This Coffee is For the Birds
by Carolyn Barnes
Cedar Waxwing Blue-winged Warbler
You know coffee can taste delicious. Did you also know it can benefit the birds that migrate through Prince Edward County every spring and fall?
The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory (PEPtBO) and Loyalist Coffee have recently joined forces to offer Nicaraguan Bird-Friendly Shade-Grown Coffee, a product that helps birds two different ways. First is the way the coffee is grown: some coffee comes from plantations where all the natural vegetation, once the habitat of numerous bird species, has been destroyed, but this coffee is produced under a canopy of native trees where birds can find food and shelter. The other way the coffee helps birds happens when it’s sold: for every package you buy, $2 goes to PEPtBO, a non-profit and completely self-funded organization. This money will support PEPtBO’s crucial work every spring and fall collecting data on thousands of birds, including a number of the species that winter in Nicaragua, en route between their nesting grounds in the northern boreal forest and their winter homes to the south.
This new venture is the brainchild of two County residents, Kathy Felkar and Rick Farrington. Kathy, a keen birder and PEPtBO supporter, was inspired by a newspaper article about Margaret Atwood supporting the Pelee Island Bird Observatory by putting her name to a brand of shade coffee. Kathy decided to try to create a County version that would aid PEPtBO. Rick, owner of Loyalist Coffee, visited PEPtBO one evening this fall to see Saw-whet owls being banded. He was so taken with these fascinating little creatures, as well as with PEPtBO’s work monitoring migratory birds, that he suggested his company’s coffee could be used to help raise funds for the Observatory.
Kathy and Rick got together with Rosemary Kent, president of PEPtBO, to develop the product. After considerable research, they chose shade-grown, bird-friendly Arabica beans from small plantations in Nicaragua, the winter home of many of our songbirds. The growers are committed to producing sustainable coffee: coffee grown in a way that protects the natural environment and fosters healthy communities.
The beans are medium roasted and packaged at Loyalist Coffee’s roasting operation in Brighton. The result, Nicaraguan Bird-Friendly Shade-Grown Coffee, isn’t just good for birds. It’s good in many other ways, too. It’s organic and direct trade, a form of fair trade where the producer sells directly to a coffee roaster rather than through a middleman. Coffee raised under shade grows slowly, which results in harder beans with more flavour. The packaging is recyclable. And yes, this coffee is absolutely delicious.
The Fiallos family coffee farm in Las Sabanas, Nicaragua is the only supplier of our PEPtBO coffee. We chose this particular coffee because we know it SHG - Shade and high grown - and therefore home to birds.
To view a CBC Radio presentation about the Fiallos' family coffee farm in Nicaragua click here.
You can get Nicaraguan Bird-Friendly Shade-Grown Coffee, beans or filter grind, at:
County Sunshine, 195 Picton Main Street
Cost - $10 for 340 grams.
Migratory Birds Supported by Nicaraguan Shade-Grown Coffee Plantations
Golden-winged Warbler Photo© David Okines.
Nicaraguan shade-grown coffee plantations support a number of migratory bird species that travel through Prince Edward County including several birds that are considered at risk here. Golden-winged and Hooded Warblers are in the Threatened Category nationally and are Species of Special Concern in Ontario. The Yellow-breasted Chat is also a Species of Special Concern in Ontario.
Yellow-breasted Chat Photo© David Okines.
To view a list of migratory birds that can be found in Nicaraguan shade grown coffee plantations click on the link below.
Migratory birds in Nicaraguan Shade-grown Coffee Plantations
Hooded Warbler Photo© Bruce Parker.
Laura's Bookmarks
Longtime PEPtBO volunteer Laura Pierce has been making Prince Edward Point 
Bird Observatory Bookmarks to assist in raising funds for the Observatory. In the last 2 1/2 years Laura has sold between $1.300.00 and $1.400.00 dollars worth of these attractive and useful items. There are 14 different bird combinations to choose from. On one side of the bookmark Laura features a bird banded at the Observatory while on the other side a different species found in habitat or in her backyard.
Laura's PEPtBO Bookmarks are available now at: Books and Company Ltd. 289 Main Street, Picton, The Tourist Information Office in downtown Picton, Picton Farm Supply, Talbot Street Picton, Green Gables, 286 Main Street Bloomfield, The Bird house in Wooler on Wooler Road and The Wellington Library. As well bookmarks maybe purchased right at the Observatory. The cost of each bookmark is $2.00 and all funds go to assist in the operation of PEPtBO.
There are OTHER ways in which you can support the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory.
Donations
Most visitors to PEPtBO usually assume that PEPtBO is supported by some level of government, or other source of funds. In fact, PEPtBO is totally self-funding. It depends entirely on memberships, individual donations, grants and fundraising activities, such as the Prince Edward County Spring Birding Festival, the Baillie Birdathon and Fall Dinner, to ensure that there are sufficient funds (approximately $35,000 annually) to run the station at its current level of productivity.
Donations greatly assist in funding this valuable project. Please send any donations by cheque, made payable to Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory, c/o Rosemary Kent, 215 Georges Road, R.R. #2, Picton, ON K0K 2T0. Email: rosemary.kent@sympatico.ca . Please be sure to include your name, address, postal code, and phone number so that a charitable receipt may be sent back to you.
Merchandise
The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory has T-shirts with it's logo available for purchase. The design is in colour, on a high quality cotton grey fabric. Sizes are Medium, Large, and Extra Large, and are available for the low price of $20.00 (including taxes).
These shirts are designed by Natural Heritage artist Rob Lyon and they make a perfect gift. The observatory will also have available additional lines of Rob's own designs for purchase. All proceeds go to further the operations of the Observatory.
If you are interested in purchasing or viewing these shirts, please contact Rosemary Kent by email, rosemary.kent@sympatico.ca or call her at (613) 476-0065.
Volunteer
We are currently looking for volunteers who can help the Observatory in one of the following ways:
- Assist with the migration monitoring is the spring and fall. Duties include:
- scribing information about birds
- extract birds from nets and band birds (training needed)
- help with census and daily observation of bird species
- maintain the banding station
- Join our Board of Directors as positions become available
- Assist in annual Fundraising events
If you are interested in any of these volunteer options, please contact us by emailing:
