Fall 2005 - Songbird Station

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fall 2005
Stories • Specials • Events and More to Help Your Family Enjoy Birding!
Fall Is A Great Backyard Birding Time:
As I write this the first weekend of
October, Mother Nature has given us
just a brief glimpse of the crisp fall
days I know will soon be here. In fact
after returning from church this
Sunday morning I’m amazed at the
aerial dances of the many hummingbirds jocketing
for a position at
our hummingbird
feeders
that we still
have up around
our patio. Their
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favorite
and
mine are the
three Aspects004 Window Feeders we
have on our bay windows. Because of
the huge crop of hummers this summer I added small Perky Pet Hanging
Basket Feeders in each of our many
hanging baskets. While I’ve had to
fill them often, I’m convinced the
“more feeders” you have the more
hummers you get and at around just
over $5.00 for a PP215 its been a great
deal of extra enjoyment for very little
extra investment. Our friends at
Hummer Study Group tell us that a
late spring cold front delayed nesting
for Rubythroat Hummingbirds across
much of the U.S. – This explaining
why so many birds are here so late this
year. Remember to keep your hummingbird feeders up to give late
migrating birds from the north a “HiOctane Fuel Stop” as they pass
through mid-MO. I keep mine up
until a heavy freeze causes the nectar
to start freezing. By keeping feeders
up and filled you will not delay migration and you will help many birds
survive!!
Early October is the normal arrival
date of one of my favorite birds, the
Northern Juncos, often closely fol-
lowed by the White Throated
Sparrow. My mom called the Junco
the Snowbirds and that’s what I and
many folks think of when our Gray
Coated White
Breasted visitors from the
North arrive.
Want to attract
lots of Juncos??
Put Black Oil
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Sunflowers or
Backyard
Buffet in one of our Songbird Cedar
Ground Trays.
With colder weather coming the
supply of “insects” that many songbirds prefer become harder to find.
Check out our NEW “Buggy”
Products discussed on page 4. You’ll
attract all your favorites and many
birds you may have not been frequently seeing when you feed a “bug” filled
product like Nuts N
Bugs, Bug’ums or
Mealworms (live or
dried). We’ve also
got several HiEnergy Suet Packs
Nuts & Bugs with the “Bugs”
birds love!
5 & 10 lbs.
As you prepare
for winter don’t forget to take down
and clean all feeders with a solution of
1 part bleach – 9 parts water. Our
selection of our “Songbird Essentials”
brushes can help make it easy to clean
your feeders. Also, now is when I
clean out all our birdhouses and line
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them with a layer of grass to help keep
birds who roost in the boxes cozy and
warm in the cold days ahead. Got a
house with the hole enlarged due to
woodpeckers or squirrels?? Stop by
for one of our solid metal Songbird
Essential “Portal Protectors” at just
$1.95 including two screws they are a
great value.
Last but not least don’t forget to
keep heated water out for our feathered friends. Check out our recommendations on page 4.
As I close I’d be remiss to not take
a moment to Thank all of you who
have become customers of Songbird
Station as we use this issue to celebrate our 10th Anniversary. Don’t
miss our big 10th Anniversary
Warehouse $ale at our warehouse in
Mexico on October 29th. Details on
the back page.
At Songbird Station our Mission
continues to be: “Helping Families
Enjoy Birding & the Beauties of
Nature that God has created around
us”.
Look Inside
• Coupons
• Ask Lisa
• Winter Water
• What’s New
• Warehouse $ale
Enjoying Nature can be a great “Family Activity”!
We’re proud that ours is a family owned business. As you decide where to spend your $$ remember that a $ spent with a locally
owned business provides 3-5 times more economic benefit than a $ spent with a big “nationwide”retailer. Also we hope we’ve helped
your family enjoy nature together. We have lots of items that can help you and your children and grandchildren explore the wonders
in your backyard. As part of our 10th Anniversary Songbird Station News we wanted to share again a couple of articles our children
wrote for the newsletter the past 10 years.
