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November News from the Wild Bird Habitat Stores
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Bird of the Month
A favorite winter bird that generally arrives in the Midwest and Great Plains states in late November to early December that has a huge appetite for Nyjer seed at our thistle feeders is the Pine Siskin. Many of these birds breed from southern Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland down to the upper Great Lakes region and over to northern New England. They are also common in the higher elevations of mountainous areas in the Rockies and western states. Their preferred northern habitats are the coniferous and deciduous forests and woodlands in the threatened Boreal Forests to the north. They wander south throughout the United States during the winter months in search of available food resources. Some years they may appear as far south as Tennessee and Arkansas and beyond. This southward movement of northern birds during the winter months is known as an irruption and the Pine Siskin are the most common of the irruptive winter finches. But they can be sporadic visitors. These visits in the winter by Siskins are cyclic and likely related to the annual seed production in the northern forests. It seems as it is every two to three years they appear in large numbers. This correlates with a low production of seeds in the north about every two years. That is when Pine Siskin drift south in search of food during the winter.
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Birds are the most visible of all wildlife. They come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, and announce their presence with a variety of calls, songs, drumming's and displays. In these Basic Bird Identification tips you will learn how to identify the birds in your backyard and beyond.
With a little practice, you'll soon be on your way to becoming an experienced birder. From the exciting identification of a new bird to the pleasure of seeing "old friends" returning every year, once you are introduced to the fundamentals of bird identification your passion will grow and you will be thrilled to share your knowledge of birding with others.
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Dave's November Bird Chatter
This is a wonderful time of year to get outdoors before the more frigid weather hits. Take a pair of binoculars and enjoy the birds that you can find. Watch for hawks sitting along the roadway. It's great fun just to keep track of the number of birds you can see. Just a short drive down a county road or walk on a trail can produce an amazing variety of bird species.
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The Wild Bird Habitat Stores
Nebraska's Wild Bird Habitat Stores wish you a Happy Thanksgiving with some
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At the Bird Expo in Mexico, MO the Wild Bird Habitat Stores
received the Best Birding Retailer of 2015 Award
Over the 23 years Lincoln's Wild Bird Habitat Stores have been in business they have received numerous awards. These awards included The Lincoln Journal Star, Howard Wiegers "Conservationist of the Year Award", the Edna Shields "Sharing Nature with Children Award", the "Earthkeeper Award" and "Lyman's Award" from Wachiska Audubon, and the Better Business Bureau's "Integrity Award". On September 30th, 2015, the Wild Bird Habitat Stores were recognized by leaders in the birding industry as the 2015 Best Birding Retailer of the Year by leaders in the biding industry. On October 27th, 2015 at the Nebraska Wildlife Federation's Wildlife Awards Banquet the Wild Bird Habitat Stores were honored
to receive the "2015 Wildlife Communicator Award".
The successes Wild Bird Habitat has been recognized for is only because of the friends and customers our business has generated, our dedicated staff, and all those who continue to support bird conservation, environmental education, and outdoor birding recreation that Wild Bird Habitat has been honored and privileged to partner with over the past 23 years. We thank everyone for their support.
Dave, Linda, & Katie Titterington
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Gifts of Nature for the Holidays
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Don't just give a bird feeder for Christmas.
Give a Brome Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
Brome Bird Care line of squirrel proof bird feeders are the only truly guaranteed squirrel proof wild bird feeders! At the Wild Bird Habitat Stores you will find a complete line of Brome squirrel proof bird feeders.
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Nebraska Birding Trails Website
Has a New Look
The Nebraska Birding Trails was developed in 2003 listing more than 400 birding sites across Nebraska. Chaired by Dave Titterington of Nebraska's Wild Bird Habitat Stores with members of the Nebraska Bird Partnership's Birding Trails Work-group which was comprised of members from government agencies, the University of Nebraska, Nebraska Travel and Tourism, Nebraska Ornithologists Union, and conservation groups and individual birders, it was an immediate success. Recently the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission with the help of Nebraska Educational Television revised the Nebraska Birding Trails website to give it a new look and make navigation locating birding sites easier. We hope you check it out at:
NEBRASKA BIRDING TRAILS
Two other websites developed by the Educational Work-group of the Nebraska Bird Partnership have also been revised.
PROJECT BEAK -
Project BEAK is an interactive, web-based curriculum that contains scientifically accurate information about avian conservation, avian form, function and other adaptations that help birds survive, Nebraska's unique avian biodiversity, Nebraska's threatened and endangered birds, plus video clips, interactive games, quizzes and diagrams, additional resources and links, and classroom lesson plans.
This website is devoted to helping Nebraskans and visitors identify and learn about the over 400 species of birds which can be found in our state. Are you trying to identify a bird you saw? Use "search by characteristics", where you can search by size, color, range, and habitat. Or, you can search or browse the full Nebraska bird list by common name, scientific name, or bird group.
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Bird Identification Made Easy
Cornell Bird Lab offers two apps that includes a wizard to help you identify birds. Best of all there is no charge for these apps. Check them out and start identifying the birds you see today.
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Nutra Safflower for Goldfinch
Nyjer thistle seed has traditionally been the preferred seed of the American Goldfinch. The cost of Nyjer seed can vary greatly as it is a product imported to North America from India and Ethiopia and they set the price, and the price is rising once again. Nyjer is an oil seed which is why it is enjoyed so much by finches. In countries where it is grown this seed is crushed and used for cooking oil, much as in North America we crush black oil sunflower and safflower seed for cooking oil.
At Wild Bird Habitat Store we have received many reports and have had personal experience that Goldfinch readily feed on Nutra Safflower seed. In fact they may prefer it over Nyjer thistle seed. This could be a great alternative to supplementing Nyjer thistle seed for attracting Goldfinch. One benefit of Nutra Safflower is that this is a product grown by American farmers.
Nutra Safflower is available in 20 and 50 pound bags at the Wild Bird Habitat Store locations or by bulk quantity.
Internet customers can order Nutra Safflower seed on line. Although Wild Bird Habitat Stores Internet store offers free shipping on orders over $100, there is
no free shipping on wild bird feeds. That allows us to keep our Internet wild bird feed prices low.
Order Nutra Safflower on line.
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Peanut Feeders - A picture is worth a thousand words
photos by Dave of Wild Bird Habitat
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Caged Peanut Feeders -
Feed woodpeckers not squirrels & starlings
photos by Dave of Wild Bird Habitat
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South Lincoln, NE location
5601 South 56th Street
In the Alamo Plaza
North Lincoln, NE location
4840 Orchard Street
in the little white house
Toll Free Phone: (800) 606-2553
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