Ellis Bird Farm

Ellis Bird farm is now closed for the year, opening again on May 21st, 2018

2018 SCHOOL PROGRAMS - Sorry, we are now fully booked for the 2018 season

Update on owls - Ellie and Albert

Albert checking nest April 11th-Photo by Kathleen Evon

As we enter the cool and slowly progressing spring season, all eyes at Ellis Bird Farm have been on Ellie and Albert, our resident Great Horned Owls, and on their nest. Last year, the owls had settled on the nest by January 29th. This year, however, we had given up all hope until April 10, when they both appeared at the nest and engaged in courtship activity. There are a few factors that may be causing a delay in Great Horned Owls nesting this year: last fall saw very cold temperatures and then rain before the snow fell. These conditions likely caused a huge mouse/vole die off. The snow pack also presents challenges: the rodents are very hard to access because the snow is thick with several crust layers. A very cold and snowy spring is also causing them to postpone nesting. We have three web cameras on the nest, so they can be watched 24-7. Check out their past pictures and stories here.

Live WEBcams

If USTREAM live webcams no longer stream on your computer, a few setting changes need to be done in your browser. Follow easy instructions below.
Flash Instructions for Chrome and Firefox browsers:
Chrome: MENU/SETTINGS/ADVANCED/CONTENT SETTINGS/FLASH/BLOCK SITES FROM RUNNING-uncheck/ALLOW/ADD/Add to list http://www.ustream.tv
Firefox: MENU/ADD-ONS/PLUG-INS/SHOCKWAVE FLASH/ALWAYS ACTIVATE

Full view of owl nest. Day/night camera.
USTREAM- may take up to 30 sec to load stream
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ellis-bird-farm-channel-1

Close-up view of owl nest. Day camera only.
USTREAM- may take up to 30 sec to load stream
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ellis-bird-farm-channel-3

Bird feeder station at EBF. Day/night camera.
USTREAM- may take up to 30 sec to load stream
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ellis-bird-farm-channel-2

Earth Week event

Nixon Housch, Justin Housch, Lennox Housch, Jasmine Selent, Owen Selent, Lily Kristian, Ella Kristian, Marc Kristian, Daven Erb-Berube, Debra Erb, Rick Brown, Duff Boyd, Hailey Hallman, Kiza Hallman, Terry Johannson, Dayce Morrison, Eiley Morrison, Maizie Hallman, Marilyn Johannson

As part of Earth Week this year, the employees and their families from Praxair Canada's Prentiss facility gathered for a fabulous participation event at the Ellis Bird Farm. Under the skilled tutelage of Sarah Ritchie, all the kids (and some adults too!) constructed bird feeders to take home along with Myrna Pearman's new book "Backyard Bird Feeding in Alberta"! Hot chocolate and pizza rounded out the event and everybody headed home to paint and install their bird feeders with big smiles and great memories.

thank you Joseph Fromhold

We would like to thank Joseph Fromhold, an authority on Indigenous history, for working with Wayne Froese and EBF to ensure that we design a culturally appropriate covering on our Circle Deck.

EBF Annual General Meeting

Ellis Bird Farm held their AGM on March 13th. The highlights of the meeting included two donation cheque presentations. EBF Treasurer, Barb Shepherd, accepted cheques from the Kiwanis Club of Red Deer (from left, Joe Yamniuk, Larry Pimm, Alec Robertson, Gerry Stelmaschuk) as well as the Twilight Homes Foundation ( Alec Robertson, Marvin Bruce, Vic Willoughby). We are very grateful to both organizations for their ongoing support of Ellis Bird Farm.

EBF Chairman Bob Winchell, left, also took the opportunity to thank outgoing board members Darcy Gabert, Brian Biggs, Gordon Johnson and Joanne Susut. We are very grateful to each of these volunteers for sharing their time and talents with us over the years.

Bob Winchell also welcomed new members, Howard Oudman, Maureen Carey, Joh Wieler and Abey Idicula. Judy Schwartz replaced Bonnie Mullen in November 2018.
Board Pic: Standing from left: Abey Idicula, Tony Blake, Howard Oudman, Jon Wieler, Leo de Groot, Bob Winchell
Seated: Barb Shepherd, Colleen McPhee, Maureen Carey, Judy Schwartz

March Update

Ellis Bird Farm hosted Shawn Moore of Trimmed Line Tree Services and Wayne Froese of Top Peg Timber Frame Construction at the site recently to asses the health of the trees around the EBF site and to discuss some new projects at the farm.

