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Spring 2017
Stories • Specials • Events and More to Help Your Family Enjoy Birding!
Birdhouse 101
With Spring approaching
quickly now is the time to think about
proper birdhouse maintenance as it’s so
important for the birds and also your
enjoyment.
The first step in ensuring a
successful nesting season is to remove
all of the
old nesting
material from
the previous
season, but not
before tapping
on the house
Nest Lift
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and looking
inside to make sure there aren’t any eggs
or chicks inside. I highly recommend
wearing gloves while doing this and
washing thoroughly after you have
finished. Birdhouses are natural breeding
grounds for many parasites
that feed on young broods
as well as adult birds. Just
removing the old nesting
material isn’t enough, as
parasites tend to live for
years in the cracks and
crevices of birdhouses.
Now it’s time to wash your
birdhouse with Songbird
Essentials Birdhouse &
Birdhouse & Feeder Cleaner and here’s
Feeder Cleaner
how easy it is! Simply mix
SE7031
4 oz. of birdhouse cleaner with 1 gallon
Look Inside
• Male 2017 a “Golden Year / Goldfinches
• Wingman’s Fun Feather Facts
• Corn Gluten Article/Mason Bees
• Kid’s Corner
• Sunny Side Up Gardens
• Q&A With Kevin
• What’s New & Happening
By: Kevin Alferman
of warm water and a drop of dish soap
• Don’t put birdhouses near feeders.
(just enough to form
• If you have very hot summers, face
a soapy surface) and
the house entrance north or east to avoid
scrub, scrub, scrub
overheating the box.
inside and out! No
• Make sure your birdhouses are in place
need to rinse!
well before the breeding season begins.
Before
As you prepare your houses for
hanging your
the upcoming
birdhouse back up,
nesting season
there are several
don’t forget a
other things to look
“NEW” addition
for to ensure birds
is always nice.
safety. Are there
With so many
Ultimate Bluebird
signs of splintered
birdhouses to
House
wood that could
choose from I’m
SESCS3004RW
injure a bird? Is the hardware for hanging sure we have one
the house sturdy? Have predators chewed to match your
Retro Camper
the wood at the entrance hole? If the
personality. Just
Birdhouse
SE941
entrance hole is being
arrived and soon
chewed on I suggest
to be at Songbird Station choose from
installing a Songbird
a whimsical Retro
Essentials Portal Protector
Camper Birdhouse
to keep those predators
(SE941), Canoe
from damaging the
Birdhouse (SE942),
house any further. The
Owl Birdhouses
Songbird Essentials Portal
(SE983 or SE984)
Protectors are available in
or a Beach Cottage
3 sizes:
Birdhouse (SE944)
Bluebird Portal
- SE615 - Wren Portal all with easy clean
Protector
SE617
Protector 1 1/8”
out and ready to
- SE616 Chickadee & Titmouse Portal make a statement in Canoe Birdhouse
SE942
Protector 1 ¼”
your yard.
- SE617 Bluebird Portal Whatever you decide to
Protector 1 ½”
do this Nesting season, make
Now that you are
sure and visit Songbird Station
ready for the nesting season
for all your nesting needs,
keep in mind the placement of
whether it’s a new birdhouse,
your birdhouse. LOCATION,
birdhouse cleaner or nesting
LOCATION, LOCATION.
material we are your one stop
• Houses mounted on metal
shop with a knowledgeable
poles are less vulnerable to
staff ready to help you and
predators than houses attached
guide you along.
Nesting Material Wreath
to trees.
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Make 2017 a “Golden” Year
By: Grant Toellner
These recent warm weekends have me hoping
Another great feeder to
for an early spring for a change, and hopefully bring
consider that can handle a flock of
our martins and spring visitors here a little earlier than
finches all at once is the Songbird
usual. One bird who is here year-round, but because of its Essentials 3-Tube Feeder. This feeder
“golden” transformation seems like a new spring visitor to is great because it actually has three
the backyard, is the American Goldfinch.
tubes with 36 different feeding ports
The American Goldfinch is one of spring and
that allows up to 24 different finches
summer’s most recognizable backyard visitor because of
to feed at once. Finches tend to be
the beautiful bright gold color the males turn during these social eaters and like to eat in large
months; hence the name goldfinch. American Goldfinches groups, so this feeder is ideal at
are the only finch that molts its feathers twice a year, once attracting a group of finches to your
Copper Finches Favorite
in late winter and again in late summer. They also are
backyard.