Chickadees by Grant Toellner
If you want to
learn about
chickadees or
have chickadees you can
read this page.
Chickadees
like seeds or
nuts so if you
have a small
feeder, put nuts
or seeds in it. If
you watch them they only get a nut
or seed at a time. My favorite kind is
a black caped chickadee.
Article appeared in 1996 – Grant was 9
years old. He works part time at the
Songbird Station Warehouse in summer
and during vacations.
Songbird Station!!!!
by Becky Toellner
The best place for . . .
For What?
For bird stuff, Silly!!!
What’s in this store called
Songbird Station?
I will tell you some of the things that
Songbird Station has.
Songbird Station has some excellent
Gift Items, Including:
• Bird Houses
• Bird Feeders
• T-Shirts
• Bird Seed
• Cards
• Nature Books & More!
Want to bond with your children?
This Christmas, make bird feeders
part of your holiday gift lists!
Article appeared
in 2002 when
Becky was a
senior at Mexico
High School. She
is now a senior in
college.
It was an add she wrote in 1996 right
after we opened. She summed up what
Songbird Station is all about.
Bird Groups: What do you call birds when they gang up?
Most people think that all birds in
groups are called flocks or flights. This,
however, is not true. For example, do you
know what a group of geese is called? A
group of geese is known as a gaggle. The
next couple paragraphs talk about other
bird group names.
Predators you would think would have
names like army, troop, or team, but none
do. An eagle’s group name is known as a
convocation. Owls in a group are known
as a parliament. I always knew Tony Blair
(Prime Minister of England) was a big fan
of Hooters. Hawks and falcons in a group
are called casts. A group of hawks can
also be called a kettle.
Backyard bird groups you see everyday have names that vary from charms to
bands. A group of goldfinches are known
as a charm. A band or party refers to a
group of blue jays. A group of martins are
known as a richness of martins. This is a
good name considering martins do live in
luxury compared to other birds.
Woodpeckers have an unusual group
name. A group of woodpeckers is called a
descent of woodpeckers. Hummingbirds
in a group can be called a charm, troubling, or a hover.
Birds we eat almost every day have
group names. A group of chickens is
called a brood or peep of chickens. A
group of ducks, which I love, is called a
brace or paddling of ducks. A pheasant’s
group name is similar to flowers. A group
of pheasants is called a bouquet. A group
of quail is called a covey or bevy of quail.
It is almost turkey time. Speaking of
turkeys, a group of turkeys is called a
rafter of turkeys.
Here is some bird groups you don’t
want to see. Hopefully a host of sparrows
or a murmuration of starlings never takes
over your backyard. Also, seeing an
unkindness of ravens, or a murder of
crows, wouldn’t be good.
This story is about bird groups, but I
have some other things I want to mention
to you. If you are looking at Christmas
Ideas, I’ve got some. Charm your lady
with a new finch feeder. Make a
Christmas party with 40-pound bags of
birdseed. Protect your hummingbird feeder from a colony of ants with the brand
new item, the Nectar Protector. What
smart and handsome person could come
up with a catchy name like that. Also,
don’t let a dray of squirrels invade your
feeders. Get baffles or get Droll Yankee
Flipper feeders. Both are very effective
against squirrels. If you need a Christmas
present for someone, Songbird Station
has something for everyone.
Author
Grant
Toellner (by the
way, author of
“Nectar Protector”
name), son of Songbird Station owners
Mel
and
Bev
Toellner. Appeared
in 2002 – Grant was
then 15. Now he’s an MU student majoring in Business!!
Coupon - Save 10% on any Children’s Item.
