Good Things for Ozarklake

First, we had a terrific show in McKinney, TX, at the Collins County Master Gardeners Garden Show. Sales were good, but what made the show terrific was the volunteers! From the moment we arrived and many hands helped us unload until hands helped us load back up after the show, these Master Gardeners were wonderful! They even came around several times a day with snacks and drinks. These folks sure know how to make vendors feel welcome and appreciated.

We have a new retail store in Mattapoisett, MA. If you're in the area, be sure and stop by Wings N' Things at 61 Fairhaven Rd (Route 6). They have a new shipment of Ozarklake feeders as well as lots of other birding "stuff".

Ozarklake feeders will soon be at Susan's Garden in Medina, OH. This is a private farm petting farm. Call and make reservations for a fun day!

We also received 2 more boxes of Blenko Glass that we are making into feeders for them! So you'll soon be able to get a Blenko glass Ozarklake feeder right at the factory in Milton, WV. This is exquisite handcrafted glassware in stunning colors. If you're in the area, stop and take a factory tour.

We'll soon be heading off to the Jamestown (ND) Home and Garden Show followed by The Big One in Minot, ND. So the elves around here are busy right now!

And the super good news is that it is almost hummingbird and oriole season at our house! The migration map is showing that a hummer has been spotted in middle Arkansas, so they are on the move!

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbirds can fly in the rain and, like dogs, shake their heads to dispel d rops of water. Unlike dogs, however, a hummingbird shakes its head violently, 132 times per second, and rotating 202 degrees—all while flying and maintaining direction!

Working on our 2018 Show Schedule and a New Item!

The temperature here in Missouri today was in the 60's! This after it was below zero just a week ago and our well froze. The weather today sure makes us long for our ruby-throated hummingbirds! Unfortunately we will have to wait for another 10 to 11 weeks to see them.

So with no hummingbirds or orioles to consume our time, we're working on our 2018 show schedule. First up, weather permitting, is the Home & Garden Show in Grove, OK, in February. In March we will head to McKinney, TX, for the Collin County Master Gardeners Garden Show. In April we will spend a couple of weeks in North Dakota. First stop will be the Jamestown Home & Garden Show, followed by The Big One in Minot. We will be participating in the first ever Best of Missouri Life Market at Powell Gardens near Kansas City in April. In June we will be at the CraftFest in Mountain Home, and then at the Just For Her event in Overland Park, KS.

When we were in Mississippi in December, we stopped by a cotton mill and brought home some raw cotton. So our new product this year is our Help-A-Hummer. This is a nice copper coil filled with all natural raw cotton nesting material. Of course, hummers won't be the only birds to quickly grab this for their nests! We even include enough cotton for a refill in the package!

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbirds build velvety, compact cups with spongy floors and elastic sides that stretch as the young grow.

Hummingbird Banding on our Porch

It was an exciting afternoon! Veronica, one of two hummingbird banders licensed in Missouri, came by to capture and band some hummers. She banded 19 tiny birds in just under two hours! All but four of them were this year's juvenile males; the other four were this year's juvenile females.

She placed net "cages" over two of the feeders. Each "cage" has a big opening, and the bird flies in to get to the feeder. Their natural inclination is to fly up, so they go to the top of the "cage" and she reaches in and gently gets it. She then places it in a drawstring bag to move it from the feeder to her work table. Then she wraps the bird in a "footie" and weighs it. She sexes it by looking at a specific wing feather. Then she measures the wing and the bill. And she blows air through a straw to look for molting and body fat.

She then gets a teeny tiny little numbered leg band and she gently squeezes that onto the bird's teeny tiny little foot. She offers it some nectar and then lets it fly away.

Feels good to know that we are contributing to hummingbird research and data.

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbird banding is like holding magic. Banders are amazingly gentle and careful with the tiny birds, although as intercontinental migrants, hummers are tougher than they look.

The Fun Part of the Summer

This part of the summer is undoubtedly the most fun with all the hummingbird activity in full swing and orioles still hanging around. The juveniles of both species are now fledged and joining the parents at the feeders in anticipation of migrating southward.

