Mr. Bird is Back!

Mr. Bird is Back!

As many of you may have noticed, traditionally we have been in no rush to remind ourselves or our customers of the looming approach of the Christmas season. However this year, with other vendors in the neighborhood offering similar items, and with the memory of supply shortages still burned in our minds, we made a few emails and got our entire line of Mr. Bird’s Christmas products in early!

For those of you that like to do your shopping ahead of time, our hats are off to you! Everything from the Gourmet Wreaths, Ollie Owls, Little Stars, and the Christmas Shapes are here for you to stock up on at your convenience, well over a month before Christmas! This means you could have all your Wood Thrush Shop related Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving, and we applaud your preparation.

And for those of you who, like us, are tired of having Christmas forced upon us before the sweat of summer has had a chance to dry… Come on in and stock up anyways! Buy a bird seed Christmas tree, and watch with delight as your birds, squirrels, chipmunks and the rest of the backyard gang devour any trace of Christmas right before your eyes. Take it from us, this moral victory over modern retail will feel great, and your birds and critters will thank you!



New Products!

As many of you have noticed, we have been working on sprucing up the store as we inch closer to the holiday season. This means plenty of tidying, building new and rearranging existing displays, and last but certainly not least, bringing in new product. Today we would like to take a moment to talk about several of our newest additions that we are excited to share with you!

 Plant for a Change

Here at the shop, we are all passionate about pollinators and incorporating native plants into landscaping. Fortunately, we found another Nashville based company that shares our enthusiasm! Founded in 2020, Plant for a Change is a local business started in 2020 that focuses on region specific seed packets for native pollinators. Our current inventory includes Wrinkle-Leaf Goldenrod, Butterfly Milkweed, Black-eyed Susan, Wild Bergamot, Smooth Blue Aster, and a variety pack including all of the above. Each packet contains enough seeds for a 15 square foot space, and retails for $6. The variety pack retails for $29.

Window Gems

Another line of products we have recently brought into the shop are Window Gems. These static cling decals adhere to the outside of the window and work to prevent bird strikes by refracting light into a rainbow of changing colors, thus breaking up the reflection on the glass. Whereas Window Alert decals are recommended to be changed every 4 months, Window Gems last indefinitely. Arguably a more attractive option than the Window Alert decals, Window Gems are available in the following patterns: Dragonflies, Forest Creatures, Saw-whet Owl, Birds, Hummingbirds, Mixed Leaves, Dots and Circles. Dots and circles are $9 for a 15 pack and 10 pack, respectively, and all others are $18.

 Studio M is Back!

We were surprised and disappointed earlier in the year when we went to order new seasonal mats and mailbox covers, only to discover that Studio M, the company that produces these, had gone out of business. Without finding any suitable replacements, it seemed like we might have to go without these products for the foreseeable future. Fortunately, that proved not to be the case when Studio M was acquired by Demdaco, and we are happy to report that we are now fully stocked on mailbox covers, decorative mats, and mat holders!

Cobaine Ornaments

Everybody’s favorite enamel bird ornaments are back in stock! We have over twenty different bird and critter ornaments currently in stock, with more on the way as we approach Christmas.

Coming Soon: Mr. Bird!

We are excited to announce that we are just days away from having all of our winter/Christmas Mr. Bird products in stock! Our order has been shipped and is on its way up from Texas and should be in, unpacked, and displayed by middle of next week. Our supplies will be limited, so don’t wait!






Rose-breasted grosbeaks are back!

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Continued Feeder Activity

 

Isaac Newton is credited with the saying “what goes up must come down”, and while he had no idea what a Rose-breasted grosbeak was, the saying holds true for them as well as other migratory birds. All neo-tropical migrants that pass through Tennessee on their journey north during the spring migration will again pass through during fall. This is great for us bird lovers, because it gives us a chance to spot species we might have missed earlier in the year, such as Baltimore oriole, Rose-breasted grosbeak, and numerous species of warblers.

Non-breeding Tennessee warbler

Ironically, this member of the warbler family is only seen in Tennessee during Spring and Fall Migration, instead breeding in Canada and wintering in Central and South America.

Reports have begun trickling in of Rose-breasted grosbeaks on feeders, so keep your bird feeders filled and your eyes and ears open for these colorful visitors. While not as prevalent in the fall as in the spring, Rose-breasted grosbeaks are known to visit feeders during fall migration. This year, as of writing this, we have already received three reported sightings. It is possible that with the last several months of dry weather, there may be less of an abundance of food available in the wild and this will drive them to visit feeders in greater numbers. Males are hard to miss with their striking black and white appearance, deep red throat, and substantial seed busting bill. Females are less colorful, and have been described as looking like a “House finch on steroids”. Juvenile males are an interesting combination of both in terms of appearance. Fortunately for us, these seed eaters are not picky, and will happily gorge themselves on sunflower (in and out of the shell), safflower, and peanuts.

“They’re eating me out of house and home!” is a saying we hear so often in the spring and early summer that it all but works its way into our dreams. However, come late September, this is not something we expect to hear. We are generally skeptical of reports of “busy” feeder activity this time of year, as time and again we can say with confidence that September and October are the slowest feeder months of the year. However, this year seems to be different. In addition to feedback from multiple customers of good activity feeders, we have been noticing this at our own feeding stations. A quick glance out my window at my platform feeder before coming in to the store rewarded me with the sight of 3 Carolina chickadees and 3 Tufted titmice visiting simultaneously. I looked out at my suet log feeder and had 2 White-breasted nuthatch feeding. While seeing 8 songbirds on two feeders is far from monumental, it is more than I would expect for a warm late September morning.

