Many people love to feed birds all year round. Now I am no expert birder. I'm really no birder at all, although I was a great fan of the late Detroit Tiger #20 Mark The Bird Fydrch, known as the Bird for his resemblance to "Big Bird" from Sesame Street because of his long curly blonde hair.
Chicken Feed Provides Good Cheap Vittles for Birds
My wife and I have become fans of the cardinals and the odd blue jay we spot in our North London neighbourhood. In the winter we have headed to Gibbons Park the last few years and noticed a group of Canada Geese and ducks that have given up the instinct to migrate.
The food is too good in the park year round. In the winter time, food is scarce from nature and humans and they really are hungry at time. We finally decided to feed them from time to time. But what should we give them? Bread is just about the worst thing you can feed them.
We headed off to the TLC agricultural store on Dundas East, last year and bought a huge bag of chicken feed. We explained to the clerk what we wanted it for and she gave us just what we needed and the price was well........as low as chicken feed. It was about $15 for a bag that lasted well into the spring. Now they had all the fancy bird seeds as well but she explained that this was best and it had all the protein, carbohydrates and fat that they needed.
So we're at it again, feeding our friends chicken feed, but only in the winter months. They can find their own food during the rest of the year. Ideally these birds would migrate but that bird has flown. Too many people feed these guys all year round.
The winter month feedings are necessary for backyard birds and Gibbons Park birds as nature provides little in the way of food. Others feed the birds as well. We aren't the only bleeding hearts.
If you have any sage advice to add to this birding article I would appreciate it. I know these birds grow in population and can be a problem as they poop everywhere. But what are we to do in the winter, just let them starve after over-feeding them throughout the rest of the year?
If they ever put up a sign banning the feeding of the geese and ducks we will comply. I don't know Councillor Hubert's position on this matter put there are probably thousands who feed the geese and ducks at Gibbons. We only feed them in winter to when food is scarce. If the City's ecologist ever put a plan in place not to feed them and to move them, cull them or get them to migrate we would comply. Watching them starve isn't an option. I'm curious as to what Hubert has to say on the matter because London is years behind on the geese/duck problem. Most Cities close to water have dealt with the issue years ago.