We had a fantastic July. We headed first to Portland, OR, for the International Master Gardeners Conference. Met a lot of wonderful people and sold a lot of feeders :-) Had dinner one night with Terrie's Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Dick, and spent quality time with Bill's sister Lynn and brother-in-law Tom. The best part about Oregon, however, was stopping at roadside stands and getting fresh-picked cherries - cheap compared to prices here in MO.

We played tourist for the next week and a half. Couldn't pass by the Evergreen Air and Space Museum without going in to see the Spruce Goose. Drove part of the Pacific Coast Highway. Marveled at Yosemite and Kings Canyon and Avenue of the Giants. Found sea lions in San Diego Harbor. Visited our friends Lisa and Gam at Hidden Forest Art Gallery. Panned for gold in Julian. Got re-acquainted with an old Navy buddy of Bill's (and acquainted with his wife). Visited Terrie's mom and stepdad in Yucca Valley.

Then it was on to Sedona, AZ, for the annual Hummingbird Festival sponsored by the International Hummingbird Society.  Met up with old friends and made new friends, all while selling lots of feeders. And once again we laughed with delight as the local Anna's hummers passed over the imported plastic feeders to feed from an Ozarklake feeder. Enjoyed a mini-reunion with two of Terrie's high-school classmates, Vicki and Willa, and their husbands Ray and John respectively.


And then it was home to our bird friends. We have the best neighbors in Steve and Sandy Stock because they take care of the hummers, the orioles, and the kitties while we are out gallivanting. For now, we're just having fun with our hummers. It's almost a full-time job to keep the feeders filled! They're going through two gallons of nectar daily. Thankfully the orioles have cut back on their two pounds of jelly daily :-)

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbirds cannot walk or hop, though their feet can be used to scoot sideways while they are perched. These birds have evolved smaller feet to be lighter for more efficient flying. They will use their feet for itching and preening, however!

Nest Building and Courtship are in Full Swing

Our little wire suet box that we have stuffed with raw cotton and cat hair is being attacked daily. There's definite signs that "something" is pulling out bits of both cotton and hair to add to the teeny tiny nests that are being built in the area. This material, along with plant parts and spider web to hold it all together, go into the nest, which is usually located in the fork of a downward sloping branch. The tiny nest is about the size of half a walnut. She will cover the outside with bits of gray-green lichen to camouflage it, and line the inside with soft plant down,

We're seeing some mating displays as well. The mating process is quite complex involving several activities in which the female plays an active role. Males attempt to attract females' attention with spectacular courtship flights in which a male flies upward 15m or more and then dives down at top speed, pulling up at the last moment to complete a U-shaped pattern; the pattern is usually repeated several times before the male takes a break. The sound of the male's wings are particularly loud in courtship flight, which may be accompanied by vocal chittering. Eventually, the female selects a male--perhaps one with a particularly energetic display or the one defending a feeding territory that appears especially rich--and mates with him.

After the male mates with the first female, he may mate again with several others. This promiscuous "harem system" works well for the species because there are fewer adult males than females in a typical local population. After mating takes place, the female assumes all parental duties. The male does not help at all in looking after the eggs or their offspring.

Since every bird is on an individual schedule, and a lot of energy is currently being expended, there is heavy feeding activity - especially during a cool rain. The video above was taken yesterday, just about dusk and during a light drizzle/mist. Once Mom lays her two white tiny pea-size eggs, she will visit the feeders less often, as she sits on the nest for 50-55 minutes of each hour. After the eggs hatch, generally 14-16 days, she will feed the chicks a regurgitated slurry of protein (from tiny insects she eats) along with nectar and pollen. Newly hatched hummingbirds are naked and blind. By the third day after hatch, the chicks have doubled their mass, which doubles again by day five and again by day eight--about the time when the young start producing their first noticeable pinfeathers. Chicks are in the nest for almost three weeks--making the total elapsed time from egg-laying to fledging about 5-6 weeks. When the nestlings finally leave the nest, they are completely grown and innately able to begin foraging on their own.

Several pairs of orioles, both Baltimore and orchard, are hitting the jelly feeders daily. They are extremely camera-shy, however, and take off when we try to get pix.