 

 

 

Copper Anti-microbial Birdbath Disk

Help keep your bath clean and healthy with the purifying qualities of pure copper. Chemical free all natural 4" diameter copper water purification disk is 99.9% pure American made copper. It’s designed to sit up off the floor of the bath with 3 “feet” to ensure that the entire surface area of the disk is in contact with the bath water insuring maximum benefit. The disk is made here in the USA with copper sourced from Revere Copper, Rome New York. Tarnished copper does not lose any of its beneficial qualities. Simply place in any bird bath for chemical free water purification.

 The antimicrobial properties of copper surfaces are firmly established.

 Copper has been used since ancient times to disinfect and purify water. In modern times many scientific studies have proven that copper alloys possess excellent potential in controlling the spread of infectious diseases. In fact, after rigorous testing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registered copper alloys as antimicrobial public health materials.

 Importantly, research by the University of Southampton, UK, shows that copper can virtually eliminate the Influenza A virus within six hours of exposure. This is an especially important finding because a member of this virus family is the virulent Avian Flu strain.

 In addition to eliminating bacteria and viruses, copper has also been proven to destroy mold and algae. Adding an Erva Anti-Microbial Bird Bath Disk to your bird baths will facilitate cleansing and contribute to the health and safety of your visiting birds by eliminating water-borne pathogens.

How it works: The bactericidal activity of copper is mainly attributed to the release of ions, which are recognized by various microorganisms as an essential nutrient—and allowed to enter the cell. Once inside they affect the integrity of the membrane, generate intracellular oxidative stress and are genotoxic, meaning that the ions impede the cell from breathing, eating, digesting, or creating energy— resulting in the death of the microorganism. Antimicrobial copper continuously kills pathogens, even when tarnished.

Fall Migration Notes

Fall Migration, and Bluebirds

Fall Migration is underway, and it is making birding fun in the Mid-State! While birding along the Cumberland River this past weekend, I spotted several Great Egrets working the marshy sections off the main channel. Whilst exploring a pull-off near Cheatham Dam, my attention was drawn to a large Cyprus tree where I noticed several Yellow-rumped Warblers flitting between the roots. These are just a few of the numerous species that are passing through our area every day. Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Chimney Swift, Common Nighthawk, Summer Tanager are also being seen and heard daily.

Tennessee Warbler

Photo by Eli Haislip

Lights Out Program:

Did you know that many species actually migrate under the cover of darkness? According to BirdCast, the list of expected nocturnal migrants for this area includes Yellow-rumped Warbler, Summer Tanager, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Black-throated Green Warbler, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and many other species. In Davidson County alone on the night of October 1st into the morning of October 2nd, BirdCast, using weather radar, was able to detect an estimated 8,900,000 birds flying overhead! But how are these birds able to traverse distances of thousands of miles, mostly at night? Certain species, such as Indigo Buntings, have been proven to navigate using the stars! There is also evidence showing that thanks to short-lived molecules found in the bird’s eyes, known as radical pairs, they are actually able to visualize Earth’s magnetic field! Unfortunately, despite these incredible adaptations, birds migrating at night are extremely susceptible to light pollution. They can become disoriented and confused by bright lights, and with many song birds flying between 500-2500 feet, this can lead to collisions with buildings and electrical/communication towers which usually prove fatal.

Fortunately, there are things we can do to help. During peak migration months (September-early November) turning off non-essential lights from 11:00PM-6:00AM can greatly help. In addition, closing your blinds at night, dimming or pointing outdoor lighting down, and turning off outdoor decorative lighting can all have a positive impact in helping migratory birds reach their destination.

Bluebirds Exploring Boxes

Yesterday morning as I was getting into my car, I noticed a flurry of activity at my bluebird box. There was a pair of bluebirds taking turns perching on the box and looking inside it. This is actually quite a common occurrence this time of year, with us receiving multiple reports each fall of Bluebirds checking out boxes. We are not entirely sure what causes them to do this, although it could be a variety of factors; similar amounts of daylight to the spring, searching for prospective future nest sites, or identifying suitable spots to shelter on cold winter nights. Remember, it is always a good practice to clean the box after each nesting, so clean those boxes and keep your eyes peeled for this throwback to spring.

Eastern Bluebirds checking out a bluebird box on an October morning

Photo by Eli Haislip

End of Summer Hummer Sale!

With hummingbirds continuing to pass through the mid-state into October, there is still time to attract and enjoy Ruby-throated hummingbirds. However, with that being said, we can confidently say that peak activity is behind us. With that in mind, ALL Hummingbird Feeders and Accessories will be on Sale 25% OFF starting this Saturday, September 21st through Wednesday, September 25th.

There is a common misconception that you should never leave a hummingbird feeder out late in the season because it will discourage the hummingbirds from migrating. We can assure you this is not the case. A few ounces of sugar and water will not overcome thousands of years of instinct. Not only is it fine to leave your hummingbird feeder out late, it also opens you up to the exciting possibility of attracting a western species, like the Rufous, Black chinned, or Anna’s hummingbirds to name a few! The chances are extremely slim, but almost every year there are a few reports of western hummingbirds, usually the Rufous hummingbird. This photo of a Rufous was taken at a customer’s home right here in Bellevue in December of 2020.

Rufous hummingbird feeding on Bird’s Choice 12oz Hummerfest feeder, December 2020, Nashville, TN.