EXPIRES 11-30-05
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“Our Products” – Developed or Tested by Songbird Station
We’re proud at Songbird Station over the past 10 years to have helped many new products come to the market to serve
needs that weren’t previously met or fill voids that had appeared in the market. We wanted to share a few of “OUR”
Products that we’ve either developed and sold under our Songbird Essential or Songbird Cedar Lines or helped others test
and market (like BirdQuest, Squngee, & more). The following are available in Columbia ONLY at Songbird Station – Try
‘Em - You will Like ‘Em.
All Weather Feeder
Developed by an
engineer in N.Y. –
We bought the
molds and make
this feeder here in
Central Mo. It is
the only feeder we
sell “Guaranteed
Waterproof in
Rain, Wind &
Snow”!!
Songbird Cedar Suet
Logs & Plugs
At any moment
we have 20 plus
feeders in our
backyard. This
one always has a
bird on it and
needs
filling first.
Beautiful – Yet
Fundamental, we
have the surface
specially “stamped”
to improve birds
ability to stand and
make them heavy for
years of use.
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Finches Favorite,
3 Tube Feeder
This is the only
feeder on the market that feeds 24
finches at once
with all of them in
view!
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Spirals attract more
birds and the Flip-nFill feature means
cleaner feeder - easy
to fill on either end
and no old seeds
accumulate on the
bottom of the feeder
BQSBF2G
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Squngee
Clingers Only
WingSpan Solid Copper Baths
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BirdQuest
Spiral Feeders
As chickadees are
our son’s favorite
bird, we wanted a
small feeder that
only small clinging birds could
use. Clingers Only
hold twice as
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much seed - and
is easier to clean than other specific
feeders. Fill it with Sunflower Kernels
or Chickadee Mix and watch chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and other
clingers flock to your yard.
SQUDELUXE
Our favorite squirrel feeder
that entertains humans and
squirrels.
Window Feeder
WingSpan 60002
Now like many
of our cedar
feeders with
Easy Clean –
Take Out Metal
Tray
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WingSpan Pest
Proof Feeders. Cast
Iron Feeders that
squirrels, possums,
raccoons, and bears
can’t destroy.
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Songbird Essential Accessories
and Hardware
Hotpads, coasters, mugs, lightswitches, cabinet hardware
in all the birds you love.
10% Off any of our products on this page. Sale Ends 11-20-2005
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A Winter Spa for the Birds
A Guaranteed Way to Increase Your Backyard Activity
What’s a sure way to attract birds to your feeders? Offer
water….especially in winter! About 70% of a bird’s non-fat body
tissue is water, that needs to be maintained to avoid dehydration.
Birds find some water in natural food sources – insects, berries,
and even from snow – but when those supplies dwindle, the
water YOU supply is even more vital!
Open water in freezing weather will attract as many or more
birds as a well-stocked feeder! Birds use it to help keep themselves warmer in winter! By cleaning their feathers and grooming them with natural oils, our feathered friends are able to help
insulate their bodies from cold.
You can keep water thawed with a submersible heater placed
directly in the water… it’s economical and safe as long as you
ALLIEDPRK67301
use a high-quality, outdoor extension cord to plug the heater into
an electrical source. In winter use a rough-surfaced, plastic
saucer for a bird bath….ceramic and concrete ones, though fine
for summer use, will crack easily in frigid weather.
As firm believers in providing water year round, we stock
every birdbath heater and heated birdbaths on the market and
they are priced right!! The quality of the heater is usually reflected in the cost. Less expensive heaters work in moderate weather
in smaller baths, but as you go up the line you can purchase
heaters with thermostats, auto shut-offs, and longer guarantees.
The more expensive heaters usually have more wattage and work
at lower temperatures to keep the water thawed. Below are some
of our favorites – Including New ones!!
FIBD80 - Terra Cotta
FIGBD80 - Green
ALLIEDPRK570
“We like the “raised island” in these New baths as well as
their “Heavy Rugged construction.
FIC50 - 150
Watts - Our
#1 Selling
Heater. We
think it’s
because it
looks rugged.
