What's Up with My Feeders?

While things have been slow overall at my feeder of late, I have had plenty of visits from one bird in particular… A White-breasted Nuthatch! What if I told you that despite being one of my most active visitors, the bird isn’t actually eating the seeds? If you’re wondering what’s going on, or perhaps you’ve experienced something similar, the bird is neither crazy, nor is it wasteful… It’s actually a fairly common phenomenon this time of year known as caching!

White-breasted Nuthatch

Put simply, caching seeds is a way for birds to store seeds during times of plenty (right now, when there is abundance of food available in the wild) 

Through my binoculars, I was able to observe that the Nuthatch was wedging a safflower seed into the nooks and crannies of the bark of a large maple outside my window. Just while I was watching the bird made more than ten trips back and forth from the tree to the feeder. Nuthatches aren’t the only backyard birds that will store seeds for later. Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatch, and certain woodpeckers all will engage in seed caching. For more information, I’ll link to a good article on Cornell’s All About Birds page here.

Have your feeders seemed slower than normal to you? We assure you, everything is just fine. Each year, we experience this typically from September through the first part of November, or at least until when it starts to get cold out. The reason? This time of year is a time of plenty for birds. Every wild plant that produces seeds, nuts, berries, or fruits is doing just that. In addition, the warm days and mild nights mean that there are still numerous insects available for birds to prey on. (As evidenced by me still having to use our Murphy’s Naturals Mosquito Repellent Insect Sticks when I eat outside in mid October.) Put simply, the birds don’t need feeders right now. In addition to the reasons I just listed, remember that with the breeding season concluded, they aren’t having to feed young anymore. That means that not only is there an abundance of food in the wild, but also they only have themselves to take care of. In other words, it’s a pretty good time to be a bird!

A Swamp Sparrow Eating Grass Seeds in Winter

Eli Haislip

Once we get into colder weather, when insects become more scarce, expect to see a sharp uptick in feeder activity. Nothing brings birds back to our feeders quite like a cold, frosty morning! In the meantime, now is the perfect time to take your feeders down and give them a good cleaning. In our experience, dawn and good hot soapy water with a thorough rinse works well. Just make sure the parts of the feeder are well dried before you put seed back in to keep it from getting funky.



Big Savings on Binoculars, BirdCast, Spotting Fall Warblers

Did you know that this Saturday, October 11th, is World Fall Migration Day? This day celebrates migratory bird species in the Americas and is a great excuse to grab your binoculars, enjoy the beautiful weather, and do some birding!

Tennessee Warbler

Photo by Eli Haislip

To celebrate here at the shop, this week we will be running a special on ALL binoculars! We are always preaching the value of owning a good pair of binoculars and of TAKING THEM WITH YOU. This week, Saturday the 11th through Friday the 17th, we are doing our part to make that easier for you by putting all models on sale from $20 all the way up to $50 off!

ALL Nikon Monarch M7: $50 OFF

ALL Nikon Monarch M5: $30 OFF

All Other Binoculars: $20 OFF

We are an authorized Nikon dealer, and we have binoculars that will work for any budget. Are you looking for a first pair of binoculars for the aspiring young bird watcher? Nikon Trailblazers, Travelites, and Prostaff 3S are all great options.

Maybe you already have a pair of binoculars, but you want another pair to keep in your car or by the window. In that case, the Prostaff 7S might be the perfect choice. Available in full size (10x42, 8x42) or compact, (10x30, 8x30) these binoculars perfectly bridge the gap between our entry level binoculars and our top end Monarchs.

There is still time left to take advantage of Fall Migration birdwatching, so if you have been putting off getting your binoculars waiting for a sale, now is the time!

Speaking of Fall Migration, have you ever heard of BirdCast? This incredible tool uses weather radar to track migratory birds while they fly overhead in the night skies of autumn. Last night, (the night of October the 9th, 2025 if you are reading this later) an estimated 824,300 birds migrated across Davidson County. The peak “traffic” was at 7:50 PM, when an estimated 144,300 birds flew over at an average speed of 21 mph and at an altitude of 1,700 feet. So far since August, BirdCast has tracked over 80,000,000 birds that have crossed over this region. Let that sink in for a minute! I will link to BirdCast here so you can check it out for yourself

While soaking up some of the warm sun of an early October afternoon last weekend, I was treated to the treat and challenge of a small, mixed flock of fall warblers! Off the bat, one did not require my trusty field guide for identification. A Black-and-White Warbler! Also in the same tree were a couple Tennessee Warblers, as well as a female/immature Bay-breasted Warbler. None of them were cooperative for photos, so I linked to their respective pages on All About Birds for photos, calls/songs, and more information.





Seed and Feed Sale; Unexpected Feeder Visitors, Hummingbird Activity Continues

Seed Sale

Feeder activity may be slow at the moment, but we are not far from the birds “eating [you] out of house and home” again! In the meantime, as Fall Migration progresses, there are some interesting birds to keep a watchful eye out for. That’s why this beginning Saturday, September 27th through next Friday, October 3rd, all seed and feed will be on sale 10% off! However, there is a catch… You must mention our blog in order to receive the discount!

