December 6, 2025 • 21 mins
Ron chats with Monica Brubaker from Wild Birds Unlimited about winter bird care. They discuss how birds are preparing for the cold weather and what we can do to help them. Monica shares tips on choosing the right bird feeders and seed, including her top pick for a high-protein food that's perfect for the winter months. They also talk about the importance of providing water for birds, even in freezing temperatures. With Monica's expert advice, listeners will be better equipped to support their feathered friends during the winter season.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back. You're in the garden with Ron Wilson, and yep,
winner has sprung upon us. It's unbelievable snow out there,
it's cold. What do you do about the birds? You
look out there, You don't see too many of them
right now because they're kind of hiding out because it's
cold out there. Wild one, it's time to figure out
what to do for our birds. No matter what the season,
we go to our wild winged wonder from wild Birds Unlimited,
(00:22):
Ladies and gentlemen. She knows more about birds than birds
know about birds. Monica Brubaker, good morning, we're on.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Good morning. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Get off the ledges, away from the windows. All they're
lined up this morning. I've never seen so many different
kinds of birds along the window sills. Ever. You feel
like the Kenwood tower's tilting a little bit. There's so
many birds out there. Yeah, they're so excited. They're so
excited because you're gonna be on the radio talking foul language.
(00:58):
That's how I get Monica's attention when I email her.
Would you like to talk some foul language on the radio?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah? Yeah, and also talking about what else or you know,
what's the first thing you want to bring up today, Well, if.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
By chance birds would accidentally poop on something you don't
want them to poop on, is there a product to
get rid of it? Yes?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yes, yes, what is it called.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Poof?
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Poop off? I mean it's hard to get off of
things sometimes. I mean, let's face it.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
And it is now, it really is, and it is
a great product. So there you go for.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Your bird baths whatever may be. Poop off is available
for you.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
All right, There you go.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
What's your website?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
All right, w BU dot com slash Westchester or Springboro.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
There you go, so you can check it out. All
kinds of great information there as well. So winter is
not only coming, it's it's moved in. And look at
I look out there right now. I don't see a
lot of birds. Happened for the last several days flying
around too much. They've been kind of hanging out you always.
You know about the Evergreen Heads that I play at
many many, many years. I call it the hotel. It's
(02:05):
a little bed and breakfast. I throw slices of oranges
and apples and stuff back in there, and there's birds
coming in all the time. But they're kind of what
do they do right now there's kind of hanging out
waiting for the weather to change.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Well, they're hunkering down and you know, they're they're coming
up their caching season when you know, they were hiding
all of their food to have when it's cold. But
you know in the mornings especially, it's they're slow to
you know, come around when it's this cold. So yeah,
(02:37):
you're going to you know, it's picking up more and
more every day, and they're certainly going to benefit from
that supplemental food.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Like like bees. Are our birds like bees. And the
fact that you know there's a certain temperature that they
just don't get out, I mean, is there a limiting
factor there?
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Well, well, I mean, you know I would say that
you know, they're going to have to find food.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So so no matter what, you got to do something
to find food.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
They do. They do, and they're able to you know,
insulate you know, under their feathers to tolerate the temperatures.
And at night when they sleep, they can you know,
lower basically they're lowering their heart rates so that they
can maintain heat. So yeah, I mean generally in our area,
(03:30):
the birds that are here, I mean, of course, our
hummingbirds have gone, but you know, most of them stay
here because you know they can handle it.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Accept the hummingbirds obviously.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Except the hummingbirds. And then we also have you know,
birds that come in for the winter, right because they
don't want to spend the winters up up north like
in Canada and the and then it depends on how
the forests up there produced their nuts and if like
this year, we're seeing a lot of red breasted nuthatch
(04:07):
come in from up north because there's not enough food
up there, so they're moving down here for the winter.
