April Outside

Last weekend we visited a wonderful organization's open house.  O.W.L which stands for Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society rescues injured birds (mostly raptors) and houses ones that can not re-enter nature and releases ones that have healed.

 Turkey Vulture.

  A Barred Owl.  We think an owl like this may be nesting near our home.  

We have seen her/him 3 times now.

And the climax of the day was the release of this juvenile bald eagle.  He was saved by a BC Hydro worker after being caught in a power line.  It was very moving to hear his story and witness this bird's release back into the wild.

There are so many people that dedicate their time to worthy causes, this is just one of many.  Supporting such brilliant work is a great way to send a family day outside.

Commitment (a multipart series)

Oh, what a crazy month April has been.  Life has been very full and a bit hectic and my head is overwhelmed with ideas of things to write here and this is the first time I've sat down to do so all month.  But rather than let my hands type out all these thoughts I'd rather focus on one at a time, because well, it seems more fair to you as a reader.  My next few posts will probably skirt around a theme that is coming up frequently this year.
Commitment and self-discipline.  April presented two opportunities to practice my commitment to the earth.

On April 12 our family attended the B.R.O.K.E sponsored rally against Kinder-Morgan's proposed pipeline expansion in our city.  There are dozens of reasons I am against this expansion but the first one is that our earth cannot sustain the practices of extracting fossil fuels.  This pipeline will transport oil across our backyard to buyers in foreign markets, navigating tricky waters with tankers that could spill and destroy wildlife and precious natural areas. We already live with the risk of the current pipeline's potential hazards let alone adding another.  This type of thinking about our environment as an extraction field needs to be stopped.

On Earth Day I visited Kyan's classroom and read "Earth Mother" by Ellen Jackson.  It is a wonderful story of the gentleness, power and wisdom of nature's cycles.  The kids were very engaged by it and we followed up with learning the first verse of The Earth is our Mother chant.  And to end the lesson we talked about what each of them could do to take care of the earth using this sheet.  I was happy that the kids responded as they did.  And despite being busy in other things I was glad to mark the day for the kids and myself.  I plan to do this each year as long as Kyan's (and eventually Elliott's) teachers are on board.  This work is about my spiritual path and in a future post I'll expand on where these values are building from.

Around home our interest in birds continues to be enhanced by our bird feeders.  Elliott built a nest for our little eggs one morning.  Spring brings forth so much life and newness that it spills over in the boys' faces.  The inspiration of it seems endless.

the waiting place

Our largest visitor to our bird feeder is this guy: a Pileated Woodpecker.  Isn't he lovely?  I've named him Woody since that is everyone (of a certain age's) only example of a woodpecker character.  We waited months for the big birds to become daring enough to check out the new feeder.  Luckily we were all home when he came for his meal and Dave was quick on the draw and got photos.

This week was on the low key side.  Both boys were down with fevers & coughs and so I felt like we were in the waiting place.  Waiting for the fevers to break, waiting for coughs to subside, waiting for their immunity systems to tackle the virus....I must admit I got cabin fever and wanted to get out and about.  But I was able to finish my jam from 2013's frozen berries, watch some interesting documentaries, and catch up on housework.  Our forced hiatus from regular scheduling will be over on Monday.

January has brought new projects to us all, new learning and new perspectives.  I feel really blessed in many ways these days.  There is a lot of hope in working towards goals either as individuals or as a family.

In November through to January I had a piece included in a Mail Art Exhibition.  My piece is the middle of the bottom row.  It is called Mary I and the central image is custom designed fabric with a photo of my paternal grandmother.  At some point this year I will receive another artist's work from this show and another artist who participated will get my pieces (I sent in three).  All pieces were 4 x 6", what are known as Artist Trading Cards or ATC's for short.  Overall the show was great with so much variety and work sent in from all over the world.  So again, I wait for my pieces to arrive in the mail at some point in the next months.  I love waiting for mail.  Sometimes the waiting place isn't bad at all.

Fair November

What a stunning month November was this year.  The thing about my birth month is that most people find it wet, cold and depressing.  Which I try not to take personally really.  I mean, there is little I can do to redeem it for anyone...it is what it is.  Except when it is not.  Like this year when it was sunny almost every afternoon and that sun streams down like a gift to those of us that are usually huddling under umbrellas and feeling pale and gloomy by mid month.  The above photo is of two bald eagles on the edge of the Harrison river.  This was their moment to feed on the salmon as they return to lay their eggs and die in the process.  Such a fascinating life cycle and such a delicate balance that we were privileged to witness this year. 

