Hello Friends! We hope you have all been enjoying spring migration and the early nesting species in your yards and neighborhoods. Some of our friends already have nests in their bird houses and shrubs! If you are behind on nesting season, never fear! We will continue to offer plenty of houses, feeders, and worms at the shop throughout nesting season (and beyond), just in case you are getting a late start. Especially considering that Mother's Day is just around the corner, birdhouses make great gifts! Native plants make great gifts too -- consider picking up an extra native plant during this week's plant presale for your mama or a special mom in your life! And for something a little special, this year we are doing a really nice Mother's Day gift offer. Read on to learn more about it! It is worth repeating that we love to hear your bird news and we always enjoy seeing your pictures too! Thank you for joining us in this space!

NATIVE PLANT PRE SALE!

Can you believe it? We have another native plant sale with our favorite ladies at Going Native Gardens! Order your plants starting Thursday 4/15 through Sunday 4/18. Pickup is on Monday 4/19 in Wilmington and Wednesday 4/21 in Southport. Some of these plants are in limited supply, so make sure and call in your order ASAP! 910-343-6001 for Wilmington and 910-457-9453 for Southport. Keep in mind that Southport is not open on Sundays. Sizes and Prices are listed below.

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Attracts more than 24 species of birds as well as many species of butterfly. Height: 3-9 feet tall & 1-3 feet wide Sun: full sun to part shade Soil: prefers moist, well drained soil but can adapt to average soil $12 for 3-quart pots Slender Mountain Mint (Pycanthemum tenuifolium) A profusion of small white flowers bloom from mid to late summer. An excellent source of nectar for butterflies. Has narrow, needlelike foliage and is very aromatic. Also, deer and rabbit resistant. Height: 2-3 feet Sun: Full sun to part shade Soil: dry to average, well drained $10 for 6-inch pots

Shrubby St. John's Wort (Hypercium prolificum) An adaptable shrub that attracts all kinds of pollinators, especially bees. Deer and rabbit resistant. Blooms Summer to Fall. Height: 3-5 feet Sun: not picky Soil: not picky $12 for 3-quart pots Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) A semievergreen shrub that grows well in difficult situations. Leaves turn gorgeous purple-red-orange-yellow in the fall. Height: 3-5 feet Sun: shade to sun Soil: moist to dry $14 for 3-quart pots

MOTHER'S DAY

Special Gift Offer This Mother's Day we are offering a fantastic deal! For $100 your favorite mother figure will receive registration in our Spring Hummingbird Workshop, a native scarlet rose mallow plant (pictured left), and a Dr. JB hummingbird feeder (while supplies last)! It's the perfect gift for the nature lover or hummingbird lover in your life!

UPCOMING CLASSES

Would you like to expand your knowledge of local ecosystems, coastal birds, or hummingbirds? We still have TWO great classes coming up! Coastal Avian Ecology and the Spring Hummingbird Workshop are scheduled to begin in May. Each class will consist of online lectures and for our Coastal ecology class, one in-person field trip -- where masks will be required. All classes are $65 per person. Space is limited! Visit our website for more details!

Summer Lecture Series: May 11, 18, 25, and 30th Living at the coast comes with so many benefits: the weather, the natural beauty, and of course, the wildlife. Here we offer a deep dive into coastal systems that influence the lives of some of our favorite bird species. Join Wild Bird & Garden’s newest instructor, ornithologist, Marae Lindquist for a fun and fascinating series of classes that will teach you about coastal ecology focusing on some of our favorite species and landscapes. This is a unique class that we hope will deepen your appreciation of the amazing birds along the coast. Spring Hummingbird Workshop May 12, 19, & 26 We are very fortunate to be able to offer a class taught by NC Hummingbird expert, Susan Campbell. Susan has been conducting hummingbird research across the state since 1999. She is a licensed hummingbird bander and lead hummingbird researcher in North Carolina. She has banded over 4000 hummingbirds around NC and thus has valuable insight into the distribution, movements and ecology of North Carolina’s smallest bird species. Her class will cover hummingbird anatomy, physiology, ecology, identification, and feeding tips. This class will be absolutely amazing! (ncaves.com)

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