Saturday Morning Special: On Saturday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to noon, stop by and take advantage of our 3-hour sale on bird feeder cleaning supplies. Now is a great time to make sure your feeders are all clean and healthy fo rhte birds. We have many styles of brushes and great cleaning solutions. Save 25% on any cleaning supplies during this 3-hour sale. Shop early, this special ends at noon. No exceptions!

The persistent "pee-ah-wee" coming from the woods tells us that the Eastern Wood-Pewee has arrived in the area and will soon be gathering plant material to build a nest. Like many other birds the Pewee will start singing before dawn and will continue throughout the day. But, unlike others, the Pewee will continue to sing after sunset, when the song becomes even more frequent.

The Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) is easily overlooked in the mid-canopy of the hardwood and pine forest. Their grey-olive upperparts and light underparts do not stand out in the spring and summer foliage, which offers the Pewee great protection from predators. Most people only know they are close because of their songs.

The Eastern Wood-Pewee is a different species than the Western Wood-Pewee. The look very similar, but their songs are entirely different. The Eastern species occupies a summer breeding range from the Canadian border to

The IUCN conservation status of the Eastern Wood-Pewee is Least Concern (LC). Their population declined by 36% from 1966 to 1991, but there is no concern about their long-range survival. Their inconspicuous behavior makes them hard to study, so there are not many direct observations of Pewees in their natural habitat. One theory for the earlier population decline is associated with the overpopulation of deer that occurred during the same time period. It was proposed that large numbers of deer feeding in the forest disturbed the intermediate forest and the insects that live and breed there, thus disrupting the Pewee food supply.

See YouTube video of the Eastern Wood-Pewee singing, feeding young, and building a nest.

Read more about the Eastern Wood-Pewee at:

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• eNature.com
• US Geological Society
• whatBird.com
• Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center

New Products and Special Savings in June!
10% off to e-Newsletter Customers Only! These savings are one-time only, and cannot be applied to previous purchases. You must mention this offer to receive the discount.

• Bird Baths--We have just received our summer shipment of concrete bird baths, fountains, and statuary. These are made from the highest quality concrete and will maintain their good looks for years. A great selection right now at 10% off.
• Screen Door Savers--Have you ever had a child or a pet run into your screen on the sliding glass door? We have the perfect answer to this problem! Small decorative screen savers are a beautiful solution to this problem. They consist of two magnets placed on either side of the screen at the level where they can best be seen. Try them now at 10% off.
• Light-up décor--We have some great-looking table decorations with LED light technology that makes them perfect for your patio. They come in 4 different designs. They also have a sealed bottom that makes them the perfect float for your pond or pool.
• Galileo Thermometers--What a unique and perfect gift for Father’s Day! We have these thermometers in a variety of styles and prices so you can find the perfect one for your Dad.

Free Delivery--Not everyone enjoys getting out to run errands. If you would like to have your seed delivered to your home, give us a call. We'd be happy to help!

Our June Product of the Month is Plantskydd Organic Repellent. This product was developed in Sweden to protect tree plantations from deer, moose, and rabbits – while also meeting strict environmental laws. It works to protect flowers, trees, vegetable gardens, and shrubs. It is now made in the USA from 100% natural ingredients that are non-toxic and perfectly safe for animals and the environment. It has been proven effective against rabbits, voles, chipmunks, opossum, as well as deer and elk. Try it now at 20% off the regular prices.

Print this page and bring it into the store to use as your coupon.

The answer to the April Species Quiz (right picture) is the American White Pelican. What is the species in the picture on the left? Answer in the July e-Newsletter.

June Birding News.

Birds to look for in June include Cardinals, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Eastern Towhees, Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, American Goldfinches, and Blue Jays. Be sure to ask our advice on how to attract these and other species during June.

Best Seeds to feed in June: A good summer mix will have Black Oil Sunflower as the number one ingredient. A good rule of thumb is 60% sunflower. If you have more trees, add more sunflower. Steer clear of any mix that contains milo, wheat, oats, or cracked corn. These are cheap fillers added to bird seed to reduce cost. Birds will not eat the first three, and cracked corn will attract an unusual amount of blackbirds to your feeders in this season. Shelled peanuts will be continue to be attractive, but if you notice flocks of Starlings at your feeder, reduce your offering to just a handful a day. Common Grackles can sometimes show up in abundance during the early summer. If they are present at your feeders, try switching to all Safflower seed to discourage them.

This month, nesting birds are craving more energy to raise their young, so continue to offer suet in May. Laying an egg depletes a bird of 10% of her body calcium, so nesting birds need added calcium in their diet. Our Calcium suet is an ideal choice to help them produce strong eggshells.

What’s Nesting in June? Bluebirds, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Robins, Doves, Titmice, Wrens, House Finches, Blue Jays, and Woodpeckers.

This Month’s Hint – Feeding Babies. More baby birds fledge in June, so watch for the babies at your feeders. The best way to identify them is by their behavior, as most babies fledge after they reach their adult size. Watch for the vibrating wings that are a signal to the parents to bring food. You will see both adults and babies at the feeder, and most often, the adult will be feeding the youngster. Woodpeckers, Chickadees, and Nuthatches love shelled peanuts; Blue Jays will love it when you bring them a handful of peanuts in the shell. Most of our other feeder birds will prefer black oil sunflower. If the shells are a problem for you, consider using hulled sunflower instead. You won’t have anything to clean up!

Great Kids’ Project for May: Practice identifying some of the common birds at your feeder. Borrow your parents’ binoculars or get a simple set made just for kids. With binoculars and a beginner’s bird guide, practice recognizing some of the most common songbirds: Cardinals, Goldfinches, Chickadees. Then you’ll know when something new is at the feeder.

The Birding Number of the Month. According to the San Diego Zoo, hummingbirds consume between 3.14 and 7.16 calories per day. This seems like a small number, but when normalized for body weight, this is 77% more than humans, or the equivalent of a human eating 155,000 calories per day! Hummingbirds need this high calorie diet to support their high heart rates (250 beats per minute at rest, and 1200 per minute while feeding).

Want to attract more birds to your yard? Have a birding question? Visit Birding Tips on the Wild Bird Center site and Ask Denise.

June Birding Question:
How often should I change the nectar in my hummingbird feeder?
Hummingbird nectar should be changed before it starts to ferment and get cloudy. In cooler weather the nectar may need to be changed one time per week, and in warmer weather it may need to be changed every two days. It's easy to mix a container of nectar and keep it in the refrigerator until needed. Be sure to let the nectar warm to room temperature before putting it our for the birds, as cold nectar will lower the hummingbird's body temperature and make it vulnerable to predators until it warms up.

Do you want to enhance your backyard birding experience and also help neighborhood wildlife? Our birding and habitat authority will visit your yard and assist you with planning and selecting the elements to enhance your backyard birding experience. Shortly after the visit, the Wild Bird Center will provide a complete plan for placement of feeders, baths, and other features to enhance your enjoyment. Consultation fee is $15. Call the store and make an appointment: 314-842-1496.