Just a Thought from two sister WBU stores in BC Canada

I started this blog to share observations about local nature and what’s going on in our Wild Birds Unlimited East Lansing, Michigan store. But did you know there are almost 300 Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU) stores across the US and Canada? 

Today I asked one of the WBU’s 2300 miles west of us in British Columbia, Canada to share what’s happening in their neck of the woods. Sherry and Cliff Jury own the WBU's in Abbotsford BC and Chilliwack BC.

Sherry Jury provided us with her lovely observations below:

I always think of Mother Nature using October as a time to change her wardrobe. Gone are the bright greens, blues and purples. Now, for a brief moment, the colours of yellow and orange reigns supreme until they are replaced by dull browns and greys.

Our deer are certainly that colour now. We don’t have as many as we usually do (I hope that they are well), just the yearling and one doe and fawn are living in the back. Their coats now are a beautiful dark grey with a dark muzzle and white throat - very striking. They are still enjoying eating what is left of my violets and lady’s mantle plants but newly fallen leaves have been added to their diet. I thank them for their help with the leaves. There will be plenty to go around!

Our song sparrows are fighting for spots in the yard. One is claiming the front yard, two are claiming the back - unless both are fighting for the creek area, not sure there. They are singing happily in the willow and cedar trees and I must admit, they are improving. Their song now sounds like one a song sparrow should sing. Each has added their own little flourishes and trills to make his song unique and sound nothing like how our old song sparrow sang. We will see how successful they are at attracting a mate in the spring, if they still live here.

The first juncos have also arrived to lay claim to the back yard. These are the dominant males of the flock and they certainly act like it. Our current juncos are fat and healthy and are constantly chasing each other away from any scrap of food they find below the feeders. I notice they also have a wide space around each other when feeding unlike what occurs when the other birds arrive. Then, everyone feeds, fights and lives together in one big, feisty family. Not now, these guys are too important to mingle.

Everyone is eating more as nights are started to become cooler. Our squirrels are enjoying the extra apples on the trees. It is funny to watch them carry an apple around (they usually are as big as their heads) in their jaws and then try to bury them. But they don’t dig a hole. No, our squirrels sort of try to just push the apple in the dirt, hoping that by some miracle, it will bury itself. Dirt-covered apples, yummy.

~ by Sherry Jury

WBU Abbotsford BC

WBU Chilliwack BC  

Home page: http://fraservalley.wbu.com/  
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/wbu.fraservalley.

.

Some other sister store posts:
- Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Squirrels: Guest Blogger from WBU Redmond, WA
- BEWARE: If you come into the store you may catch it! (video from WBU Pleasant Hill, CA)
- One lucky duck!: Guest Blogger from WBU Springboro, OH
- Everyone Eats in My World: Gary Fortcher from WBU Oakdale, NY