Betsy's first post   - Welcome

Welcome to our new web site where we hope you will be a regular visitor. Our information is a combination of the Droll Yankees products you can find at retailers along with our interest in birds. The two categories meld nicely as we've found over the years that people who feed birds and people who enjoy selling bird feeders are generally very nice people. 

In Rhode Island we've had no birds at the feeders for about a month now and contacts in other New England states have reported a similar situation. This is a normal occurrence at this time of year, although it seems to be lasting longer this year. A combination of circumstances created it. 1) This is a time when summer birds migrate for warmer climes. We notice it dramatically with the hummers but other birds leave too. 2) We're accustomed to seeing lots of birds in the spring and summer as they forage for food during their busy nesting cycles, but once the young have fledged, their needs aren't as urgent and they tend to keep out of open areas and the view of predators for a while. 3) This is the time of year when natural foods are most plentiful. And remember, our bird feeders provide only supplemental food and are not the main meal.

They'll be back at our feeders soon, but it's important to remember that during the last five decades songbird populations have declined by some 50%. So be good to your birds. Provide habitat, food and water. Eschew pesticides. Just feed birds and make a world of difference.