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2 Days left to join PROJECT FEEDER WATCH
details below
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The Wild Bird Habitat Stores
are proud members of the
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Bird of the month RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
Read about this nuthatch below |
November News Notes For Birders:
- Winter birds will make themselves plentiful around the bird feeders.
- Watch the skies as ducks and geese begin to move south.
- Now is the time to check the bird bath heater and get open, fresh water ready for winter.
- Continue to watch your feeders for new birds either showing up or passing through.
- Goldfinches and Juncos from the north are arriving. Will the Pine Siskins?
- Get ready for the 117th Annual Christmas Bird Count...It's free to participate.
- Now is the time to relocate your bird feeders for easy viewing from indoors.
- This is a great time to expand your bird feeding program with a new style of bird feeder.
- Get a friend or relative feeding birds. Buy them a bird feeder for Christmas.
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Not all Nyjer Thistle Seed is cleaned
Scroll down to learn why Wild Bird Habitat Stores
Nyjer Thistle Seed is preferred by birds |
Is your bird bath heater ready to go?
It won't be long before we get our first taste of temperatures below freezing on the Great Plains. Many folks may be left with a thin layer of ice on their bird baths. The weather is going to warm, but this is just a reminder of what is to come. Now is a great time to test your bird bath heater and make sure you're ready for cold weather.
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Wachiska Audubon's monthly birding field trip
Details below |
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Winter Birds are Irrupting South from the Northwoods
-and beyond
This is promising to be an exciting winter for backyard bird feeding. The very strong winds out of the north last week have ushered in some interesting birds. Early on we received reports of numerous Pine Siskin arriving in our area. Red-breasted Nuthatch reports have become plentiful over the past two weeks. And many of the northern Goldfinch population rode the winds into our area to spend the winter with those resident Goldfinch that did not drift south.
Then just in the last few days we received a report of 22 Red Crossbills in the Branched Oak Lake area. Another irruptive species from the north. Several years ago Red Crossbills were plentiful at backyard bird feeders. And Just yesterday Brooke, Wild Bird Habitat Store's assistant manager, snapped some photos of a White-winged Crossbill at her feeder and it continues to remain feasting on Wild Bird Habitat's popular finch mix of 50% Nyjer seed and 50% fine sunflower chips.
What other birds may show up? That is the exciting part of winter bird feeding as we will see birds called irruptive species that are not frequent visitors to the Central Great Plains move into our area to spend the winter from the far north. Another irruptive bird species to look out for, mostly in rural areas, is the Snowy Owl with several having been spotted in recent days in Eastern Nebraska.
Wingtip: Irruptive Bird Species are northern bird species that occasionally appear in the lower 48 states during the winter months. It is usually a result of what the available food resources are in far northern areas combined with high populations of species competing for natural foods and winter weather conditions. Some common irruptive bird species we may see drifting south are during the winter months are:: Pine Siskin, Red Crossbills, Purple Finch, White-winged Crossbills, Snowy Owls, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Hoary Redpolls, Common Redpolls
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Don't miss Dave's November Bird Chatter
Just scroll down |
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About Wild Bird Habitat Stores Nyjer Thistle Seed-
All Nyjer thistle seed used for feeding birds in the United States and Canada is grown and imported from countries such as India, Burma, and Ethiopia.
Why does the Wild Bird Habitat Stores sell Nyjer thistle seed that is 98% and 99.5% cleaned?
Does cleaning it remove debris and immature seeds?
How much foreign matter is actually removed during the cleaning process?
This process is better for your personal health and for the birds. Watch the video and see how much foreign materials our equipment at Des Moines Feed is removing from imported Nyjer thistle seed. You will not believe just how much is being cleaned.
Learn more about Nyjer thistle seed and if Goldfinches are not flocking to you're thistle feeder what the reason might be.
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The Wild Bird Habitat Stores offer one of the highest quality lines of wild bird feeds on the market. We offer over 20 mixes and single seed wild bird feeds, with deliveries made directly to our stores from Des Moines Feed twice weekly and rotated to maintain freshness. Our wild bird feeds are guaranteed to attract more birds. Our customers know and so do the birds.
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Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatches are small compact birds slightly over 4 inches long weighing approximately ¾ of an ounce. Their length includes the nearly ¾" pointed bill. Their head sits atop a broad body with a very short thick neck. This broad body supports a very short tail and short broad wings. They are a blue-gray bird with distinct patterns on the head. Look for a black cap with a black stripe through the eye that is broken with a white stripe over and below the eye. The name Red-breasted Nuthatch comes from the rusty red under parts which is paler in the female.
CLICK to learn more about the Red-breasted Nuthatch
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| Check out the article Winter Bird Feeding below |
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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.
CLICK to read more November Bird Chatter
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How Much Carbohydrates Does Your Dog really Need?
Find out below in Arnie's Corner from
Arnie's Pet Foods
a division of Wild Bird Habitat
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Winter Bird Feeding
Backyard bird feeding was traditionally a winter time activity. A way to brighten up the barren landscape in one's backyard. The leafless trees and shrubs, the harvested garden area, and the empty flower beds. It brought life to a dormant view of nature. Today backyard bird feeding has become a year round adventure for many of those birding enthusiast. Each season has its rewards of the species of birds to enjoy.
