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'Bird Man' flies across Cloverdale

The self-styled "Birdman of Mission" made the rounds in Cloverdale last week.
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The self-styled 'Bird Man of Mission' with samples of his cone and nut bird creations.

The self-styled "Birdman of Mission" made the rounds in Cloverdale last week, going door-to-door peddling his handmade cone and nut birds.

Each creation is unique – fashioned from colourful feathers, pipe cleaners, googly-eyes with pine cones or hazelnuts for bodies, creating chickens, roadrunners, mosquitoes, flamingos, even owls.

He sold 1,800 cone birds last year. And he gave away another 175 birds, at Karaoke, he said.

"I go to Karaoke three times a week," the 87-year-old said.

"Do you know why I give them away?" he added. "Because it's better to give than receive."

He gathers the necessary raw materials – such as cones from various parks, including Surrey's Redwood park – constantly.

He turned to the hobby after retiring about 20 years ago.