A Discount on Black-oil Sunflower
Black-oil sunflower seed is our overall best-selling seed, and over the years, we have been extremely pleased with the consistency our primary supplier has delivered. Unfortunately, this year they have thus far failed to live up to the high standard that they have set. This has led to us searching for new sources, and we have found one that we are extremely pleased with. The seed has far less trash, and is obviously clean and fresh. (We love the smell of fresh sunflower seed!) This means, however, that we have an abundance of the previous product that we want to move. While supplies last, we will be heavily discounting this seed, which will be clearly marked, to just a few dollars above our cost in an effort to make room for better quality seed. 40 pound bags of Cardinal Brand black-oil sunflower seed are now just $25, with 25 pound bags only $16! This way, everybody wins. You save money, the birds get fed, and we can make room for higher quality product that we know will make you happy.
Update: 01.25.25 2:00PM
Quantities of discounted seed are extremely limited, so we advise you call ahead before coming out if you are interested in the discounted bags.
If you prefer the new product, don’t worry! Our stock room is filled to bursting with fresh, high quality seed!
New Additions to the Shop
If you have visited the shop in the last week, you may have noticed that there has been new construction around the seed island. We are putting the finishing touches on a new multi-use pricing and product display structure above the seed island to clearly provide pricing and size information for the bags of seed in hope of eliminating confusion. We look forward to hearing your thoughts, and we hope that it is helpful!
Territorial Mockingbirds
Have you been experiencing a territorial mockingbird? You’re not alone! Reports have begun trickling in of people experiencing Northern Mockingbirds aggressively defending bird feeders. This is common behavior, although it is more frequently reported in the spring when they are territorial due to nesting and raising young. So then, why are they being defensive this early in the year? During the winter, mockingbirds in the wild eat mainly berries. In nature, berry producing plants can be at a premium, especially as we get further into winter and the existing crop of berries are consumed. This means that they will instinctively guard and defend their food supply from other birds. They are wild animals, and do not understand the concept of there being enough to share. I have witnessed this first hand while on a walk at Bell’s Bend after the snowfall. As I passed by a thicket of blackberry bushes, I paused to observe a very agitated mockingbird defending its patch from a Song Sparrow that made the mistake of passing through. As I have mentioned in a previous post which I will link to here, having enough food during extreme cold can literally be a matter of life and death for birds, and this is why mockingbirds will defend their food supply so aggressively.
Fortunately for us, there are ways to prevent this behavior. The easiest, most effective method that we frequently recommend to folks is simply separating your feeders. For example, in past years when I have experienced this problem, I put a couple of my feeders in my front yard and the others in the back. The mockingbird cannot be in two places at once, (although it will try its best) and while it is defending one station, the birds can move into the other. This really is the best method. While a caged feeder would keep a mockingbird sized bird from being able to access the feeder, it would be unlikely to stop the bird from perching atop the pole and guarding it.