Backyard feeding of wild birds has long been an activity embraced by Canadians.听
In fact, 8.4 million Canadian households (61.5 per cent) buy wild bird feed, according to a new book Backyard Bird Feeding: A Saskatchewan Guide. It also notes Canadians are 1.8 times more likely to regularly buy wild bird feed than Americans.听
Authors Trevor Herriot and Myrna Pearman suggest feeding wild birds is simply a good thing to do.听
鈥淭o feed birds in a mild-continental temperate place like Saskatchewan is to reach out a hand toward the untamed dramas outside our windows, where the short intense lives of wild creatures play out in all weathers,鈥� they write in the introduction.听
The past year, in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the hobby has garnered extra interest.听
鈥淚n the dark days of winter, and especially this year when most of us find ourselves at home, people are more than ever taking solace and inspiration from birds and doing all they can to attract them within. Chickadee, nuthatch, and woodpecker: they arrive on their own schedules, each a kind of gift, and we reciprocate by feeding them. It is one interchange with the world that feels right, that is neither extractive nor exploitive,鈥� they continue in the introduction.听
It鈥檚 not a new activity either.听
鈥淔or thousands of years before Richardson travelled through what is now central and northern Saskatchewan, and then wrote those words about the Canada Jay (鈥淲hisky Jack鈥� is an anglicized form of the Cree name for the species, Wiskicahk)) hunting people in this part of the world were living with birds as part of their daily round. People have always fed birds, or rather, birds long ago found ways to get people to share their food. Jays, chickadees, magpies and ravens gathering at a hunter鈥檚 kill; pigeons and starlings in Europe and Asia feeding on grain 鈥� incidental bird feedings has a long history.鈥澨�
But, why the book at this time?听
鈥淭he book was Myrna Pearman's idea -- she had written a similar book for Alberta and suggested we do one together for Saskatchewan,鈥� explained Herriot who has听always lived in Saskatchewan, all over the prairie as a kid but mostly in the Aspen Parkland region.听鈥淭hat was a couple of years ago, but when the pandemic forced people to stay home and they started to notice the birds, some for the first time, we knew it was the right time to do it.鈥澨�
Finally, the book became a reality added Herriot who noted his 鈥渇ondest memories are of living in Tantallon in the Eastern Qu'Appelle Valley and in Esterhazy.鈥� He said the book had a simple enough reason for finally being written.听
鈥淲e hope that, by connecting people to the birds in their neighbourhood, farms and gardens, this book will in a small way contribute to the work of transforming the way humanity regards and values the wild creatures with whom we share the earth,鈥� he said, quoting for the book鈥檚 introduction.听
Herriot, who has authored a number of books 鈥� having spoke in Yorkton on the release of some of those, noted 鈥渢he craft of writing books, you learn by reading and imitating the kinds of writing you love. For me it has been mostly American authors, from Henry David Thoreau to Aldo Leopold, Wallace Stegner, Barry Lopez, and Peter Matthiessen.鈥澨�
But working with a co-author is an experience of its own.听
鈥淲hen you work on a book together as Myrna and I did, it is a lot of going back and forth on email, after having decided who would do what,鈥� said Herriot. 鈥淎s well as being an excellent writer and photographer, Myrna is a very congenial, pleasant person to work with so it was not difficult in the least.听听
鈥淎nd it helps that she is far and away the expert on the topic of backyard birdfeeding. If there was any question of content or decisions to make on this or that aspect of bird feeding, I simply deferred to Myrna. I do not know anyone anywhere who knows more about how to attract birds to your yard and living space.鈥澨�
With Pearman providing expertise the book came together rather smoothly, note Herriot.听
鈥淭his was not a difficult book to write, mostly because I had Myrna and her knowledge to lean on, but I would say the part I liked least was the proof-reading and copy-editing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am really bad at it and tend to miss a lot of things or be a bit too careless.鈥澨�
But, what then is the best part of the book.听
鈥淚 think the best part of the book -- other than the writing and the wealth of knowledge from Canada's top wild bird-feeding expert, Myrna Pearman -- is the outstanding selection of photos it includes,鈥� offered Herriot. 鈥淭he photo editor (my daughter Maia) and I chose the final 331 images from more than 850 submissions that came in from 66 of Saskatchewan and Alberta's finest bird photographers. We could not be more pleased with the quality of photos in the book.鈥澨�
The photos include several from Yorkton鈥檚 Morley Maier.
So the co-authors like what they created.听听
鈥淚 think Myrna and I are very proud of the book, and we are grateful to have the chance to work with Nature Saskatchewan, one of the province's most important conservation organizations, which of course traces its origins to Yorkton and Isabel Priestly,鈥� said Herriot.听
Yorkton actually figures prominently in terms of Saskatchewan and birds. The book notes prior to the 1930s several community-based groups had formed around nature and birding.听
鈥淲hat all these clubs needed was a publication to bring them together. That publication came in the 1940s when an upstart club in Yorkton began mimeographing 鈥淭he Blue Jay, Official Bulletin of the Yorkton Natural History Society.鈥� 听The Fall 1945 issue contained the following tips on feeding birds: 鈥淎 most satisfactory 鈥榖ird cake鈥� can be made by mixing weed seeds gathered at the threshing machine, with melted suet. When hard, it can be broken into pieces and tied with string to the trees or clothes鈥� line,鈥� details the book.听
The legacy continues 鈥�... Nature Saskatchewan and its many affiliates around the province continue to foster an interest in birds and bird conservation today. Blue Jay keeps members and the general public informed of emerging issues, interesting observations, and the latest science, while Nature Saskatchewan鈥檚 publishing arm produces important books, including Birds of Saskatchewan, an exhaustive 768-page compendium covering 437 species of birds.鈥澨�
The book is also dedicated to the late Mary Houston who taught for three years at the former听Yorkton Collegiate Institute spending about 12 years in the city and marrying Stuart Houston during that time, were historians, authors and researchers.听
鈥淪he supported Nature Saskatchewan throughout her adult life and wrote many articles for Blue Jay, including three decades of reports on the province鈥檚 Christmas Bird Counts published in every March issue,鈥� notes the dedication.
Houston also organized and monitored 鈥渁 322-kilometre (200 mile) long bluebird nestbox trail from the late 1960s to 2005, she banded 8,000 bluebirds and more than 18,000 tree swallows.鈥� 鈥淭he Bluebird trail was started by the Brandon Junior Naturalists in 1959 (or 1961) and extended through to Broadview,鈥� explained Herriot.听
鈥淟orne Scott started up in 1963 to connect from Indian Head to Broadview, and west to about Raymore.听 The Houston鈥檚 started their 200 km section out of Saskatoon in 1968,听and connected at Raymore.鈥�
As for the book, it has a rather large potential audience.听
鈥淢yrna and I wrote the book for people on farms and in towns and cities -- both those who have always loved the birds and the thousands who, living under the pandemic restrictions, have just begun to notice them passing through their yards and farm sites,鈥� said Herriot.听听
鈥淲e are hoping that the tips and advice in the book will help them not only attract birds but identify them as well, because it includes a section with accounts of the 72 species that are most likely to show up at feeders in the province.鈥澨�
The book is available directly through the publisher Nature Saskatchewan for $19.99 (online store:听) and at the following outlets: Turning the Tide books, McNally Robinson Booksellers, Wild Birds Unlimited and Early Farm and Garden in Saskatoon, The Penny University (bookstore) in Regina, DDK Pets in Moose Jaw, and Pharmasave in Esterhazy.听
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