On the right in the above photo lies the Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa where we luxuriated in the healing waters for a lovely weekend.  It was the highlight of the month for me.  So relaxing after a busy month of soccer games, gatherings, school, cleaning...you get the picture. A mini vacation it was and a grateful person am I.

And just cause I want to share a lovely poem I found about November that gives it a nice sentiment rather than the gloomy one that is often associated with the 11th month.

November comes

and November goes,

with the last red berries

and the first white snows.

with night coming early, 

and dawn coming late,

and ice in a bucket, 

and frost by the gate.

the fires burn

and the kettles sing,

and earth sinks to rest

until next spring.

-Clyde Watson

The Lark: hear your sacred song

For some reason for a year before I became pregnant with my first son I was entranced with several different  plants, animals and other magical messengers.  I was very open to noticing the signs around me at the time.  And I had the time to not only notice but delve deeper into the messages they were imparting.
One of my messengers was the Lark.  The name stood out to me and the bird began to sneak into my world.  I have no idea if I've ever seen this bird in person, and I've never had a dream of one either.  The lark just sticks with me as a word that makes me smile and an inner connection to something quiet but compelling.

Just to clarify the Western Meadowlark and the Lark are two separate genus of the bird family.  I have looked into both.  There are several varieties of Lark in Australia and Europe.  Only one variety the Horned Lark has spread to North America.  As a totem the Lark is said to herald the importance of sound, music and voice.  The bird is associated with the Heather plant and will awaken you inner sacred song.  Chaucer called the lark the busy messenger of day and most often the lark is associated with the early bird saying.

The Meadowlark has both an eastern and western version and is a "New World" species.  As a totem this bird is said to mean a cheerful journey inward revealing intuition and innate abilities.  Meadowlarks are valuable to have in your fields as a natural insect remover and is the State bird of six U.S. states including: Oregon, Montana and Nebraska.  The Eastern and Western Meadowlarks are most distinguishable from their songs.

Whether in the magical or mundane world this bird is another wonder of the Goddess' creatures to behold.

Looking deeper: Northern Gateway Pipeline

How does one begin to talk about the power of large corporations?  Their shear mass, their money to hire talented wordsmiths, lovely artists and fund projects with the "downtrodden" to distract us from what they are really doing.  After seeing this commercial I simply could not keep turning my head in disgust anymore.  Honestly, the capacity that Enbridge has to gloss over the reality of what they are doing is remarkable.  The details of what this means for the communities that will be impacted and the habitats that will be destroyed to make one pipeline to carry oil and another to carry condensation are just small blips in what they consider to be their "ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, habitat remediation and protection."
Doesn't that sound lovely.  They destroy one habitat and then fund other groups that are working to protect other areas.  I guess as long as they don't need to build a pipeline there then it's a great place to conserve.
The nitty gritty details of this pipeline are as follows:
A 36" in diameter pipeline will be built from near Edmonton Alberta to Kitimat British Columbia.  This pipeline will traverse the Rocky and Coastal Mountain ranges, many communities and end up at the port in Kitimat where the oil would then be transported to Asia on tankers that will have to navigate through the narrow channels and fjords of the Great Bear Rainforest.
The oil is coming from the Alberta Oil Sands (often referred to as the Tar Sands).
The oil is going to be used in countries that are growing in their need of this non-renewable substance rather than looking harder for alternatives.  In the meantime the ecosystems that will be destroyed to build this structure can never be repaired.  Permanent damage for 560 permanent jobs and 525,000 barrels of oil per day for 30 years.
If there is an oil spill, leak or damage we can not count on Enbrige to responsibly clean up the oil.  Their reputation in this area is not sterling.  In fact it's as dirty as oil.  So the people of this province need to stand up and say no.  Of course our current government, sensing the storm of discontent already raining down about this project are now changing the rules left, right and center to prevent the people from having our say.  Apparently if it comes to Harper's precious oil tycoons all bets are off and the projects will be done whether Canadians like it or not.  The Northern Gateway project is one of three plans to bring more oil through our province.  The other two are another pipeline project run by Kinder Morgan (which just happens to literally run through my back yard) and CN Rail plans on taking oil by train to ports as well.  Does this sound like a country with a "demonstrated commitment to improving environmental standards" or a country that is being denigrated by corporate interests and short term dollar signs?
 I'll leave it up to you to form your own opinion as I have.
If you'd like to stand up to this you can check this out.
And if you'd like to see just what we stand to loose please watch the film below.

