Couple of things from Grounds

Submitted by Pam Boyd on behalf of Grounds Committee

It has come to Ground’s attention that someone in the coop has been yelling at and extremely rude to Rick, our Grounds Maintenance contractor. This is shocking, very embarrassing behaviour. Curbside, our contractors, are good, loyal, people, working very hard to meet our often complicated and contradicting needs. Please, please be nice to our contractors, behaviour like this reflects badly on all of us. If you were the person that did this, please take the opportunity to apologize to Rick the next time you see him in the coop.

Pest management

The coop is in need of a Pest Management coordinator. This is a regular committee type role the coop needs taking care of.

Tasks are:

• keeping pest management supplies stocked and organized in the shed

• helping to asses issues raised and deciding whether the need is for an exterminator or whether you and the member can deal with it yourselves

• making suggestions and helping to eliminate the pest in question

This volunteer position does NOT involve being on a committee or going to meetings

Bird feeders

Submitted by Belle Auld for Education and Grounds Committees

Let’s keep mice away from our homes and our wild birds healthy

We live in a beautiful natural setting that includes mice and birds. If we choose to feed birds during the winter, we need to be careful to not encourage mice as well. During cold weather mice will look for a warm place indoors. It is costly and messy once mice get in our homes. They can bite through wiring and woodwork and some mice may also spread diseases like Lyme disease and hantavirus. One of the ways we can help avoid mouse infestations in our houses is to practice good bird feeder habits. If you have a bird feeder, please follow the advice below to keep mice away from feeders and our houses, and to help keep our birds healthy.

Bird feeders:

• Limit the amount of bird feed  - If it takes a couple of days for the birds to eat the seeds, reduce the amount of seed. Not only does this reduce the chances of mice being attracted, but helps keep birds healthy. When seeds mix with droppings (birds or rodents), it increases the chance of infections in birds.

• Clean the feeder and tidy around the feeder – Clean the feeder regularly (preferably with a 5% disinfecting solution). Sweep up fallen seeds and keep the area free of clutter. Clean up droppings and mouldy seeds from (and around) the feeder. Water containers should be changed daily. This will help keep the birds healthy.
• Location – Do not put your bird feeder right outside your window. Distance it from your house so mice are not encouraged to find a way in and look for more food.

• Deterrents – Do not place the feeder near the ground. Hanging it from a branch that is not near tall hedges or another tree branch is ideal, as is using metal poles that a mouse can’t climb. As an added measure, attach baffles to prevent mice from climbing all the way to the feeding station. You could even sprinkle cayenne pepper into the mix to make it undesirable to many rodents – without affecting the birds’ enjoyment.

• Limit spills – Some feeders come with a tray that will catch the seeds and provide a landing platform for birds. No-waste bird seed blends are also available that will help by eliminating the filler seeds and hulls that birds discard.

Storage should be inaccessible – Make sure that you store your feed in a canister that seals and cannot be chewed into by a mouse’s sharp teeth. Use containers made of metal or glass, or keep it inside, away from the outdoor critters.

from http://www.victorpest.com/articles/do-bird-feeders-attract-mice and https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/read-and-learn/helping-birds/feeding/hygiene.aspx