they're back

After spending the winter in the bunny room, our

resident population of guppies have moved back outside.

 

 

  

 

 

 

Stage 1 watering restrictions in effect

Hand watering: (bushes, shrubs, flower beds) must use spring loaded nozzle, no other restrictions
Fountains/water features: allowed
Sprinkler watering: only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sunday from 4 - 9 am Note: Newly planted lawns and landscaping are exempted but only with a municipal permit (we don't have one).
please refer to The City of Port Coquitlam guidelines here

mosquito control

 

 

Stage 3 watering restrictions now in effect

(from the City of Port Coquitlam website posted |July 21, 2015)
Due to unreasonably hot and dry weather, we are under Stage 3 Water Restrictions under Metro Vancouver's Water Shortage Response Plan. The following restrictions are in place:
Not Allowed

• Lawn sprinkling;
• Municipal exemption permits for new‐lawns or nematode application are prohibited;
• Watering of trees, shrubs, flowers, decorative planters and vegetable gardens by sprinklers or soaker hoses is prohibited;
• Private pressure washing is prohibited;
• Washing of driveways, sidewalks and parkades for aesthetic purposes is prohibited;
• Washing of all cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats and other recreational and vehicles is prohibited;
• Golf course fairway watering is prohibited;
• Cemetery lawns – all forms of watering are prohibited;
• Municipal parks ‐ all forms of watering are prohibited;
• Operation of ornamental fountains is prohibited;
• Filling or refilling of private swimming pools, hot tubs and garden ponds is prohibited.

Allowed

• Hand watering of trees, shrubs, flowers, decorative planters and vegetable gardens using a spring-loaded shutoff nozzle, containers or a drip irrigation system is permitted;
• Watering of turf at turf farms or flowers and vegetables at commercial gardens is permitted.
• Hosing of outdoor surfaces (e.g. driveways, sidewalks, roofs) if required to avoid public health and safety concerns or to prepare a surface for painting/sealing or similar treatment is permitted;
• Commercial pressure washing for health and safety purposes or to prepare as surface for painting or similar purposes is permitted;
• Commercial car wash operations are permitted;
• Golf course watering of greens and tee areas at minimum levels required to maintain areas in useable condition is permitted;
• Sports playing field (including sand-based) and school yard watering at minimum levels as required to maintain areas in useable condition is permitted;
• Artificial turf requiring wetting and outdoor tracks if required for dust control or safety reasons is permitted.
• Note: The City will NOT be issuing permits new lawns and nematodes application as they are prohibited during Stage 3 restrictions. Permits previously issued are no longer valid.
    What else can you do?
  
  • Work with nature and let your lawn go dormant (brown) over the summer. It’ll ‘green up’ again when it starts raining in the fall.
  • Leave grass clippings on your lawn. They’ll help trap moisture to reduce evaporation and break down to feed your lawn naturally.
  Residents and businesses found to be violating Stage 3 water restrictions will be issued one verbal warning prior to receiving a $200 fine from the City's Bylaw Services Division .

City of Port Coquitlam here

death traps

Small birds, mammals and other creatures often fall into watering cans and buckets trying to access water. Always leave a twig or stick in the container so critters can climb back out.

(photo credit: CJW Vos)
 ^^this little deer mouse, a semi-arboreal rodent that also forages in shallow water, drowned in an ice cream pail containing only a few centimetres of water.

Aside from seeds, deer mice eat beetles and other small invertebrates, especially in summer.

(photo credit: CJW Vos)

^^even good swimmers like this guy eventually tire and drown trying to escape containers.

(photo credit: Storm)
^^always give small animals an escape route by placing a twig or stick in the container,
or store empty upside down or on the side.

waiting

for her pond to return...

fountain forager

 

 

^^female house sparrow foraging by the Front Courtyard fountain
 
images by Storm