Science Fair Project: Duncraft's No Waste Seeds Win!

(Back to Duncraft.com Home Page)

"Hi--We thought you might like to know that our 11 yr. old daughter tested birdseeds this year for her science project. She used 4 of the same feeders on one tree branch all of which contained different blends of seed. Two were purchased from you and two from local stores. They were measured daily.

Results: Your Four Seasons No Waste was by FAR the big winner!  And your Super No-Waste came in second! After the experiment was over she switched the feeder placement on the branch. The same pattern continued with with Four Seasons No Waste as the absolute favorite!!!  Needless to say, both No Waste blends are now our food of choice for our backyard birds. Thanks for a terrific product from all of us as well as our "bird customers" as we like to call them!"    

These are some photos from Casey's Science experiment...and of the actual Science Fair display. She received a blue ribbon!  Gina and Casey, San Diego, CA

  (Back to Duncraft.com Home Page)

 

Survey: Is Your Backyard Wildlife Friendly?

(Back to Duncraft.com Home Page)

Hello Folks!

We're curious as to how many of you provide all four essential elements required for wildlife to survive and thrive. Does your yard currently offer birds and other creatures: food, water, shelter and places to raise their young? Let us know. Simply post your comment and tell us if you are providing these four essentials. Any additional detailed information you care to share is also welcome! Thanks, Michelle

(Back to Duncraft.com Home Page)

 

 

Sharon and Darryl Vaught share their Tennessee orioles

(Back to Duncraft.com Home Page)

(Photos and story sent in to us by Darryl and Sharon Vaught)

This is our first year to have Baltimore Orioles in our yard, and they first came to feed on our hummingbird feeders (note the picture showing a female oriole and a hummingbird together on the same feeder)!  We immediately started putting out orange halves and set up a couple of oriole nectar feeders as well, and they quickly began to visit them.

We are including representative photos (out of many that we have taken).  Some are better quality than others, but each shows the striking plumage, and at least a few of the interesting poses these birds have shown off for us in the short time they have been in our yard.

We have enjoyed many songbirds in this and past years, including literally dozens of brightly hued goldfinches, dazzling indigo buntings, charming nuthatches, parenting tufted titmice, families of beautiful bluebirds, rufus-sided towhees, unusual rose-breasted grosbeaks (the females scarcely resemble the males), a variety of woodpeckers (including a female Pileated woodpecker), and the usual complement of cardinals, bluejays, magpies, cowbirds, doves, juncos, chickadees, etc.  To add several orioles to that list is most exciting for us.

    

For photographers who are interested in such details, the pictures were taken with a Sony Cybershot DSC-H1 5.1 megapixel digital camera, and many of the pictures were taken at the camera's maximum 24 power zoom (due to the distance maintained by the rather skittish orioles).  Since the camera's optical zoom ends at 12 power, and digital zoom is often destructive to image clarity, we're happy that many of the pictures turned out as sharp as they did.  This was no doubt due at least in part to the camera's Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization, but even that could not prevent blurring caused by the oriole's movement on some of the shots. 

Thank you Sharon and Darryl for sharing your lovely orioles!         
(Back to Duncraft.com Home Page)

More great oriole photos!

 (Back to Duncraft.com Home Page) Barbara Friederich I look forward to the return of the Orioles every year. They seem to come to my window to let me know that they are back and want to eat!             Wayne Wentworth While making coffee I looked out to view this event taking place. This is the first opportunity for me to take a picture of the orioles. My wife and I were very excited to see these beauties especially knowing that a pair was visiting the feeder, both male and female.                   Marg Petersen, Maplewood, MN. Here is a picture of an ... (read more)

Your Oriole Photos

(Back to Duncraft.com Home Page) Hello Folks! Enjoy these Oriole photos sent in to us by Duncraft customers...Michelle         From Sam Wilson in Arizona:  Hooded Oriole        From Melanie Chesser:  Orchard Oriole   These are some of the oriole pictures I got last week. It ended up being a 1st year, 1st summer, male orchard oriole. I really enjoyed him. Had to ask an expert exaxtly what kind it was though.            Nell Obsharsky            Kathy Ceno  I am in Upper Michigan ..... waaaaaaaaay north. ... (read more)

Attract More Hummers!

(Back to Duncraft.com Home Page) Hummingbirds - Joyas Voladoras  When the Spanish first saw hummingbirds in the New World, they called them joyas voladoras; flying jewels. Hummingbirds are often described as gem-like or jewel-like because of their brilliant iridescent coloring. Some hummingbirds are iridescent all over while on others, the brightest colors appear on the gorget, an area on the front of the bird's neck. Usually the female birds do not exhibit the brightest colors, but they still have an iridescent sheen about them. The color on a hummingbird isn't caused by pigment in their feathers. Instead, the top layer of a feather is covered with ... (read more)

Wings & Water

(Back to Duncraft.com Home Page) Water is a very important element to add to your backyard habitat. Birds need water not only for drinking and bathing but also for many other reasons. Adding water to your backyard helps to attract birds of different species. Birds do not drink a large amount of water, but they do drink some and need good sources all year long. Birds also require water for grooming--to keep feathers in top flight condition, so important for the ability to fly efficiently and to evade predators. Birds also find relief in water during periods of molting. A non-scientific reason for birds to take advantage of water may simply be that they ... (read more)

Attracting Orioles

 (Back to Duncraft.com Home Page) When we think of orioles, most people think of a vibrantly colored black and orange bird, but there are six species of orioles in the US, and they are all different.  The males usually have a black back, wings, head or face combined with variations of yellow or orange. The eastern Baltimore Oriole is a rich orange, while the Bullock's is more orange-yellow. The beautiful Scott's Oriole is a brilliant lemon yellow in contrast to the Orchard Oriole that is a rusty chestnut color.  Male orioles don't attain their fully colored plumage until their second fall.  During their first ... (read more)

Squirrel Photo Mystery--Solved!

Squirrel Photo Contest Mystery--Now Solved! (I saw this question posed to Photo Contest Winner #3...thought you all might be curious to read the response from our photographer, Bill G.) Question to Winner #3.... story behind your photo??? Any clue as to why he was holding his tail???  Posted by Jan on Monday, March 24, 2008 06:54 PM Response from Bill G.   Funny you should ask. I took this photo yesterday. Squirrels are always scratching something, and frequently take their tails and bite through the fur the entire length of the tail. I assume to rid it of fleas or some other biting insect. In the case of photo  # 3,  I ... (read more)

The American Goldfinch

(Back to Duncraft.com Home Page) Did you know that a flock of goldfinches is called a "charm"? There are three species of goldfinches in the US; the Lesser and Lawrence's, found in the southwest, and the American Goldfinch, which can be observed almost everywhere, except in the high Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains.  One of our best loved songbirds, the American male (all decked out in his summer plumage) is absolutely brilliant! You can't help but take note when he enters your yard with his bold lemony colored body in dramatic contrast to his black cap and wings.  In winter, his plumage resembles that of the females and first year ... (read more)