So we benefit from the temperatures here in that way.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
You know, we talk about the decline and pollinators all
the time, bees and all the pollinators and bats and
all of those, but birds fall right into the same
category we do.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
You know. It's sad, I mean there, you know, there's
lots of science going on, lots of studies going on
that even you know, we've got what Project feed or
Watch going on right now, We've got the Christmas bird
counts coming up, you know, for people to participate to
help scientists understand, you know, what is happening with the
(04:53):
populations and the health of our local birds. So you
can take a part in that.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And uh and we're so if we go to your website,
you'll direct yes, you can, that'll direct us to well
to any of those links. Okay, good, Yeah. Talking with
Monica Brubacker from wild Birds Unlimited about our birds and
of course the winter has moved into our area, cold temperature, snow,
the whole nine yards, and so what should be doing
at this stage for our birds and the fact that
(05:20):
birds are are suffering just like the pollinators and the
bees are suffering as well. And again, you know more
and more what I read a number one issue, and
there are other issues out there, but really high is
the lack of first of all, lack of habitat. You know, we're,
like you said, the source of nuts up north and all,
so they're moving down here to get to get more food.
But I think we're seeing now that when folks are
(05:43):
looking at first of all, with their landscaping and their gardens,
not only are they replanting for the pollinators, but also
using the birds and doing landscape friendly bird planting as well.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, anything you're doing for pollinators, you're you know, you're
going to be helping birds as well. It's you know,
there's a lot you can do. But even without having
to plant new plants, you know, leaving your yard messy
during the winter is always a good idea. Having piles
of brush provides great cover for the birds. You know,
(06:20):
we hear more and more, you know, as the season progresses.
Here about about hawks, right there are hawks that eat birds,
and the birds do need cover to protect themselves from
the hawks. But you can, you know, when you're if
you're thinking about buying a live Christmas tree this year,
(06:40):
you know, keep it, put it out in your yard
after Christmas and just let us stay there, you know,
throughout the winter, and that'll provide great cover.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
You know.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
I'll even take that and take a few branches out
to open it up a little bit so it's easier
for him to fly in and out of it. Hang
a couple feed in there and sooitcakes and that works
really nicely. And you're right, they love that thing a
little bit of protection. But you know, there are many
ways that we can landscape to work. But there are
also which you've been involved with for a long long time,
(07:13):
supplementing that with our bird feeders, our bird waters and
things like that. Let's take a let's take an earlier
break because when we come back, I want to know
what should we be feeding right now? What are the
best feeders out there right now? Christmas is right around
the corner. You're looking to get somebody involved. These make
great Christmas gifts as well. Minica Brubaker our wild Winged
Wonder from Wildbird's Unlimited. After the break, here in the
(07:35):
garden with Ron.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
Wilson, Landscaping Ladiesier with your personal yard boy. He's hit
in the garden and he's Ron Wilson.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
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(08:20):
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easybreed dot com.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
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take a beating. Hey, Gary Selvin here for Rotor Ruter
Plumbing and water clean up. If you experienced frozen or
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(08:50):
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Speaker 1 (09:00):
Welcome back here in the garden with Ron Wilson, talking
foul language. And you know, if we're talking foul language,
you know who we're talking with. That's right, our wild
winged wonder Monica brew Baker from wild Birds Unlimited. Their
website is.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
WBU dot com last Westchester or Springborough.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Lots of great information there and of course their their
stores as well. If the folks that are the other
staff absolutely well trained, trust me, Monica brew Baker, make
sure that they know what they're talking about when it
comes to birds. All right. You know what's funny is
you love it. We have had you on our show
as our bird expert for many, many years and you
(09:39):
have always said this time of the year about leaving
the leaving the brush, leaving the perennials up, leaving the
looking messy in your gardens, for the for the pollinators
and the wildlife and the birds. You know what's hot
now in the garden over the last two years, leaving
it alone and cleaning it up in the spring.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
You've been preaching it for years. We said, Monica, you're nuts.
You got to clean it up. Nope, you got to
leave it all there, let the wildlife enjoy it, clean
it up in the spring. Yes, you were right all along.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
A lot of benefits there.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Just like it, just like using poop off, all right.
See you know you know what you're talking about.
Speaker 5 (10:19):
All right.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
So we are now looking at going into the winter time,
and there are a lot of folks out there that
do feed the birds and they know what they're doing, cetera.