For the Birds

As promised here is a little playlist to accompany the lovely birdsong that is bringing spring on the wind.  Spring is taking its time with us this year, teasing us with some sunshine here and there but bringing rains and winds that stir the juices regardless.  I hope this means a long and hot summer to come.

Birds

Cicadas & Gulls - Feist

Big Bird in a Small Cage - Patrick Watson

Sweet Bird - Joni Mitchell

Norwegian Wood (This Bird has Flown) - The Beatles

Given to Fly - Pearl Jam

Black Crow - Joni Mitchell

Emperor Penguin - The Tragically Hip

Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine

The Birds on the Bridge - The Deep Dark Woods

Blackbird - The Beatles

Bird Guhl - Antony & the Johnsons

Song to a Seagull - Joni Mitchell

Three Little Birds - Bob Marley

And Your Bird Can Sing - The Beatles

The Littlest Birds - The Be Good Tanyas

You may have noticed several Joni songs, she sings about birds a lot.  As do The Beatles but you can't deny the classics.  Feel free to add your favorites in the comments and get out and enjoy the birds.  I plan on doing a bit more to honour them this spring, I'll be back with more on that soon.

When it rains...

we go for a walk anyway.  At least that's what I decided today.  This week was a bit quieter for us and mama was starting to go stir crazy.  So despite the cold, wet and downright soggy conditions outside our door we loaded up with chips & some cheese, did some errands and headed to the trail. 

We had many companions on our journey on this dreary day: ducks, seagulls, pigeons, hardcore joggers, another mama with a sleeping stroller babe, some ladies with umbrellas, strange, hovering insects that looked like winter mosquitoes (!?!) and my favorites (other than the boys) lovely birds singing happily away. 
Rain, heck they love the stuff.  It was all happy birdsong out on the marsh by the lake today.  And something in their songs lifted my heart out of the marshy lowlands and into a rejuvenated spirit of it's good to be alive.  The cold does that to me.  It's something about the promise of warmth later that makes me enjoy the chill.

And then there is the beauty of nature.  The colours of spring emerging out of the west coast winter gray. 

Yellows and vibrant peachy pinks are in this spring, nature has a jump on the fashion trends.   And as for the birds I am making them a playlist.  Please leave a comment with your favorite bird song if one comes to mind and I'll share the playlist when I finish it off.  Have a great weekend.  

Thinking about Kitchens Part 2

The curtain edition.  The jumping off point for my kitchen design fantasies is the fabric that I've chosen for the curtains.  This fabric was purchased for a very special event that happened almost two years ago now. 

Birds have become a very important animal and symbol in my life.  When you live in the city they are the most prevalent wildlife (besides bugs and squirrels).  The nests they build always convey a feeling of coziness and you think of eggs, feathers and the shelter of tree branches.  So with those images in mind I picked this vintage fabric as my jumping off point for my kitchen.  In Part 1 I talked about colours and this fabric has each colour I find inspiring right now.  A deep red, soft blue, some pale green, golden yellow and even a slight pink in the upper bird. 
As for the style I created another Flickr gallery with styles of curtains that appealed to me.  Mostly though I think the photos evoke an energy that I like for different reasons in each kitchen.  I've played around with different ideas for the style.  I love the bistro style:

 brad hood

I've had this style in a previous kitchen.  But it covers up too much window in this case.  The kitchen window looks out from the second floor of our new townhouse and so privacy won't be an issue here.  I want to optimize the light and so I'll keep it simple with two side panels that can be closed if we want a cozy feel but leave the window fully exposed otherwise.  What remains to be seen is if I'll make them the length of the window or let them drape down to the floor.  I'll wait and see how we decide to place shelving or other furniture below the window before I make my final decision on that.  But in that case they would probably be more like this:

  decorology

Decor dreaming is quite fun.  Now I'm off on our weekend adventures.  Happy weekend to you all.

The Last Few Days

We've been outside in spurts the last few days.  Drinking in sunshine and listening to the wonderful song of the birds singing spring along.  There has not always been a camera but there has been a small joy to just being despite a bit of runny noses and tiredness.

April 17th, 18th & 19th

Outside

April 15th: A Chu-Chu Train, a Butterfly and a Snail

Sorry we didn't get a good pic of the snail but this one looks like it.  Too bad the butterfly is not native to North America.

