BWD Editor Dawn Hewitt and Production Director Bruce Wunderlich tested out a two different squirrel-proof feeders. Here are their reviews. Dawn My yard is rich with squirrels. I have used two Brome squirrel-proof tube feeders for several years—a SquirrelBuster Plus and a SquirrelBuster Peanut Feeder—and they have proven true to their claims. I have enjoyed… Read more »
I didn’t look up right away when I heard the familiar squeaky seal barks off to my right. I was busy muddling my compost bin’s contents and knew that I’d see a red-bellied woodpecker when I managed to tear my eyes away from the earthy mess. Once I finally straightened from my swamp hag stance… Read more »
By Jerry Uhlman What a strange and surreal time we’re living through—and it may be far from over. Yet, in nature’s realm life goes on, seemingly with little awareness of the angst that we humans experience in our daily lives. While illness has been an overarching concern, the ripple effect of the pandemic’s disruption seeped… Read more »
When I first put up my feeders this spring, I spent a great deal of time stressing about squirrels. They were eating the bird food and scaring away my feathered friends. When you do some quick googling, you will find page after page of people trying to figure out how to get rid of them…. Read more »
Back in April, the staff at Bird Watcher’s Digest commenced an internal competition to see who could fill their entire Bird Bingo card first. A few of us checked off most of the squares pretty quickly, given that we were in the midst of peak migration, but a few birds have remained elusive all these… Read more »
Contributor Molly Sperling took this photo at her mailbox in northeastern Ohio. An adult male eastern bluebird looks like he has a lot to say to the youngster. We’re challenging our readers to suggest a caption for this one, and can’t wait to see what you come up with! Write yours in the comment box… Read more »
Our backyards are full of birds that look a little different this time of year: It’s time for the fledglings to leave the nest. Fledglings are learning to be out on their own, under the careful watch of their parents. You might even see a parent feed a fledgling a seed from the feeder. Some… Read more »
So, you’re walking along, you glance down, and there it is, a gift from nature: a feather. On occasion its source is obvious—if it’s winter in the Midwest and the feather is reddish, it’s from a cardinal. Often, though, the feathers we find are harder to identify. If you have a smartphone or camera with… Read more »
Within the first few minutes of my first conversation with Chris Brinkman, any reservations I had based on his bulky camera equipment in close proximity to “my” owls quickly faded. It was clear that he had authored the appeal to let the newly fledged owls be. As he explained, it’s not uncommon for people who notice baby… Read more »
’Tis the season for hummingbirds! Hanging a hummingbird feeder in your backyard? The recipe below will produce a solution that matches the sucrose content of natural flower nectar. Make sure to use white table sugar. Other sweeteners such as molasses or honey may spoil quickly and may not be good for hummingbirds to consume. Ingredients… Read more »