But there are a lot of folks out there that
may be saying, you know what I really do, I'd
like to get involved with this. But how do I
know to choose the right winter friendly seed out I
know which one of the feeders are the best and
the most inviting, and which one should I use? Tell us,
(10:40):
Monica brew baker. What do we use this time of
the year. If I've never done.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
This before, if you've never done this before, you need
to come into our stores for sure.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Yeah, well yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Our number one selling bird feeder really anytime of the year,
but most definitely this time of the year, are our
cylinder feeders. It's a little different. It's not the traditional
loose seed, you know, throwing it in a feeder and
calling it good. The cylinder feeders are that the cylinders
(11:14):
are compacted seed and they're all the high fat, high
protein seats that your bird needs right now, and that
goes slides onto a feeder. Very easy to use. But
what's wonderful about it is it lasts for days, sometimes weeks,
and you're not having to trudge outside and fill your
(11:36):
feeders right.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Right and as you as you know, I have used those.
As matter of fact, I set my grandsons up for
that so that they could watch the birds. And that
is a piece of cake. You know. You buy four
or five of those cylinders, put a store it away
and just you know, and take one out every time
you need one. You just slide it on that post
and you're you're hanging up and you're good to go.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
It is yet, you know, we can't recommend it more.
But the birds, you know, they come on and they
peck off what they want. You're getting good views of
the birds. Everybody's happy. We have no mess cylinders where
there's absolutely no shells in the seats, so you're not
going to have any mess under your feeders. So there's
(12:18):
lots of benefits to it, for sure.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
And don't you also have one with a pepper in
the cylinder to keep the squirrels off?
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Yeah, yeah, you bet you. Yep. Mammals taste hot pepper,
but birds do not, So squirrels raccoons are going to
taste that and then ask you for a glass of
milk and run away.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
You heard Monica say you bet you when I email
her and ask her she's ready for this Saturday. She says,
you bet you. That's what you email me back. I
always think of you when I hear that talking with
mon Wow, birds unlimited about what we should be using.
So those cylinder feeders, you're right, is absolutely it's a
(13:00):
piece of cake. And speaking of this piece of cake,
I still I am still one with the suitcakes I
still liked. I mean, that's as easy as it can get.
Slide that cake in that cage and hanging up somewhere. Yep,
you get everything on that thing, from wood peckers to
you name it there on it.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Yes, yes, I mean you can get literally every bird
on there and they are Again, that lasts a long
time and it's so easy to use. I know, our
suet is a little you know, our suit is a
lot different than what you're going to get a big,
big box just because of the quality of the products
in it. You're not getting fillers just like in loose
(13:39):
per seat bird seed when you get a lot of
filler in there when you're going to big box. But
you know, all of the products in our suits, all
of our food is just the high quality. It's what
the birds need. They're going to eat it. They're not
going to be throwing it out and throwing it, you know,
onto the ground. So there you go.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
And as Monica has taught us over the years, you know,
you you get what you pay for. And it's true. Uh,
when you're buying bird seed and you look at the
bag and it's a fifty pounds bag for six ninety nine,
look what's in it? And you know it's all the
stuff that they're going to throw out on the ground.
And then you're like, well, why don't do you know
they're throwing stuff everywhere? Well, it's because it's not a
high quality mix a bird seed, and that's that's what
(14:20):
you get what you pay for. That's when the birds
are saying cheap, cheap, cheap cheap, because.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
You're exactly and you know right right now, you know,
we do have the Daily Savings Club. We have that
year round where you can save fifteen percent on all
of your bird food every day and it's twenty five
dollars to join. But this month the gift for joining
is a cylinder feeder and a cylinder.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
So there you go outstanding talking with money.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Birds do what one stone.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
There you go talking with Monica brew Baker wild Bird's unlimited.
