It’s that time again. The grackles have returned and many people are asking how to get rid of them and the starlings. As these birds are invasive it’s a good idea to try to deter them from visiting. Here’s a few tips that can help. As soon as they start showing up, you want to […]
Category: Back Yard Bird Watching
The American Robin
Someone once described a day in the life of a robin as follows: Run, run, run, STOP. Run, run, run, STOP. Run, run, run, STOP. Run, run, run, STOP. There’s much contentment found in sitting quietly and watching robins. They’re keen worm finders, tilting their heads just so, to focus one eye on wormholes […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 286 – Hopper Feeders (Feb 16, 2024)
Hopper feeders! In the winter it’s nice to have a large feeder that holds lots of seed; then you won’t have to fill up as often! One with a big roof also helps to keep the snow off the seed. There are wooden ones, Canadian made, and some made from a recycled plastic. You can […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 285 – Local Photographers Tracy Waddington & John Ashdown Stop By (Feb 2, 2024)
Today our guests are two Peterborough based photographers sharing their love for birds. Tracy Waddington & John Ashdown have taken many amazing pictures of birds and frequently share them with our community on a couple groups on Facebook. They are amazing photographers that like to look for birds near Trent University, along the Otonabee river, […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 282 – Last minute gifts for bird lovers! (Dec 22, 2023)
We all have a friend or family member who is hard to shop for at Christmas time! If the don’t need or want anything but they love watching and feeding the birds, we have some ideas for you! Mixed seed trees and balls make great gifts that the birds will love as well. Top quality […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 279 – Squirrel Buster Suet! (Nov 10, 2023)
It’s getting colder so that means it’s time to get out your suet feeders! Suet is easily digestible fat and calories which provides fast energy for hungry birds. In this episode the Squirrel Buster Suet is in the spotlight. This is a great feeder to keep the squirrels from devouring all the tasty suet before […]
What do trail mix and feeding birds have in common?
Imagine a bowl of trail mix in front of you. Assuming no nut allergies, you may be faced with peanuts, cashews, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, and M&Ms. Many people “high-grade,” sifting through and picking out favourites and leaving the rest behind. I know I end up eating a lot of peanuts and sunflower seeds if […]
GARDEN GATE: Episode 278 – Setting Up a Feeding Station (Oct 27, 2023)
Fall is the perfect time to set up a bird feeding station. The weather is just starting to change and it’s best to get the poles in the ground before it freezes. Unlike a shepherds hook, with our pole system you can customize the height with extensions and even add additional hangers. This can be […]
Helping birds with the challenges of migration
The birds continue their southward movement for the winter. Some have already finished, others are passing through, and still others are yet to come. Migration’s a tough slog filled with risks, including window strikes, cats, and starvation. Window strikes are a bigger issue with high-rise office and apartment buildings. Most passerines migrate at night, using […]
Oh, the birds! The birds’ fall movements have begun
Fall means lots of birds passing through our area as they leave their warm, food-rich northern breeding areas to spend their winters in warm, food-rich, southern climes. These movements have begun. I’ve written blog posts the past two Septembers about migration and how you can support birds as they make these incredibly exhausting and dangerous […]