3-Tube Feeder
Another great feeder that
among the strictest vegetarians in the bird world, because
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their entire diet is compromised mostly of seeds, only
Goldfinch’s love to hang out around (Photo by Bird Man Mel)
occasionally eating an insect. Thistle and sunflower seeds is one of the spiral feeders from Songbird Essentials.
make up a large part of a Goldfinch’s diet, and they eat
These spiral feeders come in a sunflower design as well
a large portion of them at bird feeders so your backyard
as thistle, and Goldfinch’s love to run the spiral instead
is like the local restaurant they come back to again and
of going from perch to perch. The spiral feeder has more
ports than most bird feeders which means more birds, and
again!
the feeder has an easy-twist bottom that is easy to clean.
While there are many great bird feeders
geared to meet a Goldfinch’s appetite, here are a
The best food to offer
few that are great for getting a group of finches
Goldfinches, in my opinion, is the
also known as a “charm” in your backyard.
Fantastic Finch 2 mix available
One simple way to feed Goldfinches is by using
only at Songbird Station. It is
thistle sacks. Songbird Essentials makes a variety
a blend of crushed sunflower
of thistle sacks from 12” to 36” in a black color
hearts blended with thistle. This
blend seems to be eaten more
that Goldfinches love and are great because
Fantastic Finch 2 Premium
they are made out of durable weather resistant
than straight thistle or straight
Blend Bird Seed 20lb
mesh. The finch’s gold color really stands out
sunflower seed. SESEED171
while they are eating on the black thistle sacks. Mesh Jumbo Songbird Station carries all
16” Finch Magic
White and gold are also options if you prefer a Thistle Sock Gold of these products as well as other great finch products to
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different colored thistle sack.
help make it a “golden” year for your backyard in 2017.
Goldfinches: Molting Masters of the Backyard
With the coming of spring, we will again get to witness
goldfinches going through their spring molt from drab, dull
winter plumes to new, colorful feathers. By the time this
newsletter reaches you, the spring molting will have already
begun, as many have reported seeing Missouri goldfinches
start changing their colors in early March. Until the process is
complete, they may look a bit odd.
Male goldfinches will replace the pale yellow winter
plumage with a bright yellow plumage instead, and a black cap
will develop on his forehead. Females will replace their very
pale yellow winter plumage with a gray yellow plumage. The
bill of both the male and female will turn a pinkish-orange.
Molting isn’t unique to goldfinches. As a rule, any
healthy wild songbird replaces its feathers at least once a
year. Late summer to fall is the most common time for this
to happen, but in many cases it’s not too noticeable. Adult
goldfinches however actually molt twice a year, and
2
when they do, it’s hard not to notice as they change from drab
to a lemony, bright yellow.
Finding the extra
energy to go through a
complete molt in the spring
means goldfinches will be
hungry and hitting up bird
feeders. Remember to keep
your feeders filled with our
East Mister
Songbird Essentials Fantastic
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Finch 2 mix (mentioned in
Grant’s article above), and you are sure to enjoy the colorful
show in your own backyard!
Stop in Songbird Station and ask about our selection
of goldfinch bird feeders and accessory items (like the
water misting, Easy Mister by Songbird Essentials) that are
guaranteed to attract these molting masters of the backyard!
Wingman’s Fun Feather Facts
By: Grant Toellner
Metal & Glass
According to the PMCA, Purple Martins feed their nestlings fragments, quartz, sand,
eggshell, and oystershell. This grit enables the nestling’s gizzard to pulverize the armorlike exoskeletons of the beetles and other hard-bodied insects they are fed. Talk about
a real iron stomach. Be prepared and make sure to have your house ready as Songbird
Station has house cleaners available from Carefree Enzymes and if you want to become
a landlord, there are lots of options available from gourd rack systems to aluminum
houses not found anywhere else in Columbia.
Three Broods
An American Robin can produce three successful broods in one
year. On average, though, only 40 percent of nests successfully
produce young and only 25 percent of those fledged young survive
to November. Help your robins have a successful brood and put up
a Robin’s Roost from Songbird Essentials made right here in the
Show-Me state.
