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.
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