FIBD70 - Terra Cotta
FIGBD70 - Green
Both the Baths feature take-out easy clean liners.”
Birdbath
De-Icers
ALLIEDPR300
FIHR75 - 75 Watts
ALLIEDPRK 19501
Coupon - 10% Off All Heated Bird Bath Items.
EXPIRES 11-25-05
Birds Love Insects - Provide them in the Cold Days Ahead with:
Freeze Dried
Mealworms
Now available in freeze
dried packets (we still
keep live ones in the
fridge). Mix freeze
dried in Wild Bird Seed
and watch New Birds
Flock to the feeder.
Nuts-N-Bugs
Lots of bugs
combined with
pecan = Wild
Bird Gourmet.
Feed in our Suet
Log or their
special feeders.
Coupon - Buy 1 Pack of
Great for
Nuts &
Bugs
any “Bug Product” and $ave
33% on a feeder for it!!
EXPIRES 11-25-05
4
NBMF
Bug’mmms™
This is a product that
mixes lots of “Insect”
with millet - Feed
alone or mix in seed
to attract and help the
Songbirds You Love.
Great
Meal
Worm
Feeder
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Fill with
Nuts &
Bugs or
Our Peanut
Suet Plugs
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Ask Lisa
Q.
I’m new to birding and the area – Do you have a favorite book to help
me ID and learn about Missouri birds?
New and now our favorite is Missouri Bird Watching, a year round
guide. It includes a large section written by Columbia resident and
Audubon President Bill Clark. We really like the “icons” on page 44 that
help you quickly ID a bird and learn more about it.
A.
LISA DAVIS
Songbird Station
Manager
Q.
With shorter days, I wish there was more to do with my children to teach
them about nature – Any ideas?
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Come in and check out our White Mountain Line of Puzzles and Lucy
Hammet Bingo Games (Bird, Butterfly, Bugs, Reptiles and more). Both lines are very
educational as well as fun! Another favorite is our Peabody Coloring Sets.
A.
Q.
A.
I seem to have times when birds fight at my feeder . . . what can I do?
Flocks of birds have well-established “pecking orders” or dominance
ranks, determined by body size, age, sex, even plumage. When food is
tightly clumped…as at a single feeder…dominant birds can easily
defend and monopolize it. You might be able to reduce aggression by
adding a second feeder…or by spreading out the food. Try more than
one location. Offer a variety of seeds to appeal to more kinds of
birds…try Oil Sunflower Seed, Nyger, Finch Mix, or a high quality
mix like Sun Country Backyard Best. Often cheap mixes full of milo
will aggravate the problem as birds sort through “undesirable seeds”
looking for those they like and benefit from.
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Q.
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I’ve heard you’ve started your Seed Sales – What are the details?? – Why would I participate??
It’s Here – Our Tenth Annual
Super Fall Seed Sale
Now through November 20th
BUY NOW AND SAVE!
Sun Country Farms Black Oil Sunflower Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 lbs. $10.95
Q. Can’t make it in?
A. Call or fax your
order to
573-446-5941.
All we need is your
order and a credit
card number. Come
in and pick up seed
when you want it!
Sun Country Farms Nyger Thistle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 lbs. $7.95
Sun Country Farms Mixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.00 off on 20# or 40# Bags
Pine Tree “Hi-Energy” Suet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75¢ Each!
Birds prefer 3-1 over so called (“Bargain Brands” full of millet and milo.)
Take what you buy with you – OR, we’ll store it for you, and you can pick up what you need through the winter!
Save 10%
on any pair of
Binoculars
EXPIRES
11-15-05
5
Save 25%
Save 20%
on purchase of
on
Heated Pet Bed
NEW SOY
CANDLES
with
purchase of
Heated Pet
Bowl
EXPIRES 11-15-05
Keeps the smells of
Nature and “Good
Cooking” in the Air!