April 16th: Bleeding Hearts, a Stream and a Stick

Searching for the Truth behind the Bear Hunt

A few weeks ago I received an email from the David Suzuki Foundation (I am on their mailing list) imploring me to send a pre-typed email to our provincial representatives demanding that the trophy hunt of Grizzly bears be stopped in this province. It seemed like a no brainer to me. I don't agree with trophy hunting. Hunting for food is one thing but hunting to hang a "prize" on your wall is not my idea of a sport. Especially when the hunters lie in wait behind a shield for bears just waking from their winter hibernation to emerge before shooting them with a high powered rifle.

I signed the letter and sent it and was mildly proud that I had put my name behind a cause that I believed in. Fast forward a week and I'm reading our local paper and in the editorial section is a headline reading "Debate needs facts, not emotion" written by Mel Arnold, president of the B.C Wildlife Federation. Here is a link to the article in another paper entitled "Spring bear hunt needs science, not opinion" I read the article and I grew concerned over my actions. I had sent an email trusting the David Suzuki Foundation's word and not doing any research myself to back up the claims. Perhaps they were exaggerating, maybe they had an agenda...I doubted that either of those things were true but I did feel obliged to look into it and see if Mel Arnold had a point.

My first area of research was looking at the B.C Wildlife Federation website. They are a collective of people who hunt and fish. Here is how they define themselves on their website:

"The BC Wildlife Federation is a province-wide voluntary conservation organization of hunters, anglers and recreational shooters, representing all British Columbians whose aims are to protect, enhance and promote the wise use of the environment for the benefit of present and future generations."

By "wise use" I assume they mean hunting responsibly and protecting the ecosystems they are fishing or hunting in. Right now they have a lovely photograph of Grizzly bears catching fish in a river on the main page. The science and facts referred to in both titles of Mr. Arnold's article are no where to be found however.

Next my search lead to The David Suzuki Foundation's website where they have details listed of their research and what numbers they are using to make their claims. Here I found facts and they did not indicate that Mr. Arnold's claims are true. In fact the more research I did the more I found to dispute his claim that:

"Contrary to claims there is no 'slaughter,' there never has been; the B.C government manages wildlife based on science. Grizzly bear populations in B.C are steadily expanding to where there are now viable numbers in 90 percent or more of their historical range."

In the research I have found "viable numbers" is not a fact. The viable number is variable and the amount of kills being made by humans are exceeding the recommended numbers in 63% of local Grizzly bear populations.

The United States has banned trophy hunting Grizzlies. British Columbia remains one of the last places on earth that is graced by this majestic bear. Grizzlies are vulnerable to sport hunting because they have a very slow reproductive rate with females only birthing their first litters of cubs between age 5 and 8 and their litters are rarely larger than 4 cubs. Cubs then remain attached to the mother for up to 3 years meaning that females do not have more cubs for another relatively large span of time. Male Grizzlies range over areas as large as 4000 square kilometres and that makes them very susceptible to habitat fragmentation that continues to put wildlife at risk.

There is research for anyone looking for it and numbers to be weighed. I will list the links I have found for anyone interested in reading more or crunching numbers for themselves. What I find hard to swallow in this debate is that popular opinion is not only based on emotion here and the B.C Wildlife Federation is certainly not without their own agenda.

300 Grizzly bears are killed as trophies every year in B.C and given that fact I believe that the only choice we have as British Columbians and human beings with the responsibility to respect this earth and her creatures is to ban the hunting of Grizzly bears for sport. 300 bears for people to hang on their walls or display as a trophy of prowess and skill is a slaughter. Mr. Arnold can present his opinion as fact but it is not that and defending this practice with claims of economic gain for rural communities and agendas being furthered by the international anti-hunting movement is misleading.

The government of British Columbia needs to stand behind the image presented so idyllically at the Olympics this past February and the way to do that is to realize that letting this hunt go on is wrong not just on an emotional level but also in terms of the facts. This population of Grizzlies that we are supposed to prize can not sustain the hunting that goes on each year and if it continues at this rate we run the risk of damaging the population and the ecosystems these incredible animals participate in.

In the end I found that research led me to feel even more passionate about this subject and I will be sending a letter to the editor of the paper to counter Mr. Arnold's opinion. Obviously I can't research every topic to this extent when called on to take action but in this case I feel that I have found sources that I can trust to relay information that is based on science and is looking out for the marginalized and voiceless ones which in this case are these bears.


