Imagine it is a warm summer day. The sky is blue, the breeze is light. You want something relaxing but fun to do outdoors, without the hassle of having to pack for the beach, or launder wet swimsuits from the pool or splash park. You just want to hop in the car and go, be entertained, and come home satisfied without a bunch of packing or cleaning to do as a result of your day out.
Enter the Ellis Bird Farm, located just southeast of Lacombe, Alberta. Free to visit (but they sure do appreciate donations, so I encourage you to bring a bit of cash) the Ellis Bird Farm offers a lot for individuals and families to do. Activities include bird watching, TWO interpretive centers, pond dipping, strolling through the amazing gardens, a tea house with fresh ice cream, and a petting zoo of sorts.
My kids loved visiting the Ellis Bird Farm, so allow me to share our day there with you to help you plan your adventure!
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| The Ellis Bird Farm is located just outside of Lacombe, Alberta |
We met with some friends one sunny summer day to explore the farm. Located across the road from the Joffre petrochemical plant, a useful landmark when trying to find the farm. However, the Joffre plant (technically run by MEGlobal Canada) is not just a GPS marker for the farm: they actually run the non-profit charitable company that keeps the Ellis Bird Farm running. I won't go into the full history of the farm here, although it is very interesting so I suggest reading this link, but the long and short of it is falls on the shoulders of Charlie Ellis.
Charlie Ellis grew up on the land where the bird farm stands today. He began birding as a hobby, starting with a nest box he'd seen in a magazine, and over the course of his life entered into a crusade to rebuild the bluebird and tree swallow population in Alberta, earning the nickname Mr. Bluebird. As his health failed in his golden years, Charlie worried about what might happen to his beloved birds and their successful population.
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| The MEGlobal petrochemical plant, right across the road from the Ellis Bird Farm |
As luck would have it, the company Union Carbide - which would eventually, over the course of several transactions, become MEGlobal Canada - was looking for land to build their ethylene glycol plant. They wanted Charlie Ellis' land, so in a brilliant negotiation, Charlie managed to convince Carbide to legally protect the bird farm as part of the land sale agreement. Due to this, MEGlobal Canada owns and protects Ellis Bird Farm, the land it sits on, and the birds who call it home.
And what a home it is! Once we parked in the parking lot and exited our vehicles, we were immediately greeted with about 25 birdhouses attached to the wooden fence that bordered the parking lot, birds flitting in and out happily. My kids were instantly excited by how close they could get to the birds.
The path from the parking lot takes you directly to the new interpretive centre, a vibrant red building reminiscent of a Disney-esque barn. Inside, you are greeting by an employee who gives you the run-down of things to see and do at the farm. The day we visited, there were a couple of school groups touring the farm for their year-end field trip, so our greeter was a bit run off her feet! We dropped our donations in the box - please donate to help keep the farm running - and off we went!
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| The kids had so many interactive ways to learn about birds at the bird farm |
Inside the interpretive centre we read a little history about good ol' Charlie Ellis, got an introduction to some of the bird species that called the farm home, and the kids had a great time saying hello to the resident garter snake that lives in an aquarium there.
There is a second interpretive building that I encourage you to visit as well - it is the older, original interpretive centre before the red building was constructed. This building serves as a more hands-on experience for younger children, where you can pet an owl wing, hold dried-out shed snakeskin, watch a living bee hive through a Plexiglass case, and guess which poop pebble belongs to which animal. This was MY favourite place in the Ellis Bird Farm.
As we strolled through lush and beautiful gardens designed to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, we discovered other attractions as well. An algae-covered lake, perfect for nesting waterfowl like ducks and loons, features a wide dock jutting out onto the water. In the centre of the dock was a large tub of water teeming with water bugs, larvae, snails, and even a leech or two. Brightly coloured nets dangled from a bucket, inviting the kids to try their hands at pond-dipping.
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| A beautiful gazebo overlooks the pond-dipping lake at the bird farm |
The children got right into the pond-dipping, discovering all sorts of water life that we were able to identify thanks to a large placard placed at the edge of the dock. We found water boatmen, dragonfly nymphs, leeches, and plenty of snails. After about 45 minutes we literally had to drag the kids away from the pond-dipping station so we could continue exploring the farm.
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| My son really enjoyed the barn yard, and tried to befriend the goats and chickens |
Besides the pond dipping experience, the second-most favourite activity my kids enjoyed at the Ellis Bird Farm was the the pseudo petting zoo. Populated of just goats and chickens, this little farm yard enthralled the kids, who desperately wanted to pick up and cuddle a chicken (they were having none of it) and feed the goats. The goats were more than happy to comply! I was a little nervous about bitten fingers, but the goats seemed very used to people and were extremely gentle with the kids.
When we got really hot and sweaty from strolling through the bird farm, we moseyed over to the tea house located on the grounds. There the kids all had dishes of ice cream, and my friend and I enjoyed a nice cool iced tea, as well as ice-cold infused waters for everyone. The prices were quite reasonable, as well.
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| Enjoying a cool break at the Ellis Bird Farm tea house |
We spent a really fun and cheap afternoon enjoying all that the Ellis Bird Farm had to offer. My kids ask to go back all of the time, so for anyone in the central Alberta area looking to occupy and educate their children for a day, be sure to try out the Ellis Bird Farm!
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