EXPIRES 11-15-05
Buy 2 - 1 Free
Keep Birds Warm
with
Nest
Pockets
EXPIRES 11-15-05
Suite 15 Forum Shopping Center
1400 Forum Blvd.
and 1600 Bassford Drive
Columbia, MO 65203
Mexico, MO 65265
573-446-5941
www.songbirdstation.com
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
SEDALIA, MO
PERMIT 217
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
“We Help Families Enjoy Nature Together”
World’s Biggest Bird Seed, Feeder
Birdhouse & Accessories Sale
SONGBIRD STATION WAREHOUSE SALE
Saturday, Oct. 29th from 8 a.m. to noon
in Mexico — 1600 Bassford Drive
Many items are simply in “damaged boxes.”
Many are overstocks & discontinued lines.
All items AT LEAST 50% OFF!
DIRECTIONS: From Columbia go east on I-70 to U.S. 54. Take 54 north to the first
Mexico exit (Bus. 54 North). Turn left on Lakeview (by the Presbyterian Church). Turn
right on Bassford.
Stock up for Christmas and the winter months ahead!
Songbird Station Has “Gone to the
Dogs” (and cats)
At the urging of the folks
who make our Birdbath
Heaters, we’ve added heated
pet bowls and pet beds. We’ve
got every one sold in America
in our warehouse just 30
KH3023
KH2020
miles away and can deliver to
you in 24 hours at the guaranteed best prices in Central Mo. Stop
by and see the best sellers at the store!! Don’t miss our “Kitty
Sills” that let cats be amused
by the birds outside while
keeping them safely inside.
We also have available
“Fence Free” Electric
Boundary Kits to safely
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KH3095
keep pets in a fence free yard.
Bark stop and training, collars also available. Again, we guarantee our prices to be the lowest in Mid-Mo. Don’t forget we also
stock Dog & Cat Toys.
Birder UP! – Go Cardinals
Birds have fairly good odds of winning the World Series. Baltimore
Orioles did it in 1996, 1970, and 1983. Crested birds have an even
better chance – Cardinals took the Series nine times between
1926 and 1982. Blue Jays started playing in the American
League in 1976, and took their first title in 1992. From an
ornithological viewpoint, the perfect World Series would pit
Jays against Cardinals, and the game would end with a good
flycatcher.
As with many gulls and shorebirds, the habitat of baseball birds is
short-grass fields, which attract large numbers of bats, too.
There are many fowl balls, and sometimes a batter tries
bunting. Flycatchers are popular, unlike fielders who duck.
Often runners try to steal a base. If it’s a close call, bleacher
bums may grouse or snipe or even shout, “Killdeer ump!” These
boobirds are all stork raven mad.
Now, if you can swallow all this pheasant banter, you’re probably
very gullible. So all you baseball plovers out there, just remember it’s
one, two, three shrikes you’re out at the old ball game.
“Hopefully the Cardinals are still World Series bound when you get
this newsletter”.
Come in for YOUR Cardinals and MU flashing pins.
BEST NEW PRODUCT
Bird Quest Super Spiral Feeder and New Super Twirl.
New SUPER Spiral $39.95
• Holds three quarts – less trips to fill
• Feeds 12 birds at once – twice as many
as other feeders
• Flat bottom - sit and fill
• Flip-N-Fill - means you can fill and clean
from either end, no old seed accumulates
in the bottom.
Super Twirl $79.95
SONGBIRD STATION HOURS:
Mexico:
8:00-5:00 M-F
Columbia: 9:00-5:00 M, T, W, F, Sat.
10:00-7:00 Thurs.
Open 24 hrs. at www.songbirdstation.com
BQSBF6GTAS
• Combines the New Super Spiral with
award winning Twirl A Squirrel to make
a squirrel proof feeder system that’s
amazingly effective and hilariously funny
- at a great price!
DON’T MISS – Warehouse Sale October 29th • Seed Booking Sale Ends Nov. 20th
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