This story first appeared in The News-Gazette on OCT 18, 2023
Wild birds that winter in Rockbridge are back and scouting out safe and reliable
sources of food for the cold months ahead. Just in time, the Rockbridge Bird Club is holding its annual Fall Seed & Suet Sale so that residents who feed the birds through winter can stock up. The sale is a fundraiser for Boxerwood Nature Center, co-sponsored by the club and Rockbridge Farmers Co-op.
“Last year’s sale was our most successful ever,” notes organizer Bonnie Bernstein. “We had a record number of customers, and we introduced great new suppliers and products. This year, we’ll be purchasing freshly harvested black oil sunflower seed again from a local Rockingham farmer. And we’re offering more crafted blends, suet cakes, and backyard feeders from Lizzie Mae’s Birdseed, a family-owned supplier in Ohio. But the really good news is that seed prices have come down, and we’re able to pass on the savings to our customers.”
Product information and order forms are posted in an online store on the Boxerwood website. Prepaid orders may be placed online or mailed with a check to Boxerwood. Orders must be received no later than Monday, October 30. Orders will be available during a drive-through pick-up in the parking lot of the Rockbridge Farmers Co-op on Thursday, November 9 from 10:00-Noon and again from 4:00-5:30.
The Bird Club also encourages people who feed birds to participate in Project FeederWatch, a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders throughout North America. The program is run by Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada and is open to all. Participants count birds they see at their feeders, then upload their counts on the FeederWatch website, where scientists use them to track long-term trends in bird populations. For more information, visit www.feederwatch.org