PacificWild.org

British Columbia Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy

Environmental Investigation Agency

Grizzly bears being killed at up to double the number allowed by B.C. government: new research

Take Action

Movies That Can Change Us

Every now and then I'll watch a film that strikes a cord. Some people would call it a light bulb moment, you know, it's when you are shaken from your comfortable habits and you think is this really me, do I really believe in this, does it support who I want to be?

Last week I watched not only one but two films that shook me in this way. They have a few things in common: both nominated for an Academy Award, both documentaries and both touching on issues of consumption, food and ethics in humanity's relationship to animals.

The Cove directed by Louie Psihoyos is a thrilling work. Psihoyos and his team travel to a small and idyllic looking town in Japan to uncover a fiercely guarded secret of the horrible slaughter of dolphins that kills about 23,000 of the brilliant creatures a year. This issue is more complex than the mere fact that dolphins are so loved by most people all over the world. Richard O'Barry who brought Flipper to fame is now a driven activist in the plight to free captive dolphins who are being mistreated and ultimately to release all captive dolphins. The film tells his story and is full of suspense as the film team tries to capture this practice on film so that it can be uncovered and ultimately stopped for good.

view trailer here

Not only was the slaughter and sale of dolphins in this film compelling but it also presented some general information about fishing, whale hunting and the toxin levels in the seafood chain that are so important for everyone to consider. Including that at the rate that the world is fishing and eating seafood in 40 years our oceans will be depleted. This fact alone helped my resolve in no longer eating seafood. I can not justify it. I love salmon, I love many seafood dishes but I can survive without eating fish.

Food Inc. directed by Robert Kenner lifts the veil on the industry of food in the United States. There are slight differences in food production and policies in Canada but as an overview of the cultural and political red tape that effects how Americans eat and consider food I think Canadians culture is similar. Factory farms and big business control almost all of the food production in the United States. I can not stress enough how important it is for every North American to see this film. You may think you know where your food is coming from...but do you really? Do you know the person who grows it? What their practices are, how the meat on your table tonight was processed? Who processed it? You'll find many answers to these questions in this film and you'll also find harsh realities accompanied by real steps you can take to change them. This video is the opening 3 minutes of the film.

After watching this one I have some serious reservations about eating animals. Deep in my core I feel that if I can and want to eat an animal I should be able to kill it myself and process it myself and do it in a manner that is respectful and reverent. And the honest truth is that I can't. I feel that I could learn to if it was a matter of survival but what does that leave in the meantime? A guilty meat eater. And more and more I can't resign myself to that. I purchase organic meat but how can I be assured that the animals are being treated the way I believe they should be? The ethics of whether humans should eat animals is not one that I grapple with. I do feel that we have evolved eating meat and that as long as the raising and killing of animals is done with gratitude and respect we can eat them. But factory farms and massive, dangerous and exploitative processing plants are not grateful or respectful of the lives of cows, pigs and chickens being sacrificed for our consumption. These businesses only care about profit margins and bottom lines. I decide where to put my dollars and they are not going towards the perpetuation of this mentality of cruelty. So my commitment is to search out local farmers raising animals ethically and ask them about the slaughter and process of their animals and if I can find ones that I feel meet the standards that I have set for myself and Ky (Dave is already a vegetarian) then I will purchase meat directly from them and invest in a deep freeze. If that is not a possibility I will refrain from eating meat and move into the waters of balancing our way through eating plants only. This post is very wordy so I thank you for making it this far. I hope that every family and individual will see these movies and truly put their money where their ethics are. Demand to buy meat products that are produced with the least amount of suffering for animals possible. We can live in a world that respects all the creatures of nature and is grateful for the food that gives us life.

Book of the Month: November

Creation's Heartbeat: Following the Reindeer Spirit, written by Linda Schierse Leonard takes the reader on a journey with the writer and her husband. A journey to distant lands and to visit with cultures that venerate the Reindeer. This book is one that I feel the need to reread now that I have connected with the deer spirit. Leonard is a Jungian analyst who was inspired by a dream her husband had of a reindeer woman. In her research and work with different cultures that have deer goddesses an archetype of strength and gentleness takes form.
Reindeer are more than cartoon characters that pull Santa's sleigh. They are vigilant animals and both males and females have antlers. The pregnant females travel a great distance to birth their young and will use their antlers to defend them.
If you have an interest in northern legends relating to deer or tribes in Siberia and Alaska and their complex relationship with reindeer this book will be a great addition to your inner journey.