Winter is still the most popular season for attracting birds to bird feeders. Again it may to create a flury activity of beautiful and interesting activity when looking out the window at a sometimes dreary and frigid palette where we let nature create a new painting everyday with old feathered friends and exciting new winged visitors.
I hope you enjoy the article "Winter Bird Feeding" I wrote for Trail Tales sometime back. Although copies of that month's issue have long since been recycled, we continue to enjoy that bright red Northern Cardinal against the the backdrop of a snowy white canvas. |
Checkout Arnie's Dog Food special offer below on
Tender & True Dog Food
Tender and True Dog Food is the only organic dog food line that is certified by the USDA
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Project Feeder Watch
The 31st FeederWatch season begins Saturday, November 11, so now is the time to sign up! This is your last reminder before the start of the
season, and we hope you decide to join the fun this year.
Renew
for $18 ($15 for Lab members) today
. You can begin counting birds on November 11 following our online instructions, then enter your counts online after your ID number has been activated in a few weeks.
"Project FeederWatch gave me one of the best winters I've ever had! I learned so much, and I looked forward to every count day."
-Beth Melonuk, Fort Laramie, WY
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Get out in nature this winter with the help of
THE PIONEERS PARK NATURE CENTER
check out
Healthy kids and adults play outdoors
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Birding Field Trips for November
Saturday, November 11 - 9:00 a.m.
Meet at the parking lot of Pioneers Park Nature Center which is located southwest of West Van Dorn and South Coddington streets. We'll look for sparrows on our walk as well as blackbirds and waterfowl that could be present. Our route will follow maintained trails, but some areas could be damp.
Sunday, November 12 - 10:00 a.m.
Meet at the gravel parking lot for Nine-Mile Prairie located at the west end of West Fletcher Avenue, which runs west from NW 48th Street. This second prairie outing will give us another chance to search for grassland residents and sparrows along the woodland edges. The prairie has trails, and we will try to avoid wet spots if there are any. There are no facilities on the prairie; however, a gas station is nearby off NW 48th Street.
Check Wachiska Audubon's website for details or call John at 402-475-7275 or the Wachiska office at 402-486-4846.
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Brome Bird Care
Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders
Check out these amazing feeders below |
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ARNIE
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How Much Carbohydrates Does Your Dog Need?
Zero. That's how many carbohydrates are nutritionally required by a dog to sustain a healthy life. The fact that a dog food doesn't need to contain any "carbs" at all seems hard to believe. But it's true. According to the National Research Council and compared to the other two major nutrients - protein and fat - no carbs are considered essential for a healthy canine diet. Dogs don't need corn, wheat, barley or potatoes. Yet surprisingly, carbs represent the dominant nutrient found in most dry dog foods. Why? They're abundantly available, cheap, long shelf life, essential for producing kibbles.
Wouldn't it make sense for a dog's food to be more like the specie's ancestral diet - with more nutritional proteins and fats for energy from meat - and fewer from carbs? (Courtesy of DOG FOOD ADVISOR)
A division of the Wild Bird Habitat Store
Alamo Plaza 56TH & Hwy 2
Visit us online at
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PEANUT BIRD FEEDERS
One of Dave's favorite and bird feeders
Check out Dave's photos below
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- Mature turkeys have 3,500 or so feathers. The Apache Indians considered the turkey timid and wouldn't eat it or use its feathers on their arrows.
- Turkeys originated in North and Central America, and evidence indicates that they have been around for over 10 million years.
- In Mexico, the turkey was considered a sacrificial bird.
- Only male turkeys (toms) gobble. Females (hens) make a clicking noise. The gobble is a seasonal call during the spring and fall. Hens are attracted for mating when a tom gobbles. Wild toms love to gobble when they hear loud sounds or settle in for the night.
- During the day turkeys forage for acorns, seeds, insects and berries.
- Wild turkeys have excellent vision during the day but not at night.
- Juvenile turkeys are called "jakes".
- Domestic turkeys cannot fly.
- Turkeys are so aggressive if they were the size of humans there would be fewer humans
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Check out Wild Bird Habitat's by clicking on
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Peanut Feeders - A picture is worth a thousand words
photos by Dave of Wild Bird Habitat
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Is it a native sparrow or house sparrow?
Scroll down to learn more |
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Best Woodpecker Suet Plugs
Attractor High Energy Suet Plugs available at
the Wild Bird Habitat Stores
- Roasted Peanut Attractor Plugs
- Sunflower Attractor Plugs
- No-Melt Peanut Butter Attractor Plugs
By the pack or by the case, woodpeckers love 'em
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Environmentally friendly feeders!