We're working on sending out wholesale orders. This week the Owl House in Saugatuck, MI, received their order, and next week Stewart's Village Gallery in Waxhaw, NC, will have their order. We're also be giving a presentation about hummingbirds at the Lake Bloomers Garden Club next week. Our next show will be at the Green Bay Botanical Garden in Wisconsin the first weekend in June.

Hummingbird fact for today: Occasionally, because of cold, wet weather that kills the eggs or nestlings, or when windy storms blow down a nest, the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird will start the nesting process over again. If she returned from the wintering grounds early enough and linked up quickly with a male, she probably has no problem pulling off a re-nesting attempt, but if she got a late start on her first nest she may not have time to try again--especially in the northern United States and southern Canada where the nesting season is especially short.

Hummer Population is Growing Around Here

We were gone 6 days for the Dogwood Festival in Huntington, WV. Before we left, we had counted 4 males and 3 females at the feeders.Our good neighbor kept the feeders maintained while we were gone. Now that we are home, we are beyond the "counting" phase because there is just no way to keep track of all the visitors now. Yeehaw! Summer will be fun again this year!

Many customers ask us how the copper on our feeders weathers. The patina that copper develops is a protective coating - copper doesn't rust away like steel. The green development depends upon both the alloy in the copper and the air quality. Now that we have cleaner air, the green takes longer to develop. This feeder, which has been in use for about 5 years, is developing some really nice green.

While we were in West Virginia, we went to Blenko Glass in Milton. Exquisite color, skilled craftsmen, and imaginative designs have made Blenko famous in the time-honored craft of hand-blown glass. Unfortunately, they are also one of just a handful of such craftsmen left in WV. Because the glass is handblown, mistakes are sometimes made. What is a "mistake" for Blenko, however, can become a beautiful Ozarklake feeder. And in the near future, we will have some of these gorgeous feeders available for sale!

On another note, once again we are contemplating the pets that have been affected by this rash of storms that traveled through places we are familiar with. The human suffering in places like Canton, TX (tornado), and West Plains, MO (flooding), is unfathomable to most of us and many organizations are helping the human victims. But humans at least understand what has happened. Pets cannot comprehend why they are separated from their families, why they can't find their home, why their world is now topsy-turvy. We have learned that the West Plains Regional Shelter, a no-kill shelter which was already struggling financially, has suffered structural damage from the flooding to add to their problems as they take in pets misplaced by the flood waters. If you are so moved, the address is 1438 Hwy BB, West Plains, MO 65775. It appears, from what we can find online, that Nicholas Pet Haven has taken a prominent role in rescuing and harboring pets misplaced by the Texas tornadoes. Their address is 12903 State Highway 155 S, Tyler, Texas 75703.

To end this on a happier note, here are some pix of the hummers on the front porch today. Note the two females sharing at the one feeder.

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbirds have 1,000-1,500 feathers, the fewest number of feathers of any bird species in the world.

So Nice Hearing Hummers Again

The sights and sounds around here just keep improving!

Male ruby-throats showed up, then male Baltimore orioles, then female ruby-throats, and now a male orchard oriole. Our little flocks are beginning to move back in!

Re-orders are coming in from our retail outlets. So the ruby-throated migration is in full swing with them returning to their breeding areas.

Watch for mating dances - deep, fast swoops back and forth - as he shows off for the lady.

We're going to a new-to-us area next weekend. We'll be in Huntington, WV, at the Big Sandy Arena for the Dogwood Arts & Crafts Festival. We hope to make a stop at our favorite WV glass maker - Blenko in Milton - as well.

As the hummers return, remember to keep the nectar fresh for them. If the feeder isn't empty after 3-5 days, dump it out, clean it, and refill it with fresh nectar. If you want to use pre-packaged nectar, we recommend only EZ Nectar, made from ONLY sugar and water with no additives or preservatives. Enter coupon code ozarklake at checkout for savings!

Hummingbird fact for today: The Aztecs were one of the first known cultures to embrace the beauty and representation of the Hummingbird. They wore talismans that had Hummingbirds on them as a symbol of the vigor of their people.

