Birds in Winnipeg & Churchill

Monday was my birding day in Winnipeg and being the birder I am, I headed straight for the landfill.  The first bird I heard and then saw was a Gray Partridge – unfortunately it was pretty dark & they were not very cooperative.  I did manage to get a distant shot later amidst a flock of gulls.

Brady Road Landfill

Gray Partridge (the brownish bird with a stripe on the head)

The sunrise was gorgeous on a horizon dotted with power towers.

Brady Road

La Barriere Park was my next stop – no particularly interesting birds, but a lovely little park with a good washroom.

On my way to St. Bonaface Industrial Park, I saw my first Black-billed Magpie on the side of the highway.  I was able to stop and get a few shots off before the light changed and traffic caught up to me.  I thought it might be my only shot – it was not.

Black-billed Magpie

After that I saw them all over the place. Including St.Bonaface where I also spotted several more birds

Black-billed Magpie

Greater Yellowlegs

Bald Eagle

My next stop was Fort Whyte where the best thing I saw was some Buffalo and more Magpies.

American Bison

I drove around the outskirts of Assiniboine Forest & Zoo, but it was fairly uneventful. 

My next birding opportunity was on the rover.  In preparation I grabbed this screen shot that I thought would help me tell the Rock Ptarmigan from the Willow Ptarmigan – these are females and it was not so helpful.

Saw a few Willow Ptarmigan from the Lodge windows, but getting a good photo was a challenge – it was already getting dark too.

Tundra Lodge

Willow Ptarmigan

On our first morning on the Rover, I spotted a Short-eared Owl flying along the shoreline.  I did not get a photo, but a fellow birder, Rachel Hardy got wonderful photos.  She had missed the Willow Ptarmigan the night before, so this was a joyful moment for her.

On the Tundra

Short-eared Owl - photo credit: Rachel Hardy

We also had Snow Bunting, but they were in the same plumage we see in Rhode Island.

Tundra

Snow Bunting

The second afternoon I spotted TWO Short-eared Owls flying together and it was a life bird for Lianne, the guide – exciting moment! Then we saw some more Willow Ptarmigan – I ran outside (without my Parka on) to get Rachel & her husband Arnold – he got some great photos and a life bird (well 7 of them…)!

On the Tundra

Willow Ptarmigan

Photo credit: Arnold Hardy

The red eyebrow on this one had us wondering if it was a Rock Ptarmigan. We decided it was just a Willow hanging on to some breeding plumage.

Heather, the guide, asked us if we heard them urinating – we said we did not.  She replied – well you can’t because they have a silent P.  (Ptarmigan is pronounced – Tarmigan… sorry)

Finally at the Dog Sledding/carting activity we had a bunch of Canada (Gray) Jay’s – unfortunately I did not have my camera, so Lianne took a photo for me.

Boreal Forest

Canada Jay - Photo credit: Lianne Thompson

There were Common Ravens all over the place, but I never took a photo.

Lianne spotted a Gyrfalcon on the first day, but I never got on it. My biggest bird regret of the trip.