Connect with Nature!
Sure, birds drink in winter. But did you know they bathe, too? Many birds bathe to keep feathers clean so they retain body heat properly, and they have definite preferences about where to bathe: Read more...
When you attract songbirds to your yard, chances are good that you will eventually attract avian predators as well. While some people don’t like the idea of hawks feeding on “their” birds, many others welcome this opportunity to see raptors up close. Read more...
John Rakestraw has worked as a music teacher, farm laborer, and hardware salesman, to pay for his birding habit. He was a naturalist in Kansas and Ohio before finally settling in Oregon. In addition to working at Backyard Bird Shop Sundays through Tuesdays, Rakestraw is a writer and bird guide (hire him! he's great! ). Read more...
It’s unusual for us to get the winter freezes and snow here in the Portland/Vancouver area, but when we do, the resident Anna’s Hummingbirds count on our feeders more than ever. I have three hummingbird feeders that I keep going all winter long. When we have freezing weather, they are more popular than ever. When the weather drops into the 20’s, keeping the nectar from freezing is a big challenge. Here are some ideas, with illustrations, that may make it easier! Read more...
Did you know that the Portland area is the year-round residence of one species of hummingbird? Anna’s Hummingbirds, the largest of coastal Pacific Northwest hummers, are non-migratory! Both sexes are primarily greenish in color, but in sunlight males flash purplish red iridescence on their foreheads, throat patches, and sides of neck. Read more...
My backyard birds really love Mr. Bird’s nut and seed logs! I have offered both varieties, alternating between PecanFeast and WildBird Feast, and getting lots of action on both! I’ve seen nuthatches, chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Song Sparrows, House Finches, and even a Black-headed Grosbeak feasting on them. Read more...
In autumn you can provide natural sources of food by checking your impulse to clean up spent blossoms and stems, and instead let your annuals and perennials go to seed. Read more...
Dark-eyed Juncos are common sparrows found throughout North America. They show a great deal of geographic variation, with many subspecies divided into five recognizable groups. The group found locally is known, appropriately enough, as Oregon Junco. Read more...
With the arrival of autumn weather in late September and early October come Golden-crowned Sparrows. This species nests in Alaska, the Yukon Territory, and British Columbia, then spends the winter along the west coast from southern British Columbia to Baja California. They remain in the Willamette Valley until mid-May. Read more...
Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) are found in Oregon all year, but their nomadic behavior makes it hard to predict where you will find them at any given time. They may arrive in your yard one day (usually in a flock), spend a day or two, and then disappear for months. Read more...
We so appreciate Rick, who has allowed us to use some of his gorgeous bird photographs on this website! Read more...
Here are 4 tips to help you keep from growing a crop under your feeder: Read more...
Although it isn’t likely you'll see a bat on Halloween, this time of year offers nature-lovers a chance to educate people about these misunderstood creatures! Read more...
You can send squirrels right back to their own feeder by offering Hot Meats in the ones you'd like to reserve for birds. They’re sunflower chips soaked in chili pepper oil -- nutritious for birds, but a turnoff to squirrels. Read more...
To attract many of our native bees, start by planting bee- attracting plants. You’ll get a bonus from doing so: an array of other wildlife will be attracted as well! The native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, flies and other pollinators you attract will give your garden a bountiful harvest of fruits, vegetables, seeds as they provide hours of outdoor entertainment. Read more...
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