We are looking to partner with Wayne and Shawn to support their new initiative (Sawing for Schools) and to switch to using lumber - for our birdboxes and bird feeder kits - that has been sourced locally, mostly from the trees that were downed in Red Deer during last spring's wind storm.

Ellis Bird Farm Board of Directors

Standing from left: Gordon Johnson, Brian Biggs. Leo de Groot, Tony Blake, Colleen McPhee, Darcy Gabert, Bob Winchell Sitting from left: Joanne Susut, Bonnie Mullin, Barb Shepherd

Ellis Bird Farm is overseen by a volunteer board of up to ten directors. It is both a governance and working board, represented by an appointee from each of Lacombe County, Red Deer River Naturalists, Nature Alberta and MEGlobal Canada, as well as members-of-large.

The present board is made up of: Bob Winchell, Chairman and member-at-large; Darcy Gabert as secretary, representing MEGlobal; Barb Shepard as treasurer, representing Lacombe County (she has just been re-appointed to the board following the recent municipal election); Brian Biggs as vice-chairman, member-at-large; Joanne Susut, member-at-large; Gordon Johnson, member-at-large; Tony Blake, representing Nature Alberta; Colleen McPhee, member-at-large; and Leo de Groot, member-at-large. Recently retiring from the board was Bonnie Mullin, representing Red Deer River Naturalists. Bonnie is moving to British Columbia to be closer to family.

Several additional board members will be retiring at the next EBF AGM, which will be held in March, 2018. To this end, EBF is seeking additional members to serve on the board. Since the board relies on the expertise of board members to help oversee the operation, it is hoped that community members with some experience or expertise in the legal, agriculture, ecology, wildlife conservation, horticulture and financial fields will be interested in applying. A note of interest can be sent to info@ellisbirdfarm.ca.

BEAUTY EVERYWHERE: PHOTO ESSAYS BY MYRNA PEARMAN

Myrna Pearman's exciting book, Beauty Everywhere: Photo Essays by Myrna Pearman is a compilation of five years of her Red Deer Advocate monthly photo essays (2010-2015).
Purchase it here in our EBF bookstore.
It is also available through Myrna Pearman's official website here.

Also at the following retailers:
Kerry Wood Nature Centre, Red Deer
Hannas Seeds, Lacombe
Alix Home Hardware, Alix
Parkland Garden Centre, Red Deer
Peavey Mart stores
Wildbird General Store, Edmonton
Wild Bird Store, Calgary
Rimbey Review, Rimbey
Ponoka Bookstore, Ponoka

BACKYARD BIRD FEEDING: An Alberta Guide BY MYRNA PEARMAN

Ellis Bird Farm’s Backyard Bird Feeding: AN ALBERTA GUIDE is available in our new online bookstore here.
When purchasing from our online bookstore, Myrna will be happy to "sign" this book for you.
The proceeds from the sale of this book support the conservation, education and research programs of Ellis Bird Farm.
Media/ Press Kit for this book

Stores where you can purchase this book:
Right here on our website ( You can request a signed copy)
Ellis Bird Farm Visitor Centre - Gift Shop
Kerry Wood Nature Centre - Red Deer
Chapters - Red Deer
Co-op, Red Deer Home Centre - Riverside Drive
The Wildbird General Store - Edmonton
Westview Co-op - Eagle Hill Grocery & Farm Store
Rona - Sylvan Lake
Nowco Home Hardware - Lacombe
Hannas Seeds - Lacombe
Second Glance Books - Lacombe

Central Alberta Coop Flower Shop - Lacombe
Meats and Sausage - Bashaw
Alix Home Hardware - Alix
South Side Greenhouse - Barrhead
Ponoka Bookstore - Ponoka
Peavey Marts - All stores in Alberta
The Wild Bird Store - Calgary
Spruce It Up Garden Centre - Calgary
Owl's Nest Books- Calgary- Britannia Shopping Plaza
Country Living & Garden Centre - Okotoks
Parkland Garden Centre - Red Deer

Map and Directions

Contact Ellis Bird Farm

The Weather Network

Tweets by @EllisBirdFarm

Our Horned Owls-Ellie & Albert here

Myrna Pearman Engagements -2018

WISH LIST

Wheelbarrow
Household brooms
Yarn and plastic lacing cord
Umbrellas to loan out to visitors on rainy days
Wooden or nature-based plastic beads for our school and day camp programs
Old fashioned one-speed bike (to keep the farmstead theme of EBF). This would be used for staff to open and close the gate and other errands around the site.
Leaf blowers
Bistro sets (small table, two chairs)
Shoelaces (new or lightly used)
World globes
Craft supplies, tempera and acrylic paints for crafts
Golf cart