If if if I have a bird feeder that handles
this regular bird seed then or bird feed Is there
one seed that I want to If I just said
I just want one seed rather than buy the mix
or whatever, I just want want one thing to dump
in narrow over the wintertime, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (15:11):
The black oil sunflower would be your h That's that's
the food that is most liked I guess by you know,
the most variety of birds. It is going to you know,
the shells are going to be dropped, but it is
you know, a good high protein food. I mean, there's
lots of options. You can you know, go with you know,
(15:34):
bark butter Hey, how about bark butter bits.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Bark butter.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Yes, yes, I think of your robins right now too,
with bark butter bits. Throw those on the ground, you know,
scattered around, so maybe robins can can get some suets.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
And high fat because they're usually on the ground kind
of hiding out right now. Yeah, they don't all they
don't leave here. They a lot of them hang around
for the wintertimes, but they stay kind.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Of load all that, Yeah, they do. They don't typically
come up to feeders. So we've got a lot of
ground feeders in the area right now. So you'll see
you know, junkos, our little snowbirds they're here for the winter,
and some sparros and nice sparrows. So there's a good
variety of birds out there.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
So if we look at the Brewbacker property and I
look out at your one hundred and twenty five different
feeders that you have hanging throughout your yard. Is there
one that's your favorite? I mean, is their most popular?
What about the fly throughs? I mean I see fly
throughs all the time.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Yes, yes, and that's that's what I have. I have
a platform featerka. That is my number one, my foundational
feeder that I have in the center of my yard.
It's protected by a baffle and away from the trees
so the squirrels and raccoons can't get to it. But
you know, I cheat a little bit on that and
(16:55):
I put my cylinders in the fly through on the platform,
and so it lasts a long time. But it is
a great feeder. The birds, you know, they'd like an
open feeder. They can see, they can watch for predators,
you know, that kind of thing. They don't like to
be surprised. So it's a great feeder.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
So you actually put the cylinder in the fly through
in the fly Yeah that smart.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Yeah, a little cheat, huh, that're right? And the fly
through is that that I have? That fly through? Well,
I think most of them now store we may have
still have feedar but they're made out of the recycled
milk jokes, so you know, those stay looking beautiful for Yeah,
many years.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Yeah, the old red wooden ceedar and all that was
out there, but boy, you don't see much of that anymore. No,
these things last forever, and you can put them in
the dishwasher. I what I understand exactly. You can one
last thing here. Really, we've been talking about the feeders
and the fee and the suet cakes and all of that,
but what about water. I mean to me, I guess
that's one of those things that we we we don't
(18:00):
mention enough. But that's as important as the food.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
It is. And you know, it can be as simple
as just putting you know, a small tray out, you know,
maybe close to closer to your door, within three feet
of your windows, and then you know, if it freezes,
of course, bring it in, dump it out, put some
new we've got you know, at the store, we've got
heaters to put in your bird baths to keep the
(18:25):
water from freezing. And then we also have actual heated
bird baths themselves that will keep it from freezing. So
there's lots of options.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Yeah, and I know a lot of folks email and say,
you know, we put a pan out in the morning,
it lasts for a couple three, couple of hours, before
it freezes, and they usually enjoy that. Yeah, dump it
out later, put it, put a second one, maybe a
third one out and that takes care of him through
the day, and do it again in the morning. It's
no big deal, right, yep, don't make it hard, you know. Crows.
(18:55):
Crows are my favorite birds. I know it sounds weird.
I love them, but I love them. Why are Why
are those things so smart?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I know, it's amazing, it's amazing. I love watching them.
I love feeding them. Maybe five years ago, I had
nuts on the ground that they were and we'd run
over our nuts in the driveway and it would crack
them open. I mean, they have a strong beak, but
(19:25):
they would come in and take the nuts. And I
had so much fun because then I started putting out
all kinds of tree nuts for them and watching them
and watching them store them. They're amazing.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
They are amazing birds. I have some pigeons I need
you to. I'm gonna put you in the car with
me sometime and take you over to Fields Irtle and
Mason Montgommy Roads. Pigeons that hang out there all the
time and they circle around the fly and it's the
craziest thing. And I need you to explain to me
what in the heck they are doing. All Right, so
I'll call you know crazy, I'll take you over there.
Monica Brubaker, wild birds, I love it. At one last time,
(19:58):
your website WBU.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Dot com, splash Westchester or Springboro.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Have a great holiday season, Monica.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Brubaker, Hey you too, Ron, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
All right, quick break, we come back. Phone lines are
going to be open for you at eight hundred eight
two three eight two five five. Don't forget our website,
it's Ron Wilson online dot com and our Facebook page.
