Vancouver Chills Out

It’s that time of year when everybody longs to see the white stuff. Well, we’ve seen it, so be gone! Vancouver, known world over for its wet, mild winters, has this year joined the ranks of the big guys, New York, Toronto, etc.

Almost a week ago, we had about 10″ of snow over 24 hours in West Vancouver. Living on the side of a mountain, we knew we would have some challenges getting into and out of our property. But we never thought it would last this long. Along came an “arctic outflow” and everything became ice, including the nectar in the hummingbird fever. These amazing tiny birds, the Annas variety, brave these frigid temperatures to come and sit on the feeder outside my kitchen window, providing me with a live nature show without conditions. Seeing them actively seeking nectar in the cold cold air was so disturbing that I now bring the feeders in at night, top-up the sugar-rich liquid (ratio is 50:50 white sugar dissolved in boiled water), and put them out at sunrise next morning.

I love the hummingbirds and am amazed at their resilience. Tonight, as temperatures again drop to record lows, I wonder where they are and how they are doing. And I look forward to seeing them again tomorrow morning.