On this episode of The Garden Gate we’ve highlighted some activities that you could do with the kids during March break. (Originally aired prior to March break) Puzzles, soap stone carving, paint by sticker books, puppet making, embroidery kits, colouring cards, building a bird house or getting outside to identify some birds and play […]
Tag: bird watching
Winter Birdwatching Tips
There are far fewer bird species around during the winter months, which can, perhaps counterintuitively, make bird watching more enjoyable. For newcomers to birding, fewer species means a less overwhelming learning curve. Many of the species that overwinter here stay for the spring and summer, making winter a good time to establish a solid knowledge […]
Garden Gate: Episode 209 – Plants to attract birds to your garden
Often times our customers will wonder why they aren’t getting birds to their feeders. On this episode I show you some different trees, shrubs and perennials that you can add to your garden to attract a wider variety of birds. Birds are not attracted to yards with only grass. They find food in trees, shrubs […]
Garden Gate: Episode 208 – Building a squirrel proof bird feeding station (Jan 29, 2020)
Setting up a squirrel proof bird feeding station can be done! You just need to be smarter than the squirrels! And I think you are! Squirrels can climb poles, clothes lines, shepherds hooks and they can jump up 4-5′. Squirrels can also launch themselves 10-12′ from deck rails, gazebos, your roof, trees, clothes lines etc. […]
Garden Gate: Episode 202 – Compare the quality (Nov. 6th, 2020)
Customers often talk about the price of bird food when they should be considering the QUALITY! On this episode I dissect a bag of box store bird food. Even I was shocked at how poor the quality was. Birds don’t eat wheat or milo which is in high quantities in box store mixes. Even the […]
All that Glitters IS Gold
American Goldfinches are the latest-breeding songbird species in this area. They molt their feathers a second time in the summer, which is unusual for most bird species and leads to increasingly bright colours as the season progresses. Their song is a cheerful musical babbling, and their flight call – po-ta-to chip! po-ta-to chip! – is […]
Garden Gate: Episode 188-Feeding the birds during stressful times (April 10 2020)
Watching the birds is a very relaxing and stress reducing hobby. We have been overwhelmed at this time with requests to purchase our bird food and bird feeders so have implemented a sidewalk pick up program, trunk drop and also deliveries. Hours of operation have expanded during the pandemic crisis to Tuesday to Saturday from […]
Garden Gate: Episode 176 – Repairing bird feeders (Oct. 25th, 2019)
At The Avant-Garden Shop we carry a wide variety of bird feeders but the most popular and best quality are those from Brome, Droll Yankees and Aspects. These feeders are made from high quality materials that last a lifetime. The tubes are made from a special UV protected plastic that doesn’t yellow or crack. The […]
Garden Gate: Episode 174 – Bird migration with Andrew Jobes (Sept. 27, 2019)
As the days get shorter and the nights cooler, birds begin their migration to warmer climates. Andrew Jobes, local ornithologist joins me on this episode of the Garden Gate to discuss bird migration.
Garden Tips: Supporting Birds in the Winter
Certain needs must be met to for any living creature to survive: food, water, and shelter from inclement weather and predators. These elements work together to form a critter’s habitat. No matter how ideal a habitat may appear to be in one or more of these areas, it will not be used by wildlife if even […]