In the Garden with Ron Wilson, it's all happening here
in the garden with Ron Wilson.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
Not gardening questions. Ron has the answer at one eight
hundred eight two three talk You're in the garden with
Ron Wilson, Yaw
Welcome back. You're in the garden with Ron Wilson, and yep,
winner has sprung upon us. It's unbelievable snow out there,
it's cold. What do you do about the birds? You
look out there, You don't see too many of them
right now because they're kind of hiding out because it's
cold out there. Wild one, it's time to figure out
what to do for our birds. No matter what the season,
we go to our wild winged wonder from wild Birds Unlimited,
(00:22):
Ladies and gentlemen. She knows more about birds than birds
know about birds. Monica Brubaker, good morning, we're on.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Good morning. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Get off the ledges, away from the windows. All they're
lined up this morning. I've never seen so many different
kinds of birds along the window sills. Ever. You feel
like the Kenwood tower's tilting a little bit. There's so
many birds out there. Yeah, they're so excited. They're so
excited because you're gonna be on the radio talking foul language.
(00:58):
That's how I get Monica's attention when I email her.
Would you like to talk some foul language on the radio?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah? Yeah, and also talking about what else or you know,
what's the first thing you want to bring up today, Well, if.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
By chance birds would accidentally poop on something you don't
want them to poop on, is there a product to
get rid of it? Yes?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Yes, yes, what is it called.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Poof?
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Poop off? I mean it's hard to get off of
things sometimes. I mean, let's face it.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
And it is now, it really is, and it is
a great product. So there you go for.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Your bird baths whatever may be. Poop off is available
for you.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
All right, There you go.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
What's your website?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
All right, w BU dot com slash Westchester or Springboro.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
There you go, so you can check it out. All
kinds of great information there as well. So winter is
not only coming, it's it's moved in. And look at
I look out there right now. I don't see a
lot of birds. Happened for the last several days flying
around too much. They've been kind of hanging out you always.
You know about the Evergreen Heads that I play at
many many, many years. I call it the hotel. It's
(02:05):
a little bed and breakfast. I throw slices of oranges
and apples and stuff back in there, and there's birds
coming in all the time. But they're kind of what
do they do right now there's kind of hanging out
waiting for the weather to change.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Well, they're hunkering down and you know, they're they're coming
up their caching season when you know, they were hiding
all of their food to have when it's cold. But
you know in the mornings especially, it's they're slow to
you know, come around when it's this cold. So yeah,
(02:37):
you're going to you know, it's picking up more and
more every day, and they're certainly going to benefit from
that supplemental food.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Like like bees. Are our birds like bees. And the
fact that you know there's a certain temperature that they
just don't get out, I mean, is there a limiting
factor there?
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Well, well, I mean, you know I would say that
you know, they're going to have to find food.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So so no matter what, you got to do something
to find food.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
They do. They do, and they're able to you know,
insulate you know, under their feathers to tolerate the temperatures.
And at night when they sleep, they can you know,
lower basically they're lowering their heart rates so that they
can maintain heat. So yeah, I mean generally in our area,
(03:30):
the birds that are here, I mean, of course, our
hummingbirds have gone, but you know, most of them stay
here because you know they can handle it.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Accept the hummingbirds obviously.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Except the hummingbirds. And then we also have you know,
birds that come in for the winter, right because they
don't want to spend the winters up up north like
in Canada and the and then it depends on how
the forests up there produced their nuts and if like
this year, we're seeing a lot of red breasted nuthatch
(04:07):
come in from up north because there's not enough food
up there, so they're moving down here for the winter.
