Backyard birdwatching

Image by Marija Gavrilova from Pixabay

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How do you make the best of your shrinking world?

As Covid19 spread like wildfire at the start of the pandemic, Richmond folks found themselves feeling like virtual prisoners in their own homes.

Some of us live in small boxes in the sky, some of us dwell on sprawling estates, but most of us make do with our humble single family Steveston special with its modest size backyard.

That patch of green, in fact, has become central to our happiness since the lockdown began in March. I wouldn't call us birders yet, but we do whip out the old pair of binoculars when we spy chickadees, sparrows, doves, and other species we can't identify. But the most welcome visitor would have to be the hummingbird (we have since named it "Hummy.") The beauty of its iridescent feathers and beating wings leave us utterly breathless.

We paid numerous visits to Canadian Tire to construct a broad based pole with metal extensions at the top that support two bird feeders. For Hummy, we picked a feeder kit that included the nectar mix. The birds took a few weeks to feel safe and comfortable with the setup but Hummy proved to be especially cautious and shy.

But we didn't mind waiting for the birds to come around. We figured time watching their comings and goings was time well spent. We might even continue our new pastime long after the lockdown is lifted and life is good again.