“Birdscaping” Business Finding Lots Of Clients
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“Feed birds, not squirrels.” That’s the motto of Judd Brink’s MN Backyard Birds business. He calls his service “birdscaping.” He not only helps clients set up successful feeding and bird attracting stations, he also services them, filling them with bird feed, and keeping the area around them clean.
The Brainerd, Minn., entrepreneur defines birdscaping as attracting birds with native plantings combined with feeding stations, birdbaths and other attractions. Located in a tourist and lakes region, his clients run the gamut from seasonal and year-round lake homeowners to nursing homes to resorts and hotels to businesses.
“I have a lot of seasonal clients. The service allows us to fill the feeders during the week so when they come up for the weekend they can just relax,” he says.
Brink offers a free consultation to new clients and shares more than 30 years of experience from a natural resource management career and working at a retail bird store to help them set up durable feeders.
“Most people use shepherd hooks, but I’m not a huge fan. They are easy for squirrels to get at. When we replace them with more squirrel proof and heavy duty feeders, clients see a difference right away,” Brink says.
Besides the question of how to keep squirrels and raccoons away from feeders, he notes he is most often asked how to attract cardinals.
“They like a mix of safflower and sunflower seed offered in a tray feeder that isn’t very high. Cardinals also like cover, so place the feeder near brush piles or lilac bushes, for example,” he suggests.
A birder since he was a child, Brink finds satisfaction in helping other birders attract a variety of birds to their backyard and garden, and enjoying “happy birding” experiences.
Rates for his unique “Care & Clean” weekly maintenance service vary from $150 to $200 a month, which includes cleaning and a wide and varying assortment of fresh seed according to the season. He sticks to about a 50-mile radius for his birdscaping services.
He ventures farther for his speaking and bird guiding services.
“In the past year I guided people from as far away as Alaska, Belgium and China,” he says. “It’s usually in the spring and fall during migration and also during the winter.” For example, the Sax-Zim Bog in Minnesota is a popular winter destination for visitors looking for owls and other winter birds. He is also a guide/speaker at several state birding festivals.
His website includes helpful birding information and a line of feeders made with recycled milk containers. Brink welcomes questions from fellow birders.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Judd Brink, P.O. Box 765, Brainerd, Minn. 56401 (ph 218 838-4784; www.birdminnesota.com; info@birdminnesota.com).
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“Birdscaping” Business Finding Lots Of Clients FARM HOME Miscellaneous “Feed birds not squirrels ” That’s the motto of Judd Brink’s MN Backyard Birds business He calls his service “birdscaping ” He not only helps clients set up successful feeding and bird attracting stations he also services them filling them with bird feed and keeping the area around them clean The Brainerd Minn entrepreneur defines birdscaping as attracting birds with native plantings combined with feeding stations birdbaths and other attractions Located in a tourist and lakes region his clients run the gamut from seasonal and year-round lake homeowners to nursing homes to resorts and hotels to businesses “I have a lot of seasonal clients The service allows us to fill the feeders during the week so when they come up for the weekend they can just relax ” he says Brink offers a free consultation to new clients and shares more than 30 years of experience from a natural resource management career and working at a retail bird store to help them set up durable feeders “Most people use shepherd hooks but I’m not a huge fan They are easy for squirrels to get at When we replace them with more squirrel proof and heavy duty feeders clients see a difference right away ” Brink says Besides the question of how to keep squirrels and raccoons away from feeders he notes he is most often asked how to attract cardinals “They like a mix of safflower and sunflower seed offered in a tray feeder that isn’t very high Cardinals also like cover so place the feeder near brush piles or lilac bushes for example ” he suggests A birder since he was a child Brink finds satisfaction in helping other birders attract a variety of birds to their backyard and garden and enjoying “happy birding” experiences Rates for his unique “Care & Clean” weekly maintenance service vary from $150 to $200 a month which includes cleaning and a wide and varying assortment of fresh seed according to the season He sticks to about a 50-mile radius for his birdscaping services He ventures farther for his speaking and bird guiding services “In the past year I guided people from as far away as Alaska Belgium and China ” he says “It’s usually in the spring and fall during migration and also during the winter ” For example the Sax-Zim Bog in Minnesota is a popular winter destination for visitors looking for owls and other winter birds He is also a guide/speaker at several state birding festivals His website includes helpful birding information and a line of feeders made with recycled milk containers Brink welcomes questions from fellow birders Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Judd Brink P O Box 765 Brainerd Minn 56401 ph 218 838-4784; www birdminnesota com; info@birdminnesota com
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