Hummingbird Season is upon us!

I have some wonderful news about Lucy! You may recall, I wrote about this special Island duck a couple of weeks ago and how she returns to the Charlottetown Superstore Garden Centre each year to lay her eggs. (If you missed it, you can read that story here: https://preservecompany.com/blogs/bruces-muses/quaking-up )

Well, Lucy’s eggs hatched last week, and it was time for this little family to leave the Superstore and head back home. The Charlottetown Police Department gallantly stopped traffic on the busiest road in PEI, so the family could safely cross on its way to a neighbouring pond.

You can read the story and watch the video here:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-lucy-ducklings-hatched-1.4147584?cmp=rss

The police help Lucy every year. It makes us curious about how the police department decides which officer gets the privilege of helping Lucy cross the road. Any ideas?

Speaking of birds, we’re so pleased to welcome the ruby-throated hummingbirds back to Prince Edward Island for the season.

We have feeders hanging around the restaurant and throughout the gardens, both to provide these little birds with an extra source of food and because we just love watching them!

Did you know there are roughly 330 species of hummingbirds in the world? We generally only see about a dozen of those in North America, above Mexico.

It’s so easy to attract hummingbirds. All you need is some sugar, water, and an inexpensive feeder. We use a ratio of 1 part sugar to 3 parts water when we first hang the feeders, and then after more flowers are in bloom for the birds to feed from, we gradually change the ratio to 1:4. There’s no need to put red dye in with this mixture, as the birds are attracted to the colour of the feeder and the red dye may be harmful to our feathered friends. So, save your money and don’t buy that hummingbird food you see in stores. Just make your own.

Do you see hummingbirds where you live? I would love to hear about the varieties of birds that visit your gardens. (And I’m serious about finding out about the Lucy crossing guard duty … in case any Charlottetown police officers are reading this!)

I went to a muscial event last night in Brackley Beach to see the family group Clan Hanigan at the North Atlantic Tionol. What a night of music. The place was packed with traditional music lovers and musicians. 

If you love music, storytelling, and dance, the next two weeks on Prince Edward Island is the place to be! The annual Small Halls Festival has started and I am looking forward to taking in 3 or 4 events. For more info click here: www.smallhalls.com