First Ruby-Throat Has Arrived!

Our first ruby-throat of the season arrived on April 10, 3-6 days sooner than any have ever arrived. So far he seems to be alone, but more will surely show up.

We've been to two shows this spring, one in Fort Smith, AR, and one in Evansville, IN. So despite a slower show season, wholesale orders have kept us hopping, with some new locations ordering. Last week we sent orders to Inspired! Gift Shop in Port Angeles, WA, and to Awakenings in Pleasanton, CA. Now we're working on orders for the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, AR, and Frames of Mind in St. John, VI.

Here's a complete list of retail locations that carry Ozarklake items:

Coronado National Monument Gift Store, Hereford, AZ

Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, Fayetteville, AR

Awakenings, Pleasanton, CA

An Artisan's Marketplace, Plainville, CT

The Secret Shed, Shererville, IN

Alley Gallery, Marion, IA

The Owl House, Saugatuck, MI

The Hermann Mercantile, Hermann, MO

Tar Heel Trading Co., Corolla & Duck, NC

A Bird's Eye View, Littleton, NC

Stewart's Village Gallery, Waxhaw, NC

Blue Heron Gallery, Sunset Beach, NC

When Pigz Fly, Raleigh, NC

Beech Branch Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN

Rio Grande Valley Arts & Heritage Museum, Harlingen, TX

SPI Birding and Nature Center, South Padre Island, TX

Inspired! Gift Shop, Port Angeles, WA

Dickinson & Wait Craft Gallery, Shepherdstown, WV

Frames of Mind, St. John, VI

Everyone who feed hummers knows that sometimes ants will find your birdfeeder, especially if you're feeding nectar or fruit. They just march right down whatever the feeder is hanging on and march right in to the sweet stuff. Using pesticides, oils, or anything that is sticky is bad for the birds. They can be poisoned with pesticides, all oils can get on their feathers (they're tiny and fast and curious) and affect their flying ability, and something sticky (like inside-out duct tape) can actually entrap the little hummingbirds. 

 So what's the answer??? Ants do not swim! In fact, since they breathe through their skin, they actually suffocate in water. Enter our new AntSentry. Hang the AntSentry from the hook that your feeder was on, hang your feeder from the bottom hook of the AntSentry, fill the copper bowl with water. Ants might march down from the top hook, but the water moat keeps them from marching on down to the feeder. Our AntSentry is handcrafted in the same style as our feeders, but will be a beautiful accessory for any feeder. The solid copper will last a lifetime, and certainly a lot longer than the plastic ant moats you can find in the big box stores. The copper bowl is 2" across, and 1.5" deep. Just watch for evaporation and replenish with water when needed. You can order your here. 

Hummingbird fact for today: As with most of our migratory birds, hummingbirds apparently evolved to their present forms during the last ice age. They were (and largely still are) tropical birds, but as the great ice sheets retreated from North America, they gradually expanded their ranges to exploit rich temperate food resources and nesting space, filling unoccupied niches in the U.S and southern Canada while evading intense competition in the tropics. Ruby-throated hummingbirds spend the summer months in the eastern half of the US and some provinces. Watch the migration map fill in with dates of "first" sightings.

Two More North Carolina Stores Have Ozarklake Feeders

We shipped out orders this week to two stores in North Carolina. How exciting! Both are in summer "tourist" areas and both are near a lake. Gee. Sounds like home here at the Lake of the Ozarks.

A Bird's Eye View in Littleton, NC, had just gotten their order unpacked when a customer walked in and purchased one! The store owner was so excited that she called to tell us about it. Blue Heron Gallery in Sunset Beach, NC, will have their order delivered early next week. We hope they have the same type of response!

These two NC locations join Tar Heel Trading Company in Corolla & Duck, Stewart's Village Gallery in Waxhaw, and When Pigz Fly in Raleigh. So if you're in North Carolina, Ozarklake feeders can be found in all corners of the state!

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbirds can fly in the rain and, like dogs, shake their heads to dispel drops of water. Unlike dogs, however, a hummingbird shakes its head violently, 132 times per second, and rotating 202 degrees—all while flying and maintaining direction.

