The email newsletter The Birding Wire is an interesting mix of reports on feeding, feeders, travel, bird science, and birding optics and other equipment items. It offers a review of noteworthy birds seen in the U.S. It does have some advertising panels, but they are easily scrolled past if you wish. The page you see when you open the email has several short items. Click on those of interest, and you get longer discussions of the subject.

One of the latest issues contained photos and short blurbs on three different thistle-seed feeders, including one with three mesh tubes (for optimists). The feeders come in various sizes. Perhaps the expected visits by northern finch species this winter has put Nyger — that's a branded name for thistle seed — prominently on our minds, mine and the newsletter editor's. Now, if the birds would just arrive.

To subscribe to The Birding Wire go to www.BirdingWire.com. On the top menu of the Home Page, click the Subscribe button, then provide your name, email, and zip code. (I have never received email that led me to suspect that email addresses provided are being shared for sales use.)