One of the nicest things about the return of spring, in my opinion, is the sound of early birds in the morning. After a long winter indoors, birds are a pleasant harbinger of warmer weather, open window nights, flip-flops, short sleeves, sunshine and summer. And they’re back! That means the start of busier times for business owners like “Bird Man Mike.” He owns the Wild Bird Center at Rte. 14 and Highway 22 in Fox River Grove and he’s the guy a lot of Barrington residents turn to when they have questions about local birds and wildlife.
Mike Schudrowitz fell in love with bird watching during his days selling cameras and binoculars for Nikon. When he took an early retirement seven years ago, he shifted his focus to the bird business, but says that business could be better. Mike says that, because people perceive his as a “specialty store,” they assume his prices are higher. But Mike prides himself on having the most competitive prices around and he is especially proud of his birdseed.
Mike says the bird food blends sold by many of the larger garden centers include filler and cheap seeds that birds don’t want to eat. His blend only contains the most appealing seeds that attract the most popular Barrington birds like Cardinals, Chickadees, Morning Doves, Sparrows and Finches.
You’ll find a great selection of the coolest bird feeders, houses, accessories, seed and other bird paraphernalia at Mike’s Wild Bird Center. The shop is in the Stone Hill Center in Fox River Grove and the address is 934 Highway 22. Next Saturday, April 17th, Mike is hosting a Raptor Show at the store. Barrington wildlife expert, Dawn Keller, from Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation will be there with some rescued hawks, owls and falcons. If you would like to reach Mike, give him a call at the shop. His number is 847-639-6594.
