The Zen Birdfeeder

FAQ - Can You Use Dog Fur for Nesting Material for the Birds?

Q. Can dog (or cat) fur be used for nesting material for the birds?

A. Some birds use animal fur they find in nature to line their nests. It provides a soft surface for the nestlings as well as acting as an insulator from cold and wet.

You can help those birds by providing fur from your dog or cat. By doing so, you might help their nesting success as they conserve energy by taking advantage of an easy source of animal fur.

However, you should not use any type of animal fur that has been exposed to flea or tick treatments.

More than Just Birds; The Critters in My Yard

Here's some of the other creatures that I've had in my yard this summer.

Big Brown Bats

Eastern Chipmunk

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly amongst the thyme

Our resident Garter Snake

  American Toad behind the planters

Monarch on Rose Campion

I believe this is an American Copper butterfly...very small!

I believe this is a Pearly Crescentspot, also quite small.

Lizzie checking out a grasshopper that made its way into the house.

A Letter from your Feeder Birds

Greetings from nature!  We know we haven't stopped by your birdfeeders much lately, but we wanted to let you know we're still out there, doing just fine, and thinking of you!  The weather has been gorgeous and we're enjoying it as much as you are.

The summer has given us a bounty of natural foods for the taking.  There are tons of insects like caterpillars, spiders, grasshoppers, ants, and beetles out there, and we hate to pass them up while they're available to us.  We're also finding lots of tree seeds and nuts, as well as fruits and berries.

So we haven't been in your yard much because we're filling up on the goodies in the wild.  We did stop at your birdfeeding station last night at dusk, but we didn't see you around.  Sorry we missed you.

While we're not around as much, it's okay with us if you just fill your feeders halfway.  We'll use them for one last nibble before we settle down for the night or when we pass through the neighborhood.  Oh, and thanks for keeping the birdbath clean and filled.  Will you have that open all winter?

We know that all these natural food sources will eventually deplete. ☹ We continue to check in on your yard so that when that time comes, we know where to find a reliable quality food source and some decent habitat to shelter us when the weather turns nasty.

Thanks again for all you do for us, even when we're not around that much.  We'll remember that, and will be back in your yard before you know it!  You're the best!

Love,
Your Favorite Birds


ps: Thanks for keeping those kitties indoors too.  They're cute, but they don't seem to like us to much.

Keep Cats Indoors for the Hummingbirds' Sake

My cat Lizzie was very interested in this little Ruby-throated Hummingbird when it visited our window hummingbird feeder.  Good thing for Ms. Hummingbird that Lizzie is an indoor cat!

 

3 Simple Reasons to Keep Cats Indoors

1. It's better for the birds.

The American Bird Conservancy estimates that free roaming cats kill 500 million birds every single year.

 

2.  It's better for wildlife.

Cats kill more wildlife than just birds.
Frogs, snakes, lizards, chipmunks, and squirrels also fall prey to outdoor cats.

 

3.  It's better for your cat.

The Animal Planet website states that the average life expectancy of an indoor cat is 12-15 years.
Outdoor cats live only 2-5 years.
(She's not supposed to be on the counter)

 

The Best Black Friday Special

She's special.  She's very black.  It's Friday.  And we think she's the best!

Our Buddy is Gone

This morning we lost our buddy Spud.  For however long they inhabit our lives, our pets leave indelible images on our hearts.  Here's some of our favorites images of this sweet girl who was part of our lives for nearly 17 years.

This has been our screensaver at the store for a number of years

She LOVED boxes - sitting in, sitting on, just give her a box and she was happy!

The best of both worlds: a heated kitty cup under a chair!

Wha???
 

Playing with her new Christmas toy
from Whisker's Animal Benevolent League

When temperatures dropped, under the covers she'd go!

We used this "best gift under the tree"
image in one of our store emails during December 2009

Such a cute face!

Spud
Our Spuddy Buddy
September 1994 - August 12, 2011
Age 17

Wordless Wednesday - Lizzie & the Hummingbird

Stare-down

  "Come back!  I'm a friendly kitty!"

Note:  Lizzie is an indoor cat.  She loves watching the birds from the safety of her nice home.

Spring Migration First of the Year Report 2010-2

When May hits, the migration pace quickens, so I better get my 2nd spring migration report in the books!  This year, I'm learning a little more about each of these birds as they arrive and will share a fun fact or two from Pete Dunne's "Essential Field Guide Companion".

SONG SPARROW

 
Song Sparrows seem to be a timely bird, returning on March 23rd this year.  That's within 5 days of all their other return dates.  They can be seen year-round in New York but I only see them during migration, even though Pete Dunne describes them as "probably not far from where you are right now"!

Dunne Fun Fact
"Sings all year, though infrequently in winter.  Individuals sometimes sing at night.  Song is variable but simple in pattern and easily recognized.  Usually begins with two to four (usually three) quick, clear, identical notes followed by a long trill and an ending that has several short notes: chee, chee, chee tureeeee, uree tee tee."


EASTERN PHOEBE

I heard the phoebe before I saw him later the same day, April 2.  Don't mistake the chickadee's two-note fee-bee song for a phoebe!  The phoebe's "fee-beeeee" has a harsher, sore-throatier "beeee".

Dunne Fun Fact
"Has adapted well to humans and often chooses to use human structures - most notably bridges and buildings - to secure its nests."


BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD

Sorry, no celebration of their return on April 14, the same date as in 2009.  So I have a NIMBY attitude with the cowbird: go lay your eggs somewhere else...

Dunne Fun Fact
"Only the interiors of mature, dense, unfragmented forest and woodlands seem impervious to cowbirds."  Another reason to stop forest fragmentation....


CHIPPING SPARROW

I think the Chipping Sparrow is just so dapper and I welcomed their return on Tax Day April 15.  They were just about on time, they've returned anywhere from April 15-22 over the last 5 years.

Dunne Fun Fact
"The combination of the bright chestnut cap, prominent white eye stripe, and mascara-fine eye-line is distinctive and easily separates Chipping from all other rufous-capped sparrows. So don't sweat the details. You want to identify adult Chipping Sparrow? Just look at the face.  The expression is smug."

FUN FACT SOURCE:  Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion, Published by Houghton-Mifflin, 2006.


EASTERN CHIPMUNK
Emerged from hibernation early this year, on March 10, earlier than years' past.

My Bird-Loving (Indoor) Cat

"Whaaat?"