Re: [MDOsprey] Re: Winnipeg birds

Paul Bystrak (pbystrak@dpnet.net)
Wed, 02 Jun 1999 22:38:37 -0500 

Doug, Bob & George:

Many thanks for the hints on Manitoba - we heard the yellow rails at
Douglas about 8:30 on Monday evening, but exercised some discretion and
didn't waste time trying to chase them down. One probably wasn't more than
20' from the car as it sang (clicked). We got the Baird's sparrow,
sharp-tailed grouse, chesnut-collared longspur (amazing bird!) and
Swainson' hawk at Pierson, but missed Sprague's pipit and ferruginous hawk.
Watched marbled godwits courting as well as dozens of upland sandpipers and
common snipes.  Just about all of southern Manitoba is under water - many
roads were washed out and it rained on us the whole time we were there,
except when we were in Riding Mtn Park.  We didn't set out to run up a big
list, but when we made a list, we were surprised to find out that we had
seen over 150 species in 3 days of leisurely and water-soaked birding.
Biggest surprise was the loggerhead shrikes.  Saw more of them in 3 days
than in the last 30 years combined.  I'm beginning to believe brother
Danny's theory that this species is tied to grazing livestock, especially
cattle. Whenever we were in rangeland, shrikes were common, and they were
absent from row crop agriculture areas. Manitoba is a great area to go
birding, even with cold, miserable weather. I especially recommend the
extreme SW corner, and Riding Mtn, but almost anywhere was good. Thanks
again for your tips.






At 01:51 PM 6/2/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Three additions to Bob Mumford's reply to this query:
>
>1)  There are Yellow Rails in Douglas right now.  OK, not right now --
>I was there about a week ago.  At dusk, they were unmissable (heard
>only -- an hour and a half of stalking them was unsuccessful).
>Several individuals, at least.  Incidentally, as you drive into town
>from the TCH you'll see a big sign that announces the twon as "The
>Home of the Yellow Rail."
>
>2)  Rudolf Koes (pronounced "koose")  is a wonderful birder and a
>great guy; hook up with him if you can.
>
>3) As of a week ago, there was essentially no shorebird habitat in the
>Winnipeg area -- to wet.  Rudolf tells me a good shorebird day in late
>May is 25 species; we had 5.  Seems all the shorebirds are in
>Saskatchewan or western Manitoba, where the farm fields are flooded so
>badly that I was told (a week ago) that 2% had been planted (100%
>being normal), and the season is close to being shot for many crops.
>