So we benefit from the temperatures here in that way.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
You know, we talk about the decline and pollinators all
the time, bees and all the pollinators and bats and
all of those, but birds fall right into the same
category we do.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
You know. It's sad, I mean there, you know, there's
lots of science going on, lots of studies going on
that even you know, we've got what Project feed or
Watch going on right now, We've got the Christmas bird
counts coming up, you know, for people to participate to
help scientists understand, you know, what is happening with the
(04:53):
populations and the health of our local birds. So you
can take a part in that.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And uh and we're so if we go to your website,
you'll direct yes, you can, that'll direct us to well
to any of those links. Okay, good, Yeah. Talking with
Monica Brubacker from wild Birds Unlimited about our birds and
of course the winter has moved into our area, cold temperature, snow,
the whole nine yards, and so what should be doing
at this stage for our birds and the fact that
(05:20):
birds are are suffering just like the pollinators and the
bees are suffering as well. And again, you know more
and more what I read a number one issue, and
there are other issues out there, but really high is
the lack of first of all, lack of habitat. You know, we're,
like you said, the source of nuts up north and all,
so they're moving down here to get to get more food.
But I think we're seeing now that when folks are
(05:43):
looking at first of all, with their landscaping and their gardens,
not only are they replanting for the pollinators, but also
using the birds and doing landscape friendly bird planting as well.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, anything you're doing for pollinators, you're you know, you're
going to be helping birds as well. It's you know,
there's a lot you can do. But even without having
to plant new plants, you know, leaving your yard messy
during the winter is always a good idea. Having piles
of brush provides great cover for the birds. You know,
(06:20):
we hear more and more, you know, as the season progresses.
Here about about hawks, right there are hawks that eat birds,
and the birds do need cover to protect themselves from
the hawks. But you can, you know, when you're if
you're thinking about buying a live Christmas tree this year,
(06:40):
you know, keep it, put it out in your yard
after Christmas and just let us stay there, you know,
throughout the winter, and that'll provide great cover.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
You know.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
I'll even take that and take a few branches out
to open it up a little bit so it's easier
for him to fly in and out of it. Hang
a couple feed in there and sooitcakes and that works
really nicely. And you're right, they love that thing a
little bit of protection. But you know, there are many
ways that we can landscape to work. But there are
also which you've been involved with for a long long time,
(07:13):
supplementing that with our bird feeders, our bird waters and
things like that. Let's take a let's take an earlier
break because when we come back, I want to know
what should we be feeding right now? What are the
best feeders out there right now? Christmas is right around
the corner. You're looking to get somebody involved. These make
great Christmas gifts as well. Minica Brubaker our wild Winged
Wonder from Wildbird's Unlimited. After the break, here in the
(07:35):
garden with Ron.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
Wilson, Landscaping Ladiesier with your personal yard boy. He's hit
in the garden and he's Ron Wilson.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
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Speaker 1 (09:00):
Welcome back here in the garden with Ron Wilson, talking
foul language. And you know, if we're talking foul language,
you know who we're talking with. That's right, our wild
winged wonder Monica brew Baker from wild Birds Unlimited. Their
website is.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
WBU dot com last Westchester or Springborough.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Lots of great information there and of course their their
stores as well. If the folks that are the other
staff absolutely well trained, trust me, Monica brew Baker, make
sure that they know what they're talking about when it
comes to birds. All right. You know what's funny is
you love it. We have had you on our show
as our bird expert for many, many years and you
(09:39):
have always said this time of the year about leaving
the leaving the brush, leaving the perennials up, leaving the
looking messy in your gardens, for the for the pollinators
and the wildlife and the birds. You know what's hot
now in the garden over the last two years, leaving
it alone and cleaning it up in the spring.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
You've been preaching it for years. We said, Monica, you're nuts.
You got to clean it up. Nope, you got to
leave it all there, let the wildlife enjoy it, clean
it up in the spring. Yes, you were right all along.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
A lot of benefits there.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Just like it, just like using poop off, all right.
See you know you know what you're talking about.
Speaker 5 (10:19):
All right.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
So we are now looking at going into the winter time,
and there are a lot of folks out there that
do feed the birds and they know what they're doing, cetera.
