“I don’t feed the birds because they need me; I feed the birds because I need them.”
Are you captivated by birds? New to birding? An old hand? If you are interested in providing “habitecture” for birds, then this workshop is for you. By the end of the day, you will have three items to bring home to support birds throughout the year.
We will create a Hopper Style feeder for the winter months, as well as a Suet Log Feeder attractive to Woodpeckers, Chickadees and Nuthatches. The third project will be a nesting box for Bluebirds, Wrens, and Tree Swallows. This nesting box will be complete with predator guards and a pole, ready for you to install in the spring. We will be following the recommended plan from the Eastern Bluebird Association for the nesting box, designed for Bluebirds and other cavity nesters (e.g., Tree Swallows, House Wrens, Downy Woodpeckers, & Chickadees).
Learn about the fundamentals of woodworking while completing three projects. Everything will be created with simple hand tools and a couple of battery operated tools that are readily available.
WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
| 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM | Arrival | |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM | Welcome and opening | |
| 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM | Bird house construction | |
| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Exploring feeders | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch |
| 1:00 PM – 3:45 PM | Feeders, continued. Nesting boxes and possible hikes in the woods. | |
| 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM | Wrap up, group photo, and departure |
ABOUT THE FACILITATORS
RENA UPITIS is a self-taught carpenter. Her first major renovation project of an old stone school house was in 1984, and she has been learning ever since! She designed the lodge at Wintergreen and played a major role in its construction, including stuffing hundreds of straw bales into the walls. She studied with Rob Roy in 2006, where she first learned about cordwood construction and living roofs, techniques she has incorporated in many Wintergreen buildings.
Rena also likes to make simple and functional items, including willow benches and — yes — bird houses ! Her creations are both whimsical and rooted to the earth. She loves teaching and treats the building process as a creative interaction of materials and function.
LUKE HOWIE has worked at the intersection of experiential education, nature connection, and ecology for the duration of his career. As a place-based educator, he loves to learn from the land and those who know it best.
Luke completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto and his BEd at Trent University. He has an AQ in Outdoor Experiential Education from Lakehead University and his Forest and Nature School Practitioner Certification from the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada.
Prior to joining Wintergreen Studios as Program Director in the Fall of 2023, Luke led outdoor education programming at the Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto for nearly a decade. He now lives on an old farmstead in the Frontenac Arch with his family. On the farmstead, he has developed many skills, including carpentry skills. He looks forward to working along with the workshop participants as we all learn from one another.
COST & REGISTRATION
This workshop is limited to 12 participants.
Payment in full is required upon registration.
$185 + HST includes instruction and use of tools, materials for nesting boxes and bird houses, and a gourmet lunch.
If registering for more than one person, please enter the number of tickets as the “Quantity” and you will be charged accordingly.
HST is included in the checkout price.