Songbird Essentials Goliad Purple
Martin House & Gourd Rack
SELSD12R - Goliad House
SELSGR - Gourd Rack
SELSTP - The Pole System
(Photo by Bird Man Mel)
Robin’s Roost
SESCS401
600 to 1000
The amount of berries the Bohemian Waxwing will eat in a day during the late winter months,
which is an impressive amount of consumption! While they tend to stay farther north, a close
relative the Cedar Waxwing is a frequent visitor here in Missouri. They may not be able to
gobble down the same rate of berries, but nonetheless as a group they can empty out trees in
a hurry too.
Cedar Waxwing
Third Eyelid
Birds have a transparent third eyelid that slides horizontally across the
eyelid to clean it. It also acts like a car windshield to protect the eye when
the bird is flying or diving underwater. With spring comes new visitors,
so make sure your eyes and supplies are ready as Songbird Station is the
5x30 mm Kid’s Deluxe Ultra Binocular
CARSONHU530
go-to store for all things optics. From binoculars to scopes we have what
you need to make sure you see the rare migrant on your next birding adventure. Get the kids involved with the
adventure too, as we have great entry level optics and kids binoculars perfect for the smaller birder.
Celebrating the Arrival of Spring
Ladybug Gord-O Birdhouse
SE3880081
3
Spring Bike Potholder
AC21477
Butterfly Feeder / Nectar Combo
SE78215
Sunflower Small Window Thermometer
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Who is Kevin Alferman?
You may have noticed a
new voice in this edition of our
Newsletter, Kevin Alferman. So,
who is Kevin? Kevin is a long-time
caretaker of backyard nature and
wild bird enthusiast. Though his
office is located at Songbird Station’s
distributor warehouse, Gold Crest
Distributing in Mexico, MO, you are
likely to see him pop into the store from time to time as
advisor to store manager, Deborah Irving.
Kevin’s background includes 27 years in the
Wild Bird and Garden Center industry and he has taken
on the key role of advising small, independent retailers
(like Songbird Station!) to be more successful. Songbird
Station welcomes Kevin to our team of birding experts! Corn Gluten
As parents and pet owners the decision to tackle
lawn care can be a rough decision and make you think
twice about grabbing a cheap bag of fertilizer from
your local lawn and garden center. But that
decision process is much easier these days
thanks to organic fertilizers. With spring
upon us and the thought of those obnoxious
weeds soon appearing in your yard, let’s
take a look at Corn Gluten as a safe way to
prevent crabgrass and many other weeds.
Did you know Corn Gluten is in fact a
Corn Gluten byproduct of the corn milling process? For
many years Corn Gluten was used as a supplement in
hog feed but today this natural protein is very effective
for lawns and gardens as a plant food as well as weed
suppressor.
Corn Gluten can be used all over your existing
lawn to prevent weeds from ever coming up, but
By: Kevin Alferman
remember it works by inhibiting root
formation so never use this at the same time you are
sowing grass seed. Corn Gluten will not kill existing
weeds, so they must be pulled manually. In general Corn
Gluten is applied at a rate of 20 – 40 lbs. per 1,500 Sq. Ft.
and should be applied twice a year in spring and fall.
In order for Corn Gluten to work it must be
wetted, so wet it down using a fine soft spray after
applying. One single application effectively suppresses
weeds for 4 – 6 weeks. It is important that you apply
Corn Gluten before the targeted weed emerges above the
soil and once applied make sure there is
no rain in the forecast for a few days.
Patience is key when using
organics, but with repeated use over
time, your lawn results will improve!
Free use of lawn spreader with purchase
of Corn Gluten at Songbird Station!
Mason Bees - Crazy Little Pollinators
With almost 4,000 bee species in North America,
Mason Bees are getting a lot of
recognition these days. Mason Bees
are among the easiest to raise, while
also being gentle and amazing little
pollinators.
The Mason Bee is a very
productive pollinator for everything
from flowers to fruits and nuts. The
female carries the pollen on the
Exploring the World of
Bees
underside of her hairy abdomen, and
FIRE1554079551
then scrapes the pollen off within her
nesting hole. Because the pollen is carried dry, it falls off
easily as she makes her visit from flower to flower.
