About

In June 1977, I moved from my all wood home cliff dweller on the Georgia Straight on the Sunshine Coast. Why leave such an ideal spot on the Beautiful B.C. coast?

In July 1978 , I signed the needed documents to purchase 4.37 acres in Maple Ridge with a stream, an old log building, a basic Rancher house, surrounded by a collection of large Cedars. Hemlocks and Douglas firs. Why purchase such a property?

As long as I can remember, even as a refugee boy in Germany, along with older refugee boys, we would go into the forest to rescue young pigeons and raise them. In 1951, my mother purchased one acre of land and built a house and later a barn for chickens. It did not take long and we added pigeons.

Soon after becoming the owner of the property at 10607 277th Street in Maple Ridge, I purchased domestic geese and chickens. However, it was when my wife give me a pair of Australian Black swans for Valentines that Whonnock Waterfowl took off.

I applied for and received the needed permit from Canadian Wildlife Service.

My special passion has always been swans – Mute, Trumpeter, Tundra, Whooper, and Australian Black. The last two species are no longer on my inventory.

The habitat for the birds consists of 4.37 acres, with acres of grass, a creek, 24 ponds (various sizes), 7 aviaries, and of course many trees, bushes and flowers.