From Wolf to Doe

Puberty brought me my first encounter with a spirit animal. I use the term here in the sense of an animal that you feel drawn to or that comes to you and that guides or imparts wisdom through their nature that aides one on their spiritual path.
I probably heard of the concept during my teenage years and when my fascination with wolves took hold I equated it to the New Age/Indigenous People's mold. Over the years wolves not only decorated my bedroom walls but called to me from movies, books and art. I dreamed that one day I would go on a organized group trip to howl with wolves to the light of the full moon, and yes it was an interest that was very romantic to me. I was often angered at the misconceptions about wolves in our culture, how they were blamed for everything from low elk numbers to stealing children and I used any opportunity presented to dispel myths about them.
As far as the spiritual side however, I can't say that I did much work with the wolf spirit. One meditation that came to me frequently was running through a dense forest from a wolf's perspective. I felt breath, low, quick movement and physical power in that state. It has been years since the wolf and I have conversed but she has remained an animal that I have great respect and admiration for.

Fast forward to my trance work now. I have received a different visitor. In two trances I have interacted with a doe and her fawn. In the last one she informed me that she is now my spirit animal. This shocked me somewhat. I had just assumed that I would stay with the wolf spirit my whole life. But the doe informed me otherwise. She told me that it was time to move into my mother role and embrace the qualities that I need to feed my soul now. I have reflected on this a lot since the meditation and I've come to some conclusions through research into the differences in the animals.

While wolves are obviously still mothers in their packs I think the wolf was my maiden animal. Puberty brought the wolf to me when I needed to learn to respect my emotions and unconscious urges. My early twenties brought me to face my darker side which the wolf is supposed to aide with. They are fiercely loyal and that quality is one that will always be with me, I still see many wolf qualities in my nature. But as I learn of the doe, and examine my new fascination with deer I see that the internal fierceness that I needed during my teen years and during my twenties is quieter now. I still need to be fierce but in a radically new way: that of compassion, gentleness and patience.

During my pre-natal classes I was asked to pick some words that I felt would represent my internal needs during childbirth. I picked Surrender Warrior. Dave thought that they were a contradiction and on first glance they are but to me they made the most sense to the childbirth process and my feelings about it. Two years into motherhood they still make sense to me. The doe listens, she offers alternative paths to a goal, she sacrifices for the higher good and all the while maintains a fierce protection of her young. The outward picture of gentleness and grace can be overcome in an instant if a predator is near. The doe is my helper and guide through the trials of motherhood, the good, the bad and the ugly. But while she is an example of how I connect with my mothering she is also a herald of my journey inward. The Hind (red female deer) referred to as the Eilid in Gaelic, tempts one to explore their own magical and spiritual nature. She has arrived just as I feel called to look deeper and find more meaning. So while I greet her with open arms and am so glad to have been chosen by her, I miss my wolf self slightly. Perhaps she will return in another incarnation someday, but who I was before, who she was before is now a part of the past.

Deer now pop out of the woodwork everywhere I go. The Stag visits as well, though he reserves his lessons for very select periods so far. I've also realized that indications of this change have been coming up for several years now but I guess I was too distracted to listen to the signals. I have several books related to deer that I thought I had read and absorbed but now I feel compelled to read them again. I love that the universe spins you sometimes and says Ha! You thought you had it all figured out but you didn't. And in terms of my soul this could not have come at a better time.

A Little Love for the Feathered Folk

I read recently that North American bird species have declined more than 50 % over the past 40 years. BirdLife International has a detailed article stating the reasons for the decline of birds and what the world as a whole needs to do to help.
The wonder of our wild birds is a joy for us all. Birds help control the insect population, help to fertilize and pollinate plant life and who can forget hearing the happy chirping of birds in the morning? The first thing that you can do to help your local birds is to set-up feeders.
We have a feeder on an upstairs balcony and outside on our living room balcony we have a bell shaped seed cluster inside a mesh bag. You can pick them up at local hardware or garden stores for a very reasonable $5. My son loves to watch the birds come to our balcony and the squirrels can't get at it because it is hung from the top. Mixtures of sunflower seeds, millet, cracked corn and suet are best. And you can enjoy the view and help local wildlife through the winter at same time.
*Please remember that windows can be lethal to birds, when light plays of the surface. Be aware of your window placement in relation to light during the day before you decide where to place your feeders.*