Is Winter Over Early?

It is unseasonably warm here. In fact, we pruned the butterfly bushes yesterday in shorts! Just wish that the hummingbird migration depended on weather and not on other factors (like Mother Nature and length of daylight hours, etc.). BUT they should start showing up in about 8 weeks!!!

We're working out our spring show schedule. Hopefully we'll be going to Huntington, WV, and Greenville, SC, after our March trip to Ft. Smith, AR. In July we'll head back to the Sedona Hummingbird Festival, this year by way of Portland, OR, site of the International Master Gardeners Conference this year.

We're VERY EXCITED that Ozarklake feeders are now available in the Visitors Center at Coronado National Memorial! In this very southern area of Arizona, hummingbirds of many species are in residence year-round! The Visitors Center is south of Sierra Vista and west of Bisbee, an area we visited last summer. https://www.nps.gov/coro/index.htm.

We have always recommended that people mix their own nectar from cane sugar and tap water, but we understand that sometimes the convenience of a pre-packaged nectar is needed. We have researched a lot of the nectars on the market and have concluded that the ONLY pre-packaged nectar we recommend using is EZNectar, available at Amazon, in many Wal-Mart stores, and at www.eznectar.com. This nectar is all natural with NO additives. Just sugar and water. So when you want the convenience of pre-packaged nectar, stock up on EZNectar!

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbirds have been part of our culture for centuries. The Aztecs have noted them in their talisman, and they were beloved and admired for their energy. Warriors believed that if they were true to battle but lost their lives, they would come back as a hummingbird. 

Summertime Fun is at an End

It seems that most all of our tiny visitors have moved on southward. We might catch a brief glimpse of one at a feeder 2 or 3 times a day, but for the most part they are gone. We had terrific summer traffic, though. The hummingbird bander was here in July, in August, and a surprise visit in September. All together, she banded 26 birds on our porch. It is awesome to know that we have contributed something, no matter how small, to the scientific study of these amazing creatures.

A couple of weeks ago when she came over, she banded 13 birds in just about 2 hours! For the previous visits, we've been neighborly and invited our neighbors over to observe the process. This last time we didn't tell anyone and Terrie was the scribe, recording the information that Veronica got from the measuring and weighing.

We're off to the Northwest Arkansas Arts and Crafts Festival in Springdale in a couple of weeks. Then we'll have our first experience at the Nashville Christmas Village in November. We cut back on our show participation this year. With any luck, the wholesale accounts we've picked up will be steady customers.

Hummingbird fact for today: The instinct to migrate is so strong that nothing short of captivity can keep a healthy, normal migratory bird from going south. The few hummingbirds that try to winter in climates too cold for their survival most likely are physically unfit to migrate or have off-kilter internal compasses and would have died sooner had they not found feeders. By leaving a feeder up through the full migration period, you may give a disadvantaged bird a second chance at survival.

Not Getting Much Done

Who wants to work when the hummer activity is up? Besides, Bill is still "recovering" from last week's cataract surgery. So we sit and watch hummers getting fat in preparation for their migration. And the hummingbird bander is coming back this evening :-)

Hummingbird fact for today: Each species of hummingbird makes a different humming sound, determined by the number of wing beats per second.

It's Fattening Up Time!

We had a great time at the Hummingbird Festival in Sedona, followed by the Southwest Wings Birding Festival in Sierra Vista, AZ. It's always great to see old friends and repeat customers. Plus we had some quality sight-seeing in-between shows. And lucky for us, we have a wonderful neighbor who took care of our hummers and orioles while we were away. Most of the orioles have already departed, but the hummers are fattening up for their journey south and the feeder activity is positively crazy!

Until we need to gear up for our holiday-shopping shows in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri, we'll take care of personal business and enjoy our hummers until they leave. Hopefully the bander will get back while we still have a ton of hummers!!!

Hummingbird fact for today: Most ruby-throated hummingbirds winter between southern Mexico and northern Panama. Since hummingbirds lead solitary lives and neither live nor migrate in flocks, an individual bird may spend the winter anywhere in this range where the habitat is favorable, but probably returns to the same location each winter.

