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Hummingbird Feeder Mask’s Been Around BC
BC? Yes, the new BC… Before Covid. We hope you and yours are faring well in these strange times. And we’re excited so many folks discovered (or rediscovered) their yards, gardening and backyard birds during quarantine.
Actually a full face mask that’s interactive- so how fun is this hummingbird feeder! From a whole new perspective, sprites will feed and dance right before your eyes. The idea came to fruition several years ago, and after a few iterations (including a hole and extra long straw to sip your cocktail) humm-viewer was brought to market. Folks who’ve purchased these unique hummingbird feeders have given some excellent feedback. Truly a swell gift for any nature buff or hummingbird enthusiast! The hit of any backyard gathering as well.
The mask comes choc full of stuff… though the party’s not included!
- bulb for easy filling of tubes
- cleaning brushes
- microfiber cloth for mask cleaning
- easy directions
- cloth bag to store the feeder
- extra long straw for your favorite nectar! (beverage of choice)
As a side note: This past spring, the masks were produced sans the hummingbird feeder and offered to local healthcare workers when masks were in short supply. Kudos to the makers for quickly responding and adapting to the pandemic in a meaningful and helpful way.
Here in Atlanta, male hummingbirds started south about one week ago. Females and juveniles will be going soon. Keep feeders fresh and filled even after hummingbirds are gone. Stragglers from further north may very well need to refuel for the long journey. And it’s a total myth that if you leave your hummingbird feeder up too late, the sprites won’t leave. Utter nonsense as nature tells them when it’s time to go!
And last: We’re begging for you to shop earlier for holiday this year. Not only for the best selection from a small boutique, but to get your gifts on time! Shipping/transit times were very different BC (before covid, remember?). Carriers are already at capacity with the steep increase of online ordering. So please do think twice and order soon… in case your package accidentally takes a trip around the moon!
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What is it About Bird Feeder Gifts?
With hectic holidays behind, we hope yours were most joyous and that you received everything on your list. And because today is actually National Bird Day… we found the tweet below to be spot-on!
What is about feeding birds that folks find so magical? It’s a chore at times to trudge through snow, to keep bird feeders clean or to scoop out wet mushy seed after rain. But we do it… for the birds. Or so, we convince ourselves it’s for the birds!
Why is National Bird Day even on the calendar? The hobby has blossomed into a national past-time with more folks than ever partaking. For varied reasons behind wanting to attract backyard birds, it’s a calming, peaceful, simple yet wondrous joy that abounds when focused on watching. Not to mention the 23rd annual Great Backyard Bird Count and becoming a part of citizen science. More on that in our next post!
Rewarding beyond explanation… that’s the fun part. Just ask a bluebird landlord or purple martin enthusiast who’s witnessed successful fledglings. Or the person who’s just experienced a first hummingbird close-up. Simply mesmerizing might be an understatement.
In part, like gardening (which goes hand-in-hand with creating suitable habitat) it might be the promise of tomorrow. We feed birds partly in hopes of enticing them to nest in our yards and to watch their families thrive. We know their natural habitats are shrinking, so it becomes a feel-good kind of endeavor.
The other part is that simple connection to nature. It’s universal; unplugged, uncluttered, sans the daily chaos. A simple state of zen for many folks, stealing a few moments to watch feathered friends flit around the yard might be the most relaxing part of the day!
So keep this in mind when stumped for an awesome and useful gift that’s long-lasting. And not just for holidays or birthdays… unique bird feeders will “offer solace in times of grief”. That’s a direct quote from a customer review, the recipient was comforted by a most thoughtful gift with the ability to bring true joy. It’s also where “cardinals appear when angels are near” came from as well as the belief that hummingbirds might just be angels!
A brisk 30 degrees in Atlanta this morning, but you can bet we were up & out early… filling the bird feeders!
Wishing you a birdie happy & healthy new year!
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Helping Birds Beyond Bird Feeders
Recently published by Cornell Lab of Ornithology was a pretty amazing and eye-opening article about the disappearance of birds. Audubon was on board way back in in 2013 with “Why Birds Matter” on their cover- and today’s email “Climate Change Pushes Birds to the Brink”. Research by the Journal Science confirms statistics. It’s all quite alarming though meant more as a wake-up call because birds really do tell us about climate.
A link to the article appears at the end of this post and well worth a few minutes to read! Graphics are superior and the comments prove most interesting. In short, here’s 7 easy ways to help birds… beyond the obvious bird feeders. Politics aside- whether you believe in climate change or not, humanity is choking… on plastic, on pesticides, on itself. There’s clear and simple suggestions to do any of these tasks in the article link below.
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- Make Windows Safe
- Keep Cats Indoors
- Plant Native- Reduce Lawns (great website for your zip code)
- Avoid Pesticides
- Switch Coffee to Shade Grown
- Reduce Plastics
- Citizen Science Watch Birds & Share Observations
A few noteworthy fall birding tips:
Leave a hummingbird feeder up even though your guys may have split! The Hummingbird Society strongly recommends this as it’s a total myth your feeders will cause them to stay. Lots of sightings further north (in mid-October) and most of these stragglers are juveniles and females who require calories for southern migration. Most of summer’s nectar producing flowers have since withered. Keep your hummingbird feeder fresh and full.When raking leaves and fallen branches… leave a small pile in the back or corner of your yard. Brush piles offer both forage and shelter for birds.
Clean out birdhouses and repair if necessary. Many of them offer ideal roosting spots for resident birds through winter.
Consider a birdbath heater this year, just add to your existing bath instead of storing it for winter. Always keep fresh water accessible as some birds will never touch your bird feeders or birdhouses!
Copy this URL in your address bar… it’s absolutely worth a look!!
https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back
Happy Fall Birding!
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Birding Tips, Information & News
