Skip to content

Dick Stauffer honored for help on nest trail

Dick Stauffer, of Olds, has been honoured with the Blue Feather Award this year from the Ellis Bird Farm.
B02-Blue-Feather
Dick Stauffer examines an infertile mountain bluebird egg from an electronically monitored nest box he built southwest of Olds. The longtime bluebird enthusiast

Dick Stauffer, of Olds, has been honoured with the Blue Feather Award this year from the Ellis Bird Farm.

Stauffer was honoured because of the work he has done monitoring nest boxes.

Stauffer owned the Napa Auto Parts store in Olds area for 35 years before retiring in 2001.

His father-in-law started a nest box trail in 1986 and monitored it until 2000, when he had to stop due to illness.

Stauffer took over from there.

The trail now consists of approximately 350 nest boxes, two duck boxes and one kestrel box, with five banded nestlings.

Stauffer worked with the Olds Golf Club to set up nest boxes on the course and mentors more than 100 Grade 3 students.

In 2002, he started banding mountain bluebirds and tree swallows.

The Blue Feather Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to bluebird conservation and education in Alberta.

The award was given out on Saturday during the Bluebird Festival and Neighbour’s market held at the farm on Saturday morning.

Last year’s Blue Feather Award winner was Elmer Gross, of Stettler, who was recognized for monitoring 400 bluebird nest boxes in the Stettler area and as many as 950 in the past.

The Ellis Bird Farm is a working farm and non-profit organization focused on the conservation of mountain bluebirds, tree swallows and other birds located in Lacombe County.

sobrien@www.reddeeradvocate.com