Chickadee Nature Tours

12/16/2023

Are you looking for a fun activity for the whole family over the Christmas holidays? Why not decorate your tree for the birds?

https://www.mjindependent.com/lifestyles/2023/12/16/48t4kk4oh466imwbmbc4a9ud3sknzn?fbclid=IwAR3_gBQnI_P0PPDcft8GhMP76XEN8rCV1HROgrTqw7uPFpdxBpZdv_bMVWw

Although it is not a harsh winter, so far helping out, the birds by feeding them is still something that will increase your chances of surviving the winter Learn all about it and what you can do here yourself to help out

12/05/2023

Post # 1 - "The Pine Siskin" 🐦🌲

You read that right, peep! 70 degrees Celsius is what these tiny birds can survive! But how?

So, how do they do it? They do what chickadees do, but instead of going into near hypothermia, they ramp up their metabolic rates....which are amazingly typically 40 per cent higher than another songbird species of the same size.

When temperatures in balmy Saskatchewan plunge as low as - 70 c ( -94 f), these birbs can accelerate that metabolic rate up to five times normal, AND for several hours!

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11/04/2023

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There's still room to register in tomorrow's storytime with Miss A! This program is for ages 2 and up. Register here https://www.moosejawlibrary.ca/childrens-programs/i-love-the-earth

10/26/2023

Birdwatching...

Do you enjoy it, or enjoy it a lot? What is your favourite bird? Mine is, without question, the indomitable Black-capped Chickadee. Second place would be the snarky, yet very friendly Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Show me a photo of your favourite bird...and with the temperature freezing, please remember to put out seed and suet for both the birds and wildlife. Even squirrels need to gain weight over winter so they can sleep during the stormier days.

Small birds will eat and cache seeds from dawn to dusk. They also need to constantly eat to keep warm. They puff out their feathers on cold days and trap warm air inside. At night, small birds like chickadees often huddle in tree hollows.

Chickadees even lower their body temperatures to conserve energy during long winter nights. Their beaks and feet are kept at lower temperatures so they can keep their core warm. They can keep their core warm with a counter-current exchange of blood.

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How to hand feed birds. Read about it here!
https://www.mjindependent.com/lifestyles/2019/11/17/yiz0talhkaklv78vu3jxu55epv8dj7

10/02/2023

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The leaves are falling, and the last flowers are blooming. Before you start cleaning up your garden, consider what that "mess" can do for biodiversity in your yard. We grow native plant gardens to attract pollinators, and providing them with year round habitat is just as important as feeding them. Here are some tips on preparing your garden for winter!
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- Leave the leaves. A layer of leaves provides places for critters to overwinter; most butterflies and moths spend winter in leaf litter. If you must move some leaves, rake them up and pile them somewhere in your yard instead of shredding them with a mower; this will avoid injuring insects. You can use leaves to mulch your native plant garden, or place them around trees and shrubs.
- Not only do bugs hide away in the leaves, many queen bees will burrow into the ground to hibernate, and an extra layer of leaves has the added benefit of protecting them from extreme cold.
- Leave plant stems and flowers standing. Stem-nesting bees can lay their eggs into the stems, and migrating birds eat the seeds of some native plants. Seed heads also look beautiful on a frosty morning. Stems have the added benefit of trapping snow in the garden, which can replenish soil moisture in the spring.
- Create brush piles. Planning on trimming shrubs or trees? Don't toss the branches into your compost bin. Instead, tuck them away in a pile in the corner of your yard. Some insects prefer to overwinter in a brush pile, and the piles are a place for birds and small mammals to hide away from predators.

Embrace the mess, support biodiversity, and take your pollinator paradise to the next level!

Check out this useful and incredibly detailed resource on nesting and overwintering habitat for pollinators and other insects from the Xerces Society:https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/18-014.pdf
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Pollinator Paradise YXE is a project of Wild About Saskatoon, joyfully advocating for nature in Saskatoon, SK

09/22/2023

Don't forget to go see the changing leaves before they "fall" off. Saturday is the Fall Equinox, a great day to get out and enjoy the changing season!

(Photos by K. Epp) 📷