LOTS of Hummers Here!

We were thrilled last week to have Veronica Mecko from the Missouri River Bird Observatory spend a couple of hours on our porch banding hummingbirds. She banded 7 in just a couple of hours, with the largest weighing in at 4 grams! We set one of her two mesh traps on an Ozarklake feeder and one on one of those ugly imported feeders. We're happy to report that all 7 of the birds were caught on the Ozarklake feeder!

Getting ready to head to Sedona for the Hummingbird Festival and then Southwest Wings Summer Birding Festival in Sierra Vista. So we're switching from our feeders (Ozarklake feeders) to the imported kind for the convenience of our birdsitter on a rainy day. They don't seem to be having any trouble adapting. And there's a couple more feeders on the back deck just as active as these. We're leaving 50 lbs. of sugar for and hope it is enough to last until we get home (2 weeks).

Hummingbird fact for today: The ruby-throated hummingbird has only approximately 940 feathers on its entire body.

Rain or Increased Population?

We're not sure if it is the cooler, rainy weather or if baby hummers have now fledged, but the activity has been like this for hours. And there are 4 more feeders that are not in the BirdCam's field of view. This is so much fun! And nearly a full-time job keeping up with making nectar and filling feeders.

We've been busy with wholesale orders. New shipments have gone out to the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center in Texas, the Owl House in Michigan, and Beech Branch Gallery in Tennessee. If you're in the area, stop in and say howdy!

Getting ready for the Hummingbird Festival in Sedona, AZ, and Southwest Wings in Sierra Vista, AZ. We always see a lot of old friends in Sedona, and we're looking forward to our first visit in Sierra Vista. Not to mention that we're more than ready for a road trip!

Hummingbird fact for today: Basically, it is illegal in the United States to hold a hummingbird, a hummingbird nest, a hummingbird baby, or any part of a hummingbird, nest, or egg, in any type of captivity in any way, shape, or form. This means that unless you have a valid permit, it is illegal to trap, band, hold, harass, or control any hummingbird or any part of the hummingbird, nest, or egg.

In About Six Weeks

We should be positively overrun with hummers in about six weeks. We have had a lot of activity, but it is slowing down now, which means that the moms are sitting and incubating their eggs. Once hatched, she will feed the babies a mixture of nectar and tiny bugs. It takes about six weeks for the babies to be ready to leave the nest and come to the feeders. With the activity we have seen in May, the activity beginning in late June should be absolutely fantastic.

Beech Branch Crafts & Art Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN, and Stewart's Village Gallery in Waxhaw, NC, recently received new shipments of Ozarklake feeders.

We did two shows in Utah earlier this month. In between, we were able to visit Salt Lake City, Park City, the Bonneville Salt Flats, the historical air base at Wendover, and all points in between. Even made a little money at the casino in West Wendover, NV. Bill's sister and her husband drove in from Oregon and we had a mini family reunion, too! We had a great time.

We were thrilled to receive this note recently from someone we met in Utah:

I got some of these feeders at a Bird Festival last weekend. I put out a "onesie" yesterday because, according to the internet, hummingbirds should be around this time of year. I put it on my patio door, but I didn't expect to see any since it is under a semi-covered area. Also, I had not seen one single hummingbird yet this year. So I was really surprised to see one slurping away at my Onesie this morning! Thanks so much for all of your information , advice, and for helping me find an easy way to feed the hummers and also see them up close! 

We LOVE getting notes like this one!

We have nowhere to go until the Sedona Hummingbird Festival July 29-31 followed by the Southwest Wings Birding Festival August 3-6. So guess we'll spend the next few weeks taking care of personal things while we wait for our new crop of hummingbirds to show up at the feeders.

Hummingbird fact for today: The tiny nests of ruby-throated hummingbirds may be in hardwoods or evergreens from about three to 60 feet from the ground. Often they are situated in the crotch of in an outer, down-turned branch overhanging water, but there are many exceptions. The nest can be up to a mile or more from a good feeding area.

