Southern Manitoba Jun 04—10, 2009
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 23 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," better called "climate change," played a role this year. Whatever the cause, it was colder this year than on any of the previous years and we did get one complete day of rain. Migration was more than two weeks behind normal, causing us to miss a few species that had not arrived yet, but allowing us to find some that have usually gone through by this time.
On every one of my tours, I write a journal covering the locations we visit and some of the highlights of each day, and then mail it to the participants after I return home and have a chance to do some editing. In order to interest you in joining me next year, I will include here one entire day from the journal and then some highlights from other days.
Day 3, June 6: Riding Mountain National Park: After 5 a.m. coffee, boiled eggs, home-baked muffins, bagels, toast, and cereal at McTavish's, we headed to an area east of Onanole, but added cooperative Cape May Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglet 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. Stopping at the marsh, we soon added Alder Flycatcher, Swamp Sparrow, winnowing Wilson's Snipe, a very cooperative Sora, and calling Common Loons reminiscent of "On Golden Pond." As we drove along the edges of the boreal forest, Kim and I listened for any songs of birds that might be on territory so we could stop and try to call them in. My two target birds never sang, but we did see Pileated Woodpecker, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Chestnut-sided Warbler, quick looks at two uncooperative Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows, and had incredible views of a Long-eared Owl. On our return to the marsh, the views of Common Loon and nesting Red-necked Grebe were terrific, but it was the Le Conte's Sparrow at my feet that was the biggest crowd pleaser. Taking a different route back, I found a male Ruffed Grouse on its drumming log, and then heard and turned to see a cooperative American Three-toed Woodpecker on trees around its nest hole. Finally, we had luck with Mourning Warbler when I played a tape at a location where there was a territory a few years back. Not far from here a Blue-headed Vireo and a male Black-throated Green Warbler gave us great looks. The best for Jennifer was the cooperative Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, a much-wanted lifer for her and others, and a species that is tough to find on this tour. Lunch at the WigWam allowed us to visit the museum across the street before the short siesta.
At 2 p.m. we met at the van and headed for Highway 10. Riding Mountain is great for seeing mammals and we finally saw our first moose. Just south of Moon Lake there is a great 1-km loop called Boreal Island Trail. It was a great walk, but rather silent until we located a cooperative, male Black-backed Woodpecker, and then found a small flock that gave Ed his desired Bay-breasted Warbler. Just before the end of the trail, we encountered a cooperative Golden-crowned Kinglet that came right down to eye level rather than hiding high in the foliage. On the drive back we stopped at Beade Trail, which gave us superb views of a pair of Evening Grosbeaks and a brown wood frog. We headed for our early 5 p.m. dinner at the Country Club Golf Course restaurant that would permit me to offer an optional drive out to the bison enclosure next to Lake Audy, where we were treated to a great show. Our meal was excellent and I was so glad that all of you decided to join us, since we saw Hooded and Common mergansers, a black bear, Bald Eagle, Tundra Swans, Common Nighthawk, and most glimpsed the American Woodcock. However, the highlight for all was the incredibly cooperative Great Gray Owl…simply amazing. On the way out of the north end, we added a pair of Horned Grebes, which is a species that gets more difficult to find each year. This capped a day of incredible birds and great weather.
Each year, our first morning takes us to the wonderful Oak Hammock Marsh north of Winnipeg, then west to Delta Beach, and finally to Riding Mountain National Park where our hotel is next to Clear Lake, allowing us to hear and see Common Loons. A few years ago, I learned about a dump that is along a gravel road that is part of my usual route. A short stop at the dump produced my rarest bird of the tour, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, along with two California Gulls (rare in Manitoba) and hundreds of Herring, Ring-billed, and Franklin's gulls.
On the morning we left Riding Mountain, another unreal event occurred. For decades there has been one area that usually will produce a Spruce Grouse if participants form a long line and slowly walk through the spruce forest until one is located. I explained the routine to all and told them to follow me single file until the line was stretched out and we could begin our search. I was about 30 feet into the forest when I spotted a male. It was too good to be true. We watched this beautiful bird displaying from several branches and the ground. It would fly up onto a spruce branch and then back down, making as much noise as possible with its wings…quite a sight. We celebrated with chocolate on return to the van.
The northernmost population of Golden-winged Warblers occupies oak forest near the former McCreary Ski Area, but can be tough to find because there are only a few individuals. As we drove slowly through the boreal forest toward the oak habitat, I was recounting how it took us almost two hours to find one last year, but how one year we stopped at my usual secluded bathroom location and, as men headed one direction and the women headed down to the port-a-potty, I heard one sing and we all saw one. Well, who could ever have predicted that I would hear one singing very close just as I stopped the van. Lady luck was with us as the stunning male allowed all to view it while it sang and fed near our parked van.
Conversion of short-grass prairies to agricultural fields around Brandon and Douglas in the last decade has forced us to drive down to the southwest corner of the Province to find those special birds. We only get one day for this and today it was windy with pouring rain. I trolled for Chestnut-collared Longspurs and two males came in to give us quite a show. In this wind and rain, I did not even dream I could be successful with Sprague's Pipit, but tried anyway and had an amazing show by THREE of them that flew off the short-grass prairie right at me. They put on a great show, landing in short-grass, in the road tracks, and even on the top of a post.
Every tour has its special moments, and this one had many. Please join me in 2010 for another adventure that can be combined with our Churchill tour.