are a LOT of orioles this year. Local ornithologist Andrew Jobes and Brenda Ibey discuss why this may be the case this year and also share a few tips on […]
Garden Gate: Episode 164 – Hummingbirds & Orioles (May 10th, 2019)
Some people refer to hummingbirds (“hummers” to birdwatchers) as “winged jewels,’ which is no surprise, given their small size, the males’ brilliant iridescent colours, and the way they flit about. There are 5 hummingbird species in Canada, but only one, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, in Ontario. Males have bright red throats, iridescent green backs, wings, and […]
Garden Tips: Going to Bat for Bats
Bats are remarkable creatures. They’re the only flying mammals in the world, and they use echolocation to catch flying insects on the wing in the dark. Imagine looking for your food with your ears… There are 8 bat species in Ontario, 4 of which are listed as Endangered on Ontario’s Species At Risk (SARO) List. […]
Garden Gate: Episode 163-Mother’s day gift ideas (April 26th, 2019)
Mother’s Day is Sunday May 12th and we have some beautiful items in the shop that will make her happy. You can go pretty or practical! Pretty hats, fragrant soaps, handmade necklaces, wind chimes, Kawartha candles, garden art….or you can go with more practical items like garden tools, gloves, trugs or tea cups! We can […]
Garden Tips: Jewels of the Air
Some people refer to hummingbirds (“hummers” to birdwatchers) as “winged jewels,’ which is no surprise, given their small size, the males’ brilliant iridescent colours, and the way they flit about. There are 5 hummingbird species in Canada, but only one, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, in Ontario. Males have bright red throats, iridescent green backs, wings, and […]
Garden Gate: Episode 162 – Grackles and Starlings
Next to Squirrels, Grackles and Starlings are the most bothersome to backyard bird feeders. They eat so much, come in large flocks and scare away the prettier birds like cardinals. During this episode of The Garden Gate I focus on types of seed and feeders that help to eliminate them from your garden and leave […]
Garden Tips: Cheer up, cheerily! Bird Song vs. Call & Tips to Learn a Few in Your Yard
The air will be increasingly filled with bird song this month as more species return from the south. Learning to identify birds by the sounds they make takes time and effort, but it can deepen your connection to your garden as you become increasingly aware of what’s going on around you. The words “singing” and […]
Garden Gate: Episode 160 – New metal art
Spring is the time for the shop to get refilled after a busy holiday season. And it’s the time for us to add to our collection of Canadian made items. On this episode I share with you just a little of the many pieces of Canadian made metal work. Made by a number of […]