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

Fall Migration can bring a bit of fun and excitement to an otherwise slow time in the bird feeding world. For example, the other day while looking out the window, I was excited to see a Northern Parula flitting from branch to branch gleaning small insects along the way. While these birds are unlikely to be seen on your feeders, we know of another neotropical migrant that is possible to attract to your seed… The Rose-breasted Grosbeak! While these birds are much more common visitors to our feeders during the Spring Migration, they also pass back through in the fall and are known to visit feeders when they do. These photos were taken on September 25th of 2024, so it is possible to see them on your feeders during the next week or so. Grosbeaks are not picky when they do come to bird feeders and can easily be attracted with black-oil sunflower, safflower, or different blends such as our Woodland and Premium Blend.

Hummingbirds Still Passing Through

Let’s not forget that Ruby-throated hummingbirds are still passing through as well! It is still possible to see hummingbirds into mid and even late October, so be sure to keep a feeder clean and fresh nectar out! Nectar should be changed at least every 2-3 days this time of year and we encourage everyone to make your own. It's quick, easy, and cost effective. Simply fully dissolve 1 part plain white table sugar into 4 parts of water, and you’ve successfully made your own nectar! In addition, we have plenty of hummingbird feeders still in stock, as well as specially made hummingbird feeder brushes to make cleaning a snap!

It is also worth mentioning that keeping up a hummingbird feeder will not keep the birds from migrating. Their instinct to migrate is far too strong to let a little sugar water hold them back. They will go when they are ready. By all means, keep a feeder up as long as you’d like as long as you keep it clean and the nectar fresh. Who knows, there’s always a chance of attracting a western species!







Windchimes on Sale!

Windchimes on Sale

Windchimes seem to have earned an undeservedly divisive reputation. Unfortunately, too many people have likely at some point heard, either in a store, or from their neighbors, the tinny unpleasant sound of cheap windchimes and been put off on them all together. “That would drive me crazy!”

We’ve got news for you! Windchimes don’t have to drive you (or your neighbors) crazy! We’ve been listening to the sound of our Corinthian Bells windchimes being rung 6 days a week, for over twenty years now and we promise, our sanity is still intact.

SALE on Corinthian Bells Windchimes

Corinthian Bells Windchimes make great gifts for all occasions. They are not your run of the mill, tinny sounding chimes. They are handcrafted and hand-tuned which gives them their incredibly pure sound. When hung outside, they are beautifully subtle, not loud.

“I often tell customers if I started The Wood Thrush Shop all over again from scratch,

Corinthian Bells Windchimes would be one of the first products I would add to inventory.”

“They are, in my opinion, some of the best sounding, best made windchimes available, and made in the USA.” - John

If there is a size or color combination you would like but we don’t have in stock, we would be happy to special order it for you at the sale price!

20% Off through next Friday, Sept. 26


Wood Thrush Notes: Upcoming Events

Warner Parks Hummingbird Celebration

Next Saturday, September the 13th, join us as we take our show on the road, literally! John will be manning our booth at the Warner Park’s Hummingbird Celebration with all of our favorite hummingbird merchandise, including feeders, nectar, accessories, and more! As the name implies, the Hummingbird Celebration is 5 hours of hummingbird themed fun located right down the road at the Warner Park Nature Center. Festivities begin at 9am, and will include hummingbird banding and viewing stations, other vendor booths, as well as food and drink. Our good friends at Harmony Wildlife will also have a booth there dedicated to what they do, so you can come and say hello to your friendly neighborhood wildlife rehabilitators! At 1PM inside the nature center, Habitat Landscapes founder Ivan Chester will be giving a presentation titled “Gardening to Attract Hummingbirds and Pollinators,” highlighting how traditional landscaping often offers little benefit to wildlife, and more beneficial alternative methods to attract hummingbirds and pollinators. Admission is free, and there is something there for people of all ages, so come on down and see us! Gates open at 9am and the festivities continue till 2pm.

Our Booth Last Year

Hummingbird Happy Hour

If you are looking for something a little more mellow, then perhaps the Warner Park’s Hummingbird Happy Hour is more your speed. Enjoy beer, cocktails, and hors d'oeuvres amongst the flowers and hummingbirds of the Nature Center. While this event does require the purchase of a ticket for admittance, you can feel good about where your money is going as all proceeds from ticket sales support Warner Park’s Bird Information Research and Data (B.I.R.D) program. Tickets are $75, and I will link to the page to purchase them here. As there will be alcohol, you must be 21+ to attend. The party kicks off at 5:30 and will run till 7:30.

Common Nighthawks on the Move

This evening as I was walking the door to leave, I saw some medium sized birds flying in circles above the parking lot across the street. A look through a pair of binoculars revealed that they were, as you might have guessed from the title, Common Nighthawks! These interesting birds have one of the longest migrations of any bird here in North America, flying from as far south as Argentina as far north as the Yukon Territory in Canada. Surprisingly, one of the best places to find these members of the nightjar family is in illuminated parking lots around dawn and dusk as they swoop gracefully around light poles catching insects. They are beginning be reported congregating in numbers of upwards of 150 birds, although I only saw a modest 4-5 while closing the shop.