Featured Product for April - Free Nesting Ball with Bird House Purchase


Spring is Here! Time to get those clean Bird Houses out. Different species breed at different times-it's never too late. For those that are have birdhouses up - here are a few tips.

1) Before putting up your bird house - rub the inside roof with a bar of soap (I like Dial Soap). This is deter any flying insects, such as wasps from nesting in the bird house. If wasps or bees are present - the birds will not nest.

2) Make sure your bird house has some type of predator guard on it. Some predators either love bird eggs (to eat) or to destroy them. Some of the most common predators are: Raccoons, snakes, opossums, squirrels, blue jays, starlings, grackles and the house sparrows. The best set up for a bird house would be to mount it on a pole with a predator baffle. The house should not have a perch on it. One type of bluebird house (called the Peterson bird house) has an oblong entrance hole. This type of hole discourages starlings from entering and destroying the eggs. The house sparrow is another introduced species that is very aggressive and will destroy bluebird eggs. There are sparow traps (that you either insert into the bird house or that sit on the ground) that work very well. Stop by and I can show you how they work. If you see either a starling or a house sparrow making a nest - it is advisable to keep removing the nesting material. They will eventually get the message and move on. The starling and house sparrow are 2 introduced species that are affecting the populations of our native songbirds.

3) Once the eggs have hatched, it is advisable to check on them often. It is OK to remove the nest, with the babies in it and check for blow flies.

ALPEN OPTICS!

See our whole new line of Alpen Optics:

APEX 492 ($259.99)
PRO 267, 312, 317, 339, 387, 390 ($69.99 - $179.99)
MAGNAVIEW 259 ($89.99)
SPORT 278, 295, 292 ($19.99 - $64.99)
WIDE ANGLE 111, 112 ($39.99 - $49.99)
SPORT MONOCULAR 119 ($27.99)
SPOTTING SCOPE 728 ($179.99)

Great price range for the wild bird or sporting enthusiast!!