Churchill and Southern Manitoba Jun 05—17, 2008
Posted by Jeri Langham
Jeri Langham
Jeri M. Langham has a Ph.D. in plant ecology from Washington State University, and after 38 years as a professor of biological sciences at California State University ...Related Trips
I have led this tour 22 previous times, but never could have imagined the weather that would confront us this year. In early June, one expects to receive a thunderstorm once or twice during the tour, and maybe even one full day of rain some years. Maybe global warming played a role this year. Whatever the cause, it never stopped raining the first day of the tour. We then had a wonderful day-and-a-half of birding in Riding Mountain National Park before another 24-hour storm hit us. Fortunately, it stopped just after lunch on our only day to visit the shortgrass prairies in the southwest, and the prairie birds exploded with activity, allowing us to get fantastic views of the target birds in that ecosystem.
Because he lives in Manitoba, my co-leader Cal Cuthbert, who had just finished being part of a record-breaking Manitoba Big Day, knew where we should concentrate our non-rainy time in southern Manitoba. We experienced a wonderful sunny day of birding in Thompson before boarding VIA RAIL to Churchill. However, here in the far north, we encountered the hottest day of the tour, and during the next morning the cold, windy, rainy weather arrived and remained for two-and-a-half-days. As always, we had two small white buses that provide comfortable viewing room, and we even set up the spotting scope for close-ups out the windows during the never-ending storm. I am still amazed at how well we did with such obstacles to overcome.
Here are some excerpts from the journal I keep and then send to all participants after the tour, describing three days in three very different ecosystems.
Day 3, June 7: Riding Mountain – I awoke to a clear morning, even though rain had been predicted for all day. After 5 a.m. coffee, boiled eggs, muffins, bagels, toast, and cereal at McTavish's, we headed to an area east of Onanole, but added an extremely cooperative Blackburnian Warbler to our list before boarding the vans. We tried the Onanole Road because it has been my best place to see Mourning and Connecticut warblers over the last five years. We stopped at the marsh and soon added Le Conte's and Swamp sparrows, winnowing Wilson's Snipe, Sedge Wren, Alder Flycatcher, and calling Common Loons reminiscent of On Golden Pond. As we drove beyond this marsh, Cal and I listened for any songs of birds that might be on territory. I could hardly believe it when less than a quarter-mile later, I heard a Connecticut Warbler. Better yet, we got to see it from the road and walked away after magnificent spotting scope views to boot! Instead of continuing down that road, we immediately decided to reverse direction and head for Boreal Island Trail, with a stop for Barred Owl. Cal's call imitations were better than the actual owl's responses, and we had a superb scope view as the owl put up with harassment by Gray Jays and Purple Finches. The Boreal Island Trail was better than I have experienced in past years. We had superb views of Cape May, Chestnut-sided, Nashville, Mourning, Tennessee, and Myrtle warblers, Ovenbird, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue-headed Vireo, Lincoln's Sparrow and, best of all, a male Black-backed Woodpecker that emerged from its nest hole after poking its head out numerous times to tease us.
Further down the road we stopped at Beade Trail. We saw Merlin, a Ruffed Grouse that had been drumming, Canada and Chestnut-sided warblers, and American Redstart. After an hour's break back at McTavish's, we headed for our 4 p.m. dinner at the Country Club Golf Course restaurant. Our meal was excellent and sent us on an early venture to Lake Audy. I was so glad that all of you decided to join us, since we saw four adult black bears and two cubs, three elk, a moose with her calf, half-a-dozen bison in the enclosure, Common Tern, a few dozen Common Nighthawks, two Bald Eagles and their huge nest, Western Grebe, and Bonaparte's Gulls, but the best were two Ruffed Grouse on the way back, with the latter showing off his neck feathers. Our day's list revealed that we saw 16 warbler species today. This capped a day of incredible birds and great weather.
Day 5, June 9: SW Manitoba – After our late lunch the rain had almost stopped, so we headed back to the shortgrass prairie. It would be one of my best two hours in this part of Manitoba, starting with about 17 Sharp-tailed Grouse dancing like crazy on a lek that was empty earlier in the day. We must have watched for more than 15 minutes as they performed their wild displays. Once we arrived at our choice area, Grasshopper Sparrow cooperated again, and then 3–4 male Chestnut-collared Longspurs would give us many great performances…one almost landing on me. I was able to get us on a displaying Sprague's Pipit earlier, but it never came down from the sky. However, Cal knew about a territory, and when I played a short burst the bird flew right toward us and landed in an open area for some of my best views ever. I always enjoy watching and hearing Sprague's Pipit, an ethereal species that symbolizes the shortgrass prairie to me.
We then went after Baird's Sparrow. I heard a distant one, so we climbed through the fence and went after it. We all saw it in the scopes as it sang. This is one of the most wanted of the shortgrass habitat species. On the way to Whitewater, we had great views of a soaring Ferruginous Hawk near its nest. They have nested in this portion of the province for many years. I always enjoy this part of the trip because it gives me the chance to see the blending of eastern and western species. Eastern and Western kingbirds were around us most of the day. Whitewater Lake Wildlife Management Area was reached via slippery, muddy roads that had my adrenalin pumping. We saw many Wilson's Phalaropes, Forster's and Black terns, nesting Eared Grebes, a few White-faced Ibis, and tons of waterfowl. We made it back to Brandon in time for dinner at a nice Chinese buffet restaurant.
Day 8, June 12: Arrival at Churchill – By the time our VIA RAIL train reached Churchill, several Willow Ptarmigans, Sandhill Cranes, half-a-dozen Rusty Blackbirds, Black and White-winged scoters, several species of ducks, a Parasitic Jaeger, Red-necked Phalaropes, Red-tailed Hawks, and assorted distant or small birds had been spotted on "The Barrens" and in taiga ecosystems. Mark's assistant was waiting for us with two white buses when we arrived. It was my warmest (~75 degrees) arrival ever, and I did not even need a jacket. After attaching my scope to its tripod, we were off to the docks. Dozens of Ruddy Turnstones were feeding on the tossed grain by the tracks and near the water on the small point, along with a Sanderling and our first Common Eiders. The Granary Ponds had a very nice assortment: Red-necked Phalaropes, Stilt Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Plover, Least Sandpiper, many dozen Arctic Terns, Short-billed Dowitchers, White-crowned Sparrows, Yellow Warblers, and about seven species of ducks.
We then headed to check Bonnie Chartier's bird report board at Akudlik Marsh and, reading that Ross's Gull had been seen at the Weir two days ago, we zoomed down there, but Richard and his tour group were all that we saw there except for Cal's very distant Little Gull. Returning, we had superb looks at a Little Gull at Akudlik Marsh, along with a wonderful pair of Pacific Loons in breeding plumage. Pat and Bob Penwarden were at the Tundra Inn when we arrived and began to check us into our rooms. However, most of you had not had a minute to settle when Cal had us pile into the buses to look for the male Barrow's Goldeneye that had been found at Cape Merry, the overlook of the Churchill River mouth. We nailed it…a Province bird for both Cal and me. We will spend many hours at this magical spot that changes by the minute and has drifting ice floes showing the direction of the tide. Considering the few hours we had to bird here, it was a great first day at Churchill.
This tour visits several extensive marshes, shortgrass and tallgrass prairies, boreal and taiga forests, and ends with tundra along Hudson Bay. Great diversity of species and habitats during breeding season add up to a spectacular experience.