New Retailer, New Shows, New Publicity

It's been an exciting week here! First, we sent off a shipment of Ozarklake feeders to a new-to-us retail location, Beech Branch Crafts & Art Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN. We shipped a re-order to the South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center in Texas. We received word that we've been invited to participate in the Christmas Village in Nashville, TN, in November. And there is a wonderful article about us published today at Our Eyes Upon Missouri. 

Now we're off to the Festival des Fleurs in Lafayette, LA, and the Southwest Louisiana Garden Expo and Conference in Lake Charles, LA, the following weekend.

Whew! Makes us tired just reading about it!

Check out the hummingbird migration map! The ruby-throats are almost back in Missouri!

Hummingbird fact for today: One research study described a 3-gram hummingbird drinking 43 grams of sugar water in one day, a full 14 times its body weight.

First Shows of 2016 Completed!

We had a great time at the Spring Garden Show in Baton Rouge, LA. The drive down made us pause and consider the plight of those who suffered because of the unprecedented rainfall and flooding that seemed to cover the state. We toured the USS Kidd battleship and memorial. If you're in Baton Rouge, this is well worth the time!

From there we went to Vicksburg, MS. The National Military Park in Vicksburg is beautiful. It is a self-guided driving tour over paved roads weaving you past hundreds of memorials, statues, and markers. You can almost see the Civil War taking place. Also at the park is the USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum. The Cairo is an ironclad gunboat that was sunk in the Yazoo River in 1862. It has been restored and sits proudly in front of a museum full of artifacts that were also salvaged.  A rare glimpse into the naval side of the war and well worth the stop.

Then on to the Memphis Master Gardeners' Spring Fling. We've been to Memphis before, so we didn't do any sightseeing here. Unfortunately, the weekend turned cold and blustery, even though the hummingbird migration is underway. Take a look at the map and you can see that ruby-throats are slowly making their way north. http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html.

We have wholesale orders to get completed before we head back to Louisiana. Proud to report that Beech Branch Crafts and Art Gallery will soon have a new shipment of Ozarklake feeders!

Hummingbird fact for today: 7,891 people reported their first hummers of 2015 to hummingbirds.net for the migration map. This set a new record! 

Nice Article!

The Mar/Apr issue of Lake Lifestyles Magazine has a nice article and pictures of our work. We are very pleased!

Ozarklake Feeders Now Available in Raleigh, NC!

Today we delivered hummingbird feeders, hummingbird accessories, fruit/jelly feeders, and other garden art to When Pigz Fly in Raleigh, NC. What a fabulous store! Jim and Diane will welcome you with open arms and answer any and all questions you may have. The creativity and talent of people continues to amaze me. Even if you don't make a purchase, you can amuse yourself for a good while just looking around. Stop in! It's worth a visit!

Next month, visitors and residents in Saugatuck, MI, will find Ozarklake feeders at The Owl House. And just in time for the return of the Ruby-throats to the area!

We'll be heading out soon for our spring shows. March 12-13 will find us at the Baton Rouge Spring Garden Show, and we'll be at the Memphis Spring Fling March 18-19. In April, we'll be at the Festival des Fleurs in Lafayette, LA, on April 2-3. The following weekend, April 8-9, we'll be at the Southwest Louisiana Garden Expo in Lake Charles. We're going back to the Illiana Garden and Pond Expo in Crown Point, IN, April 23-24. After that we'll head west, stopping at the Big Bodacious Spring Expo in Spanish Forks, UT, May 6-7, and then the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival in Farmington, UT, May 13-14.

And MOST IMPORTANTLY, the hummers will be returning to Lake of the Ozarks in about 45 days, followed by the Orioles!!! Whoo-hoo!!!! Watch the 1st sightings dates fill in the map at www.hummingbirds.net/map.html If there have been no sightings in your area and you see one, send the information so hummingbird bander Lanny Chambers can put it on his migration map!

Hummingbird fact for today: As fast and as often as their wings move, what keeps hummers from overheating? Check out this video by Tech Insiders. 

Hummingbird mystery solved
Scientists have solved one of the biggest mysteries about hummingbirds.
Posted by Tech Insider on Monday, December 21, 2015