Check out Birds Choice professional feeders below
Made in the USA / Lifetime warranty |
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The House Sparrow
I wished they'd have never called it a sparrow
When the word sparrow is mentioned, all to often one thinks of the common house sparrow, an aggressive cavity nesting bird introduced into North America from England in the mid 1850s, becoming the most populace bird in North America by the turn of the century. Besides reeking havoc on our native cavity nesting birds, it is also seen as a nuisance bird that can over-take our feeders driving off many of the smaller birds and consuming large quantities of precious bird seed. However, t
he house sparrow, also referred to as the English sparrow, is not a true sparrow at all. It is a Weaver Finch, having no relationship to the sparrow family. So how can you tell if that little brownish bird feeding in your yard is a true sparrow? Simple! Just watch their feeding habits. The house sparrow, or Weaver Finch, use their bill to sweep for food. That is why many times they shovel seed out of the bird feeder. True sparrows feed much like a chicken, scratching the ground with their feet to turn up seeds and other foods. So if you see a small brown bird scratching the ground with their feet, take a closer look, as they are our true native sparrows and well worth identifying.
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Environmentally Friendly Bird Feeders
Although the durability and natural look of cedar bird feeders continue to be preferred, the new line of feeders made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic is gaining in popularity. Many of these bird feeders have a lifetime warranty against fading, pealing, cracking, and chipping. They clean up like brand new, even after years of use. And speak of easy cleaning, many of the cedar and recycled plastic feeders we stock have removable perforated steel bottoms. This also allows moisture to pass through and the seed to remain dry.
Made in the USA
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SQUIRREL PROOF
BIRD FEEDERS
2 YEAR TO LIFETIME WARRANTIES
BROME
BIRD CARE
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Did you know Wild Bird Habitat Store's wild bird feeds, poultry feeds, and pigeon feeds are NON-GMO, pesticide free, and premium grade
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ARNIE
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Arnie's Pet Food's
SPECIAL OFFER
Purchase a 23 LB Bag of
Tender & True
Ocean Whitefish & Potato
Regular price - $77.95
Get a second 23 LB. Bag
FREE
A savings of over $90.00
Learn more about the full line of
a product of Nebraska
ARNIE'S PET FOOD STORE
A division of the Wild Bird Habitat Store
Alamo Plaza 56TH & Hwy 2
Visit us online at
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Nebraska - A top birding region in North America
Learn below where to go birding in Nebraska |
Nebraska - A top birding region in North America
Learn below where to go birding in Nebraska |
Hard copy field guide or APP?
Get free bird ID APPS below from Cornell Bird Lab |
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WHERE TO GO BIRDING IN NEBRASKA
A top North American Birding Area
Listing more than 400 bird watching sites across the state of Nebraska. From the Missouri River Valley to the panhandle's rugged Pine Ridge, you'll find world class bird watching, scenic vistas, and a remarkable Nebraska Heritage around every corner.
nebraskabirdingtrails.com
Bird watching in seven counties in Eastern Nebraska. Find birding sites right out your backdoor in Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy, Saunders, and Washington counties.
nebraskametrobirding.com
Central Nebraska, one of the major migratory routes on the continent. From Sandhill Cranes to Prairie Chickens, shore birds to prairie dog towns, it's an incredible journey you don't want to miss.
nebraskaflyway.com
Chicken Dance Birding Trail, 27 counties in Southwestern Nebraska
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Identify Birds with your Android or IPhone
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Wildlife Rescue needs your help
Lear below how you can help |
Deter squirrels and blackbirds with Nutra Safflower & regular safflower
Everything you need to know - scroll down |
Project BEAK
Bird Education Awareness for Kids
Connect kids with birds below |
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Want to know what birds birders are seeing in your area?
Want to let other birders know what birds you see?
Its fun and easy at
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It's Finally Ready and its all FREE to download
MERLIN BIRD PHOTO ID
Photo ID now in mobile apps
A new advanced version of the Photo ID tool is now available for download in the latest version of Merlin Bird ID for
Android and
iPhone. Select an image from your smartphone image gallery or snap a shot from the back of your cameras viewfinder, and Merlin will walk you through the 2 quick steps before showing you a list of possible species.
Also the Merlin Bird ID app at
MERLIN
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Wild Bird Habitat Stores
recipients of the 2015
Best U.S. Birding Retailer
from
Gold Crest Distribution, Birding Business Magazine
& leaders in the Bird Feeding Industry
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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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Caged Peanut Feeders -
Feed woodpeckers not squirrels & starlings
photos by Dave of Wild Bird Habitat
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Attractor Suet Plugs - Highly nutritious
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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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During spring and early summer dozens of migrating and nesting birds become injured or orphaned. Volunteers are needed to help these birds recover and return to the wild.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Founded in 1979, Wildlife Rescue Team, Inc is a non-profit, independent, all volunteer organization dedicated to raising and rehabilitating Nebraska's injured and orphaned wildlife for eventual release back into their natural habitats. Wildlife Rescue Team, Inc relies solely on private private donations and contributions, membership fees, and donations of products for the benefit of ongoing rehabilitation efforts.
YOU CAN HELP
There is always a need for cash donations as well as wildlife rehabilitators, phone volunteers, people willing to build cages, locations for animal releases, people to pick up injured or orphaned animals to transport to drop off locations, local businesses to provide discounts for supplies, and veterinarian assistance.
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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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