But there are a lot of folks out there that
may be saying, you know what I really do, I'd
like to get involved with this. But how do I
know to choose the right winter friendly seed out I
know which one of the feeders are the best and
the most inviting, and which one should I use? Tell us,
(10:40):
Monica brew baker. What do we use this time of
the year. If I've never done.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
This before, if you've never done this before, you need
to come into our stores for sure.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Yeah, well yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Our number one selling bird feeder really anytime of the year,
but most definitely this time of the year, are our
cylinder feeders. It's a little different. It's not the traditional
loose seed, you know, throwing it in a feeder and
calling it good. The cylinder feeders are that the cylinders
(11:14):
are compacted seed and they're all the high fat, high
protein seats that your bird needs right now, and that
goes slides onto a feeder. Very easy to use. But
what's wonderful about it is it lasts for days, sometimes weeks,
and you're not having to trudge outside and fill your
(11:36):
feeders right.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Right and as you as you know, I have used those.
As matter of fact, I set my grandsons up for
that so that they could watch the birds. And that
is a piece of cake. You know. You buy four
or five of those cylinders, put a store it away
and just you know, and take one out every time
you need one. You just slide it on that post
and you're you're hanging up and you're good to go.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
It is yet, you know, we can't recommend it more.
But the birds, you know, they come on and they
peck off what they want. You're getting good views of
the birds. Everybody's happy. We have no mess cylinders where
there's absolutely no shells in the seats, so you're not
going to have any mess under your feeders. So there's
(12:18):
lots of benefits to it, for sure.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
And don't you also have one with a pepper in
the cylinder to keep the squirrels off?
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Yeah, yeah, you bet you. Yep. Mammals taste hot pepper,
but birds do not, So squirrels raccoons are going to
taste that and then ask you for a glass of
milk and run away.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
You heard Monica say you bet you when I email
her and ask her she's ready for this Saturday. She says,
you bet you. That's what you email me back. I
always think of you when I hear that talking with
mon Wow, birds unlimited about what we should be using.
So those cylinder feeders, you're right, is absolutely it's a
(13:00):
piece of cake. And speaking of this piece of cake,
I still I am still one with the suitcakes I
still liked. I mean, that's as easy as it can get.
Slide that cake in that cage and hanging up somewhere. Yep,
you get everything on that thing, from wood peckers to
you name it there on it.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Yes, yes, I mean you can get literally every bird
on there and they are Again, that lasts a long
time and it's so easy to use. I know, our
suet is a little you know, our suit is a
lot different than what you're going to get a big,
big box just because of the quality of the products
in it. You're not getting fillers just like in loose
(13:39):
per seat bird seed when you get a lot of
filler in there when you're going to big box. But
you know, all of the products in our suits, all
of our food is just the high quality. It's what
the birds need. They're going to eat it. They're not
going to be throwing it out and throwing it, you know,
onto the ground. So there you go.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
And as Monica has taught us over the years, you know,
you you get what you pay for. And it's true. Uh,
when you're buying bird seed and you look at the
bag and it's a fifty pounds bag for six ninety nine,
look what's in it? And you know it's all the
stuff that they're going to throw out on the ground.
And then you're like, well, why don't do you know
they're throwing stuff everywhere? Well, it's because it's not a
high quality mix a bird seed, and that's that's what
(14:20):
you get what you pay for. That's when the birds
are saying cheap, cheap, cheap cheap, because.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
You're exactly and you know right right now, you know,
we do have the Daily Savings Club. We have that
year round where you can save fifteen percent on all
of your bird food every day and it's twenty five
dollars to join. But this month the gift for joining
is a cylinder feeder and a cylinder.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
So there you go outstanding talking with money.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Birds do what one stone.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
There you go talking with Monica brew Baker wild Bird's unlimited.
If if if I have a bird feeder that handles
this regular bird seed then or bird feed Is there
one seed that I want to If I just said
I just want one seed rather than buy the mix
or whatever, I just want want one thing to dump
in narrow over the wintertime, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (15:11):
The black oil sunflower would be your h That's that's
the food that is most liked I guess by you know,
the most variety of birds. It is going to you know,
the shells are going to be dropped, but it is
you know, a good high protein food. I mean, there's
lots of options. You can you know, go with you know,
(15:34):
bark butter Hey, how about bark butter bits.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Bark butter.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Yes, yes, I think of your robins right now too,
with bark butter bits. Throw those on the ground, you know,
scattered around, so maybe robins can can get some suets.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
And high fat because they're usually on the ground kind
of hiding out right now. Yeah, they don't all they
don't leave here. They a lot of them hang around
for the wintertimes, but they stay kind.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Of load all that, Yeah, they do. They don't typically
come up to feeders. So we've got a lot of
ground feeders in the area right now. So you'll see
you know, junkos, our little snowbirds they're here for the winter,
and some sparros and nice sparrows. So there's a good
variety of birds out there.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
So if we look at the Brewbacker property and I
look out at your one hundred and twenty five different
feeders that you have hanging throughout your yard. Is there
one that's your favorite? I mean, is their most popular?
