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A beloved activity has the green light once again at the Beaver Creek Conservation Area near Saskatoon.
According to Jamie Harder, co-ordinator of the Meewasin Valley Authority’s interpretive program, when avian influenza was detected in Saskatchewan last spring, the organization put a hold on the hand-feeding program at the park on the advice of provincial wildlife authorities. Now, that ban has been lifted.
She said many migratory birds are now leaving the province, and the avian flu hasn’t affected the chickadee population.
“Now we can go ahead and continue with that behaviour of hand-feeding them again,” she said. “The population is not at risk.”
Harder said feeding the birds the most popular activity at the conservation area.
“There’s nothing like having a black cap chickadee land on your hand. It’s a pretty special encounter,” she added.
Visitors to the area can head to the interpretive desk for free black oil sunflower seeds to feed to the tiny birds. Harder said the birds can be found on the trails throughout the park. Chickadees are resident birds, meaning they don’t migrate when the temperature drops.
“You can feed the chickadees year round here, but they are definitely more interested in the seed during the fall and winter months,” Harder said.
Feed donations are also accepted at the park.
