Abbotsford, British Columbia | Chilliwack, BC
We can show you how to turn your yard into a birdfeeding habitat that brings song, color and life to your home.

 

May Newsletter

Our May Newsletter is avaliable and you can access it by clicking on the link below.

May 2012 Newsletter

 

Just a Thought May 2012

Song Sparrow by Rick Skerry

The April showers we endured certainly has made May green, lush and filled with spring flowers (at least those that didn’t drown). Our birds also seem to be celebrating the warmer days of May. From morning to night, you can hear birds singing from almost every tree. Our young song sparrow has found a favourite spot in our young willow and he sings a greeting to us whenever we come close.. I know it is not the same sparrow that lived here several years ago as the song is a little different. All song sparrows must learn to sing - obviously he learned to give a different trill to the end of his song.

 

 

 Yellow-rumped Warbler by Cynthia Watson

Our backyard has seen the arrival of summer birds as the birding activity has increased. Several warblers appeared earlier this month, most merely stopping for a rest before they continue up to the north. Maybe some of these will visit us at our place in the Cariboo! Yellow-rumped warblers were the most common with a few Wilson warblers mixed in. On a recent walk around Williband Park, we saw dozens of yellow-rumped (or “butter-buts” as they are called in the east!) feeding on bugs in the willow and cottonwood trees.

 

 

 

 

We also had our first Black-headed Grosbeak appear at our tray feeder. This was a little early for a Grosbeak to show up in our yard, especially a lone female. Unfortunately, she has not returned so was probably just passing through. We normally have several pairs that nest in the gully behind the house - hopefully they will be arriving soon.

 


Woodpeckers, especially the females, are beginning to reappear at our feeders where they grab large chunks of suet before they fly off. Our female flicker finally came back to feed and we have been fortunate to have had a Pileated woodpecker visit for several weeks now. The favourite feeder is the suet log where they happily cling (the Pileated are almost as long as the suet log so it is amusing to watch) and gorge on bark butter. Cliff and I have also heard these large woodpeckers  calling in the woods close to our house, maybe some smaller Pileated fledglings will appear in the future.

 

 

 

With all the parent birds making quick trips to and from the nesting sites, it shouldn’t be too long before fat, fluffy babies begin to come as well. Whether it is juvenile bush tits, woodpeckers or house finch with “bad hair,” we will welcome them all.