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​Etta Chessor Remembers

7/31/2020

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​Etta Chessor Remembers 
We were very pleased to have Etta Chessor visit EBF the other day. Etta and her late husband, Dean, farmed near Charlie and Winnie and were friends with the Ellis family. Etta shared some interesting memories of the early days, and of Charlie and Winnie. You can listen to her stories on our Charlie and Winnie's Backyard video series HERE
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​A DAY OF CELEBRATIONS at EBF

7/29/2020

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Blue Feather Awards: Each year, Ellis Bird Farm honours Albertans who have been exemplary in their efforts to conserve bluebirds and other native cavity-nesting birds. This year, two bluebirders were recognized, Clarke Snell of Hanna (left) and Bill Taylor of Calgary. We will post more details about their accomplishments shortly. ​
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Opening of the Dow Bridge: Thanks to a Community Grant from Dow and the talents of Wayne Froese (Top Peg Timber Framing) and Jonathan Beekman (Full Circle Plastics), Ellis Bird Farm has a new beautiful bridge. The bridge, featuring post-consumer recycled plastic and repurposed wood (from downed poplars), is a work of art.  We are grateful to everyone who has been involved in this project! ​
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Cutting the ribbon to officially open the bridge was Catherine Costin, Operations Director for Dow's Alberta sites and Vice-president of Dow Chemical Canada ULC). After the ribbon cutting, she posed at the bridge with Wayne Froese and Jonathan Beekman
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​Knee High Nature Programs Continue

7/29/2020

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​Knee High Nature Programs Continue
Claudia Lipski led three very well-received Knee High Nature Beaver programs yesterday at the site. We are pleased to be able to offer these popular programs to local families, who are grateful to be able to participate in engaging, nature-based outdoor activities with their children. 

We have adapted our programs to ensure safety (e.g., smaller groups, each cohort is socially distanced from the others, each cohort receives their own sanitized tub with craft materials, the participants have their own bathrooms for use during the program, and all facilities and supplies are sanitized after each program). 

We are offering many more programs in August - check out our website for details! 
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​Writing Retreat a Success

7/27/2020

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EBF was pleased to co-host a very successful Writing Retreat on Sunday, July 26. The retreat, led by Dr. Jane Ross, was a series of reflective meditations on place, landscape and symbols. 

At the end of the workshop, the participants agreed to produce a chapbook in the fall, a summary of the words and wisdom of those who gathered to contemplate - and share through prose and poetry - the beauty of Central Alberta (especially Ellis Bird Farm!)  
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Fun-Filled Nature for Kids Event at EBF

7/22/2020

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Fun-Filled Nature for Kids Event
Molly Siebenga and Ben Acorn led a fun-filled Nature for Kids Event on Wednesday, July 21st. The kids made beautiful artistic "pinned" butterflies in the morning and went on a successful butterfly hunt in the afternoon. ​
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​Tree Fort!

7/22/2020

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​Tree Fort! 
Wayne Froese of Top Peg Timber Frame Construction is busy at the site finishing up the new tree fort in the Nature Play Area. This tree fort is being constructed from lumber milled from Charlie Ellis's trees. What a wonderful way to ensure that the legacy of these beautiful trees continues! 
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The Honourable Lois E. Mitchell visits ellis bird farm

7/22/2020

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​EBF Hosts a Special Visitor

Ellis Bird Farm (EBF) was honoured on July 21 to have a special visit by Her Honour, The Honourable Lois E. Mitchell, CM, AOE, LLD, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.  

The visit was arranged at Her Honour's request after she read an article about Ellis Bird Farm written by Rod Trentham in The Historical Society of Alberta's History Now newsletter. 

Staff as well as past and current board members were on hand to welcome Her Honour. She was given a tour of the site, and EBF was pleased to be able to share details about the history of the organization, tell some of the stories that have made EBF so unique and successful, and highlight some of our research projects. 
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All photos by Leo de Groot.
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​Unique Nesting Site

7/19/2020

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​Unique Nesting Site
Although EBF has over 300 different nestboxes placed around the site, each year a pair of House Wrens choose the gate pipe to nest in. The swinging of the gate, the heat and the traffic does not seem to bother them! 
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A Pining of Siskins!

7/19/2020

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​A Pining of Siskins!
Central Alberta has been inundated by huge flocks of Pine Siskins. We set up a new feeder at EBF yesterday. The siskins discovered it minutes after it was put out and are devouring the (expensive) sunflower chips. 
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Nature Play Area Plantings

7/17/2020

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​Nature Play Area Plantings
​Work continues on the Nature Play Area. Linda Sommers and Carter McLenahan have been busy clearing areas for the planting of edible shrubs. 
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    NEW!
    Ellis Bird Farm Bookstore

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    When purchasing from our online bookstore, Myrna will be happy to "sign" any of her books for you.
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    All proceeds from the sales of these books support the education, conservation, and research programs of Ellis Bird Farm.

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    ·    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
    ​  Golf carts
    ​
                     Thank you!

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    We celebrate the contributions cats and birds make to our lives, our environment, and our communities, and invite Canadians to consider what they can do to make Canada a safer place for both cats and birds. Here.

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Open May 23, 2022
EMAIL     info@ellisbirdfarm.ca                       PHONE      (403)885-4477                                       
Box 5090
​Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
T4L 1W7
    © Copyright 2015-2020 Ellis Bird Farm 
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