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Welcome to BirdTracks® Online!
An e-mail newsletter from
Wild Birds Unlimited for October 2003.

In This Issue:
 - Our birdseed blends are different - your birds know it!
 - Birds go nuts over peanuts.
 - How to prepare for fall and winter.
 - Fun facts: Jays.

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There is a difference in birdseed blends . . . and your birds know it.
Backyard birds have different feeding preferences. Some enjoy feeding at elevated feeders while others like to pick up seeds off the ground. Some birds savor black oil sunflower and safflower while others feast on white millet.

That's why we at Wild Birds Unlimited have developed our regionally formulated custom seed blends! You can attract the greatest variety of birds to your backyard by using one or more of these blends. And because our blends contain more of the seeds your local birds prefer, there's less waste. That means you get more birdfeeding enjoyment for your money. Through October, many of our stores are offering birdseed at the lowest prices of the season during our Fall Seed & Suet Sale*. Stop in the Wild Birds Unlimited store nearest you and ask our Certified Birdfeeding Specialists to recommend the blend that's right for you.

*At participating locations.

How to prepare for fall and winter:

The north wind doth blow, and we shall have snow . . .
And what will poor Robin do then?
He'll sit in a barn,
To keep himself warm,
And hide his head under his wing,
Poor thing.

 - Mother Goose nursery rhyme

Winter is fast approaching across much of North America and you can do a lot to help the birds through the cold weather ahead. Here are some tips for preparing your yard for fall and winter:

Clean out old Nest boxes
Cleaning out old nests from houses can help reduce the possibility of parasitic bugs surviving the winter. It also allows birds the opportunity to roost in a clean house.

Roosting Spots
Place roosting boxes out for owls, woodpeckers, flickers and birds that might stay all winter in your area.

Prepare Birdbaths
Birds do need a source for water in the winter. In areas where the weather can turn cold and possibly freeze the water in birdbaths, use a birdbath heater or heated birdbath.

Clean Feeders
It is important that feeders be cleaned on a regular basis. Feeders should be cleaned with warm water only. If a feeder has mold or is terribly dirty, it can be cleaned with a solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water.

Cleaning the area around the feeders is important because it can help eliminate the build up that can occur during the winter when people are less likely to do cleaning around the feeder. It also helps keep the mess down for birds that are feeding on the ground.

Hardware Maintenance
Now is a great time to check your mounting hardware for stability and function. If poles are scratched, they can be painted with rustproof spray enamel such as Rustoleum or replaced before the cold and wet weather sets in.

Be sure to check the screws to be sure they are tightened. This can help keep poles from becoming crooked or lose in bad weather. Poles and screws can be oiled to make them easier to unscrew if necessary. Make sure feeders are hung so they are easy to reach and fill.

Fun Facts: Jays

• Blue jays love to eat peanuts in the shell.  Sometimes they will pick up a peanut and shake it to see if the shell is full or empty before they crack it open.
• Gray jays are essentially resident, with mated pairs occupying an area of 100 to 200 acres for most of their lives.
• Gray jays sometimes transfer larger food items, such as bread slices, to their feet for carrying in flight; a very unusual behavior for birds other than hawks and owls.
• Several species of western pine trees are thought to depend partly on Steller's Jays as a means of dispersing their seeds.
• Jays select only undamaged nuts for burial, avoiding 90% that would likely not germinate due to insect or other damage.
• Blue jays eating acorns alone quickly start to lose body mass, unless those nuts are full of protein-rich weevils.
• If you have a flock of scrub jays foraging in your yard, look for the presence of sentinels. If guards spot something, the whole group may join in mobbing behavior.
• The same "pine nuts" that people enjoy is the food of choice for the Pinyon Jay, although they eat all the things that other hays like, from suet to peanuts and sunflower seeds.