By raising solitary Mason Bees, we can help increase
their population and at the same time supplement the stressed
Honey Bee and sustain our future food supply. Mason Bees
are very interesting and here are some fascinating facts that
you may not know:
• They are “solitary” meaning that every female mason bee is queen. There’s no worker bees, meaning every queen makes her own nest.
• Their nests are round, hollow shelters roughly the diameter of a pencil. When found, the female gathers pollen, brings it
back, stuffs it in the nest, lays an egg, gathers some mud and packs that inside. Then, she repeats this process with more eggs.
Mason Bee Lodge
• The female’s whole life span is 6 weeks.
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4
By: Kevin Alferman
• The male, meanwhile, only sticks around for 2 weeks. Once their job is done, that’s it.
(BONUS FACT: You can tell the male because they have a white nose.)
• During the female’s life span, she lays about 15 to 20 eggs in 2 tubes.
• By August of each year, the next generation of Mason Bees are fully grown, but hibernate through the winter.
• When the temperature gets warm enough in the spring, they come out and the new generation of bees begin the process all Bee House Medium
BFBWA02
over again.
• There are 130 species of Mason Bees throughout North America.
• They very, very, very, very rarely use their stinger. They have all the pollination benefits, no sting. If you get stung, it feels roughly as painful as a mosquito bite.
• It’s super easy to keep Mason Bees.
As you can see there are many benefits to raising
Mason Bees and it’s easy to do. So if raising Mason Bees is
something you would like to try, visit Songbird Station for the
right Mason Bee Lodge for you.
Don’t forget that
NEW
Songbird Station carries
Mason Bee Lodges
a wide selection of Bee
Keeping supplies such as
Hives, Smokers and suits,
in addition to informative
books and other functional
Bee Boarding House
and fun items for bee
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lovers.
10% OFF
Bee A-Frame
SE1004
Coupon Expires
5/01/17
Kid’s Corner
By: Kevin Alferman
With Spring fast approaching and kids chomping at the bit to get outside, why not make it
both fun and educational and make some homemade birdfeeders. Making feeders is a fun way to
get kids to learn and identify the birds most commonly seen in their
backyards and also a great way to help the birds. An easy to make
bird feeder such as the “Toilet Paper Roll Feeder” is inexpensive and takes just minutes to
complete. Simply cover a toilet paper roll with peanut butter or honey, and then roll in bird
seed until it is completely covered. Once that is completed simply thread a 12” or longer
piece of ribbon through the center of the tube and tie off then hang or
Toilet Paper Roll Birdfeeder
simply place a tree branch through the center of the roll. Now it’s Chow Time!!! See below coupon
on Wildlife Peanut Butter at Songbird Station and get your feeder started today!
For those kids who would like to tackle a bit larger project, Songbird Station also carries
Bird House Kits that let them be the carpenter. Choose from Bluebird House Kit (SESC00605),
Chickadee House Kit (SESC00606) and Wren House Kit (SESC00607).
Once kids are introduced to the world of birds and birdwatching then they tend to find
a
love of nature. While birdwatching, make sure you have your kids look up in the air and down on
the ground as along the way they will be amazed at what else they may find. While out and about
Chickadee House Kit
bring a pair of binoculars to bring things up close and very personal. Have your child observe a
SESC00606
bird’s color, size and even the sounds they make. Having a journal for your kids to record what
they have seen or even draw pictures will help create that love of nature and memories that will last a lifetime.
10% OFF
Spring Means Flowers!
This basket is filled with flowers. Find
and circle the flowers listed below.
Bird Feeder w/ Field
Guide
TS2950
Toysmith Kids
Field Binoculars
TS6917
FREE!
Wildlife Peanut
Butter
PBB01050
Paint-A-Bird Feeder
TS2952
Coupon Expires
5/01/17
10% OFF
Kid’s Puzzles
5
Forest Friends Puzzle
100 pcs
CB9780735342958
Coupon Expires
5/01/17
Daffodil
Tulip
Hyacinth
Crocus
Rose
Lilac
Carnation
Pansy
Iris
The birdies are
back! Five of them are
hiding on this page, can
you find all five?