What about the fly throughs? I mean I see fly
throughs all the time.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Yes, yes, and that's that's what I have. I have
a platform featerka. That is my number one, my foundational
feeder that I have in the center of my yard.
It's protected by a baffle and away from the trees
so the squirrels and raccoons can't get to it. But
you know, I cheat a little bit on that and
(16:55):
I put my cylinders in the fly through on the platform,
and so it lasts a long time. But it is
a great feeder. The birds, you know, they'd like an
open feeder. They can see, they can watch for predators,
you know, that kind of thing. They don't like to
be surprised. So it's a great feeder.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
So you actually put the cylinder in the fly through
in the fly Yeah that smart.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Yeah, a little cheat, huh, that're right? And the fly
through is that that I have? That fly through? Well,
I think most of them now store we may have
still have feedar but they're made out of the recycled
milk jokes, so you know, those stay looking beautiful for Yeah,
many years.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Yeah, the old red wooden ceedar and all that was
out there, but boy, you don't see much of that anymore. No,
these things last forever, and you can put them in
the dishwasher. I what I understand exactly. You can one
last thing here. Really, we've been talking about the feeders
and the fee and the suet cakes and all of that,
but what about water. I mean to me, I guess
that's one of those things that we we we don't
(18:00):
mention enough. But that's as important as the food.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
It is. And you know, it can be as simple
as just putting you know, a small tray out, you know,
maybe close to closer to your door, within three feet
of your windows, and then you know, if it freezes,
of course, bring it in, dump it out, put some
new we've got you know, at the store, we've got
heaters to put in your bird baths to keep the
(18:25):
water from freezing. And then we also have actual heated
bird baths themselves that will keep it from freezing. So
there's lots of options.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Yeah, and I know a lot of folks email and say,
you know, we put a pan out in the morning,
it lasts for a couple three, couple of hours, before
it freezes, and they usually enjoy that. Yeah, dump it
out later, put it, put a second one, maybe a
third one out and that takes care of him through
the day, and do it again in the morning. It's
no big deal, right, yep, don't make it hard, you know. Crows.
(18:55):
Crows are my favorite birds. I know it sounds weird.
I love them, but I love them. Why are Why
are those things so smart?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I know, it's amazing, it's amazing. I love watching them.
I love feeding them. Maybe five years ago, I had
nuts on the ground that they were and we'd run
over our nuts in the driveway and it would crack
them open. I mean, they have a strong beak, but
(19:25):
they would come in and take the nuts. And I
had so much fun because then I started putting out
all kinds of tree nuts for them and watching them
and watching them store them. They're amazing.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
They are amazing birds. I have some pigeons I need
you to. I'm gonna put you in the car with
me sometime and take you over to Fields Irtle and
Mason Montgommy Roads. Pigeons that hang out there all the
time and they circle around the fly and it's the
craziest thing. And I need you to explain to me
what in the heck they are doing. All Right, so
I'll call you know crazy, I'll take you over there.
Monica Brubaker, wild birds, I love it. At one last time,
(19:58):
your website WBU.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Dot com, splash Westchester or Springboro.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Have a great holiday season, Monica.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Brubaker, Hey you too, Ron, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
All right, quick break, we come back. Phone lines are
going to be open for you at eight hundred eight
two three eight two five five. Don't forget our website,
it's Ron Wilson online dot com and our Facebook page.
In the Garden with Ron Wilson, it's all happening here
in the garden with Ron Wilson.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
Not gardening questions. Ron has the answer at one eight
hundred eight two three talk You're in the garden with
Ron Wilson, Yaw
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