NEW at Songbird Station
Kids Gardening Sunny Side Up Gardens
Kids (and adults) will love these easy-to-grow
gardens! Complete with seeds, starter soil, wooden
plant ID stakes, growing instructions, pencil and 100%
recycled fiber egg carton planter! Spring is on its way. Get a head start on planting this year by starting in a
Sunny Side Up Gardens planter.
Teaching our children to care for and appreciate
nature is so important. These easy to use egg carton
planters are the perfect way to get kids interested in
something other than a tablet, smart phone or television.
The founders of Sunny Side Up Gardens created
these easy to use planters as a reflection of their love of
nature and the coming together of friends and family;
sharing a sense of community and realizing what matters
most in life.
Stop in Songbird Station today and choose from
our selection. Styles range from Kaleidoscope Flower
Garden, Little
Bunny Garden,
Little Fresh Veggie
Garden, Little
Pizza Garden and
Little Summer Fun
Garden.
Kaleidoscope Sunny Side Up Gardens
MOLD ALERT
The Buzzzz on Bees!
Check Your Feeders Today! Did you know...
Along with spring comes rain and moisture, moisture
that sets into your bird feeders and molds your seed. Check
your feeders frequently for mold.
Birds can contract respiratory
diseases from inhaling mold/fungus
spores. And mold happens, so be
vigilant!
If you see mold, or the seed
Mold in your bird feeder
is clumping (a sign of pre-mold
dampness), dispose of the seed and
clean the feeder thoroughly with hot
soapy water.
Check your stored seed too!
It should smell fresh and nutty. If
you notice any unpleasant musty
Clean bird feeder = Happy Birds
smell or clumping, it’s gone
bad. If in doubt, throw it out!!! At Songbird Station, we have
Premium Blend Bird Seed - NO BUGS - NO FILLERS!
Rake up any shell debris on the ground below your
feeders regularly to avoid mold buildup for the sake of ground
feeders like cardinals, white-throated sparrows and juncos.
Clean out debris from bird houses to prepare for nesting season.
Keep fresh water available and check your bird baths for mold
just as diligently as your feeders and you are sure to attract
MORE birds to your yard this spring!
• There are 20,000 bee species.
• Most, such as the squash, leafcutter, mining, and sweat bees,
are solitary and don’t form colonies.
• Only 500 species (honeybee, bumblebee, and tropical
stingless bee, to name a few) are social and form colonies.
• Social bees build hives from secreted wax. These bees
survive the winter by staying in their hives, sharing body
heat, and eating stored honey. Nonsocial bees hibernate.
• A queen bee can lay up to 1,500 eggs a day. These eggs
hatch as mature adults in three weeks.
• Daily, many worker bees die of overwork. They perform a
variety of specialized tasks, such as collecting pollen & nectar
for honey production, or removing dead bees from the hive.
• The average flight speed for a bee is 12 mph.
• Odors, or pheromones, emitted by bees are an important
factor in their communications. For example, and alarm odor
is released when the hive is threatened.
• By a dance pattern, honeybees also communicate the
direction and distance of a nectar source.
• A commercial beehive produces about 50 lbs of honey/year.
• Honeybees pollinate over 30% of all fruits & vegetables
• Bees attack only when they or their hives are threatened.
• During her mating flight, a new queen mates with 6 to 12
male drones & returns to the hive to lay eggs. All drones are
forced out of the hive, and then starve.
6
Q.
Q&A
with
Kevin
With the warm weather we are now seeing, do you think
we will be seeing Purple Martins soon?
The earliest we normally see Purple Martins at established sites in Central
Missouri is approximately March 5th – 10th, but according to The Purple Martin
Conservation Association Adult Scouts were reported to be seen in Hermann, MO
on February 18th. If you have not had Purple Martins before don’t be discouraged,
you can wait until the last week of March as second year adults will inhabit new
houses and tend to trail behind veteran scouts by as much as several weeks. Your
Purple Martin Colony at
our wholesale business Gold
housing and Purple Martin supply needs are available at Songbird Station.
A.
Q. Do Eastern Bluebirds have a distinctive sound like the
Northern Cardinal?
Crest Distributing in Mexico,
MO
Eastern Bluebirds are much admired for their lovely predominately blue plumage
but are also known for a distinctive song that many hear as “chur-lee, chur-lee.” The
Eastern Bluebird is the state bird of both Missouri and New York. Attract Bluebirds
to your yard with the Chow Time Birdie Bell™. If you ring it, they will come! When
putting out mealworms and other treats, ring your Chow Time Birdie Bell™ and
watch an array of birds train to line up and enjoy their treat! We have dried and live
mealworms available at Songbird Station.
Kevin Alferman
A.
Eastern Bluebird
Q. I saw a video on your Songbird Station Facebook page that resembled
a “slinky” wrapped around a pole to deter squirrels - What’s that all about?
Yes, we recently posted a video promoting the SEMKSP1 Songbird Essentials Squirrel
Proof Spring Device. It does in fact look like a “slinky” but does a great job at deterring
squirrels from your feeders. Simply slide on the top of your shepherd pole or ground
pole and attach with the cable tie included. As the squirrel climbs the pole, once they
reach the spring it brings them all the way back to the ground. It’s both EFFECTIVE and
ENTERTAINING!
A.
Chow Time Birdie
Bell™
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Q. I like making my own hummingbird nectar but hate the mess I have
when done! Any ideas to make it easier and less of a mess?
“Shake it – Pour it – Store it!” Now you can make nectar for your hummingbirds and
Orioles in UNDER A MINUTE using the Super Shaker Nectar Maker™. Simply pour in
dry and wet ingredients using the printed ingredient measurement lines on the container
and SHAKE! Store any unused nectar for fast and easy feeding next time by simply
closing the lid and placing the container in your refrigerator.
A.
Super Shaker Nectar
Maker™
SE990
Q. I always enjoy watching the birds bathe and play in my birdbath,
but absolutely hate dealing with the water when it gets nasty and turns
green. Any ideas?
Songbird Essentials Birdbath Protector is a Non-Toxic natural enzyme that ensures
naturally clear water and is safe for birds, pets and wildlife. It prevents stains, sludge,
mineral deposits and organic contamination. Birdbath Protector is not a chemical and
needs time to work. Extremely dirty birdbaths may take several weeks to clean so I
suggest starting with a clean birdbath. No restrictions for wildlife when used as directed.
We also suggest our Songbird Essentials cleaning brush to clean out your birdbath.
Bird Bath Brush
A.
SE601
FREE
Songbird
Essentials
Dried
Mealworms
with Purchase
of SE Bluebird
Feeder
7
Squirrel Proof Spring
Device
SEMKSP1
Save 20%
Mealworms
100 Grams
SE641
Coupon Expires 5-1-17
on ANY
House or
Garden
size flag
Coupon
Expires Springtime Beauty
MAIL91492
5-1-17
20%
OFF
FREE SEED
20% OFF
ANY Missouri
Bird ID Book
Coupon Expires
5-1-17
Birds Missouri
Field Guide
AP61355
Buy any Songbird
Essentials Seed
Feeder & get
enough seed to fill
it - FREE!!
Coupon Expires
5-1-17
8oz. Bird Bath
Protector
SE7034
FREE
Bird Bath Protector
with Purchase of
Songbird
Essentials
Birdbath
Coupon
Expires Bluebird Birdbath
5-1-17
SE5009
Your Spring Birding & Gift Headquarters!
Hummingbird & Oriole Seminar
Saturday, May 13th
10 a.m. at Songbird Station
Hummingbirds and Orioles are a spring time favorite, so stop by the store for an informative
seminar about how to attract these birds to your feeders, flowers, misters and more!
What’s NEW & HOT at Songbird Station
Grapevine Birdhouses
Evening at Barnyard 1000 piece
Puzzle
EURO60000715
Grapevine Hanging Birdbaths & Suet Log Feeders
Bird Man Mel says, “My birds love to grab ahold
of the grapevines to perch!”
Tree of Life Birdfeeder
GEBLUEG534F
Two-Story Cabin Birdhouse
SE988
Western Boots Car Coaster
CART08761
Red Lantern Seed Feeder
PINE10055
Feed the Birds 20”
Art Pole
MAILPL1021
STORE HOURS
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Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
with the email address you want us to send your newsletter to.
Closed on Sundays