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Bird Treks Churchill Trip Report

CHURCHILL & SOUTHERN MANITOBA TRIP REPORT by Bob Schutsky
June 2001

I had been looking forward to a birding trip to Churchill for decades.
Friends and acquaintances had told me all about it and I thought that I
was ready, but little did I know how fantastic it would be.

Churchill is known as the most reliable spot in North America to find
the rare and beautiful Ross's Gull, with its pink underparts and thin
black collar. It took a bit of time, but we found one along the
Churchill River and had many good looks at it. Other good gulls at that
location included Thayer's, Glaucous, Little, and a Franklin's Gull
which is unusual so far north. There were always a few Parasitic
Jaegers, often chasing the Arctic Terns that nest nearby. On several
occasions we saw Beluga Whales feeding in the River, a unique addition
to any day in the field, especially with Arctic and red-throated Loons
in the same field of view.

Some of our favorite species came from the nearby tundra habitat. We had
fantastic looks at a male Willow Ptarmigan as it called and defended its
territory. Smith's Longspurs put on a tremendous show at close range,
mating repeatedly within a few short yards of us. Rounding out the list
at Churchill were Harris's Sparrow, Pine Grosbeak, Bohemian Waxwing, and
an unexpected Trumpeter Swan. We even saw a Fisher, a large member of
the weasel family, swimming to shore on a beautiful alpine lake. The
Merlin feeding upon a White-crowned Sparrow was also a memorable event.

I had received word that there was a road closed at Riding Mountain
National Park north of Brandon. This closure would make it difficult to
find some of our key species, especially Great Gray Owl. We were doing
quite well with warblers, notably Mourning and Connecticut. Two of our
tour participants struck up a conversation with one of the park rangers.
He had been seeing great grays near his home for the past few weeks! Out
came the maps with explicit directions and off we went in search of this
magnificent bird. It took some time and a return trip after dinner, but
the rewards were great: TWO adult Great Gray Owls hunting over the creek
bottom meadows, perching on hay bales and fence posts, and flying over
our heads. We were thrilled, to say the least.

The Brandon area gave us nice looks at Sharp-tailed Grouse, an adult
Ferruginous Hawk, and lots of Yellow-headed Blackbirds and Black Terns.
We had special requests to see Bobolink, Black-billed Magpie, and Sora:
those folks were not disappointed. The Mountain Bluebirds were also a
big favorite. Our final total was 181 species for the 9-day tour.

Next year's Churchill, Manitoba Tour is scheduled for June 7-15, 2002.
Please register early.

CHURCHILL & SOUTHERN MANITOBA

Arctic Home of the ROSS'S GULL
Dates: Thursday, 5 June through Sunday, 15 June 2003: 11 days and 10 nights.
We'll visit: Churchill, Manitoba near 60 degrees north latitude, where Canada's vast boreal forest slopes to the tundra and Hudson Bay, the largest bay in the world. Churchill is only accessible by air, boat, or train: no roads lead there!
Riding Mountain National Park, extensive boreal habitat providing topographic relief from the vast plains of southern Manitoba.
Douglas Marsh, home to Le Conte's and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows and the elusive Yellow Rail. This northern marsh will provide acoustic entertainment in the northern twilight.
The open prairies of southwestern Manitoba with their summer wildflowers and displaying songbirds.

Some of our target species include:
Pacific Loon
Sharp-tailed Grouse
Red-throated Loon
Spruce Grouse
Western Grebe
Willow Ptarmigan
Red-necked Grebe
Short-eared Owl
American White Pelican
Great Gray Owl
American Bittern
Black-backed Woodpecker
Greater Scaup
Alder Flycatcher
Common Eider
Olive-sided Flycatcher
White-winged Scoter
Gray Jay--on your hat!
Surf Scoter
Boreal Chickadee
Long-tailed Duck
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Marbled Godwit
Northern Shrike
Hudsonian Godwit
Bohemian Waxwing
Wilson's Phalarope
Mourning Warbler
Red-necked Phalarope
Connecticut Warbler
Stilt Sandpiper
Le Conte's Sparrow
Parasitic Jaeger
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Franklin's Gull
Harris's Sparrow
Little Gull
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Ross's Gull
Smith's Longspur
Arctic Tern
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Black Tern
Red Crossbill
Bald Eagle
White-winged Crossbill
Swainson's Hawk
Pine Grosbeak
Merlin
Common Redpoll
Previous checklists including last year's list of 208 bird species and many interesting mammals is available upon request.

Churchill & Southern Manitoba 5-15 June 2003
Day Agenda
1
We arrive at the Winnipeg, Manitoba airport in the afternoon then fly directly to Churchill*. After a bit of local exploration and our first few life birds, we'll settle into the Tundra Inn for the first of four consecutive nights on the shores of Hudson Bay. [*If there is no flight this day, we'll spend the first night in Winnipeg and fly to Churchill the next day.]
2-5
Churchill has a unique combination of habitats: it is here that stunted boreal forest meets the Arctic tundra and the shores of the Hudson Bay. This will give us the chance to view many shorebirds in breeding plumage, some of them singing and displaying from the tops of spruce trees! Last year we watched a Red Fox carry a Hudsonian Godwit to its den of five pups! We should also see birds like Willow Ptarmigan, Spruce Grouse, Parasitic Jaeger, American Bittern, Harris's Sparrow, and Smith's Longspur on their breeding grounds. Along the Churchill River and Hudson Bay we'll witness the mass movement of high arctic breeders such as Oldsquaw and Pacific and Red-throated Loons in breeding plumage, as we search for specialties such as Little, Sabine's and Ross's Gull. If the ice conditions are correct we are likely to see Beluga Whales. As we explore the 100-mile road system surrounding Churchill we may find additional interesting mammals such as Caribou, Arctic Fox, and Fisher. The Arctic wildflower display will be astounding.
6
After one more morning of searching for Churchill specialties, we'll return to the airport for our flight to Winnipeg. We'll spend the remainder of the day at Oak Hammock Marsh, a great waterfowl refuge just a few short miles north of Winnipeg. Interesting birds found here on previous tours include many Black Terns, Sedge Wren, American White Pelican, Marbled Godwit, Short- eared Owl, and Yellow-headed Blackbird. Overnight in Winnipeg.
7-8
Today's destination is Riding Mountain National Park. In the boreal forests of Riding Mountain we are likely to see Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, many warblers such as Mourning, Connecticut, and Canada, both crossbills and other winter finches, and perhaps Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers as we search for specialties such as Spruce Grouse. We'll have great looks at Red-necked Grebes and Common Loons, often with an adult Bald Eagle perched along the shoreline or soaring overhead. Last year we watched a female Black Bear with two cubs as the fed on dandelions near the roadside! We'll save plenty of time in the evening to look for the majestic Great Gray Owl, one of the most highly sought birds in North America. Two nights in Riding Mountain.
9
After some early morning forest birding at Riding Mountain we'll drive to Brandon, check into our motel, and set out for Douglas Marsh east of town. Here we'll look for Le Conte's Sparrow, Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, and the elusive Yellow Rail as we absorb the sounds of a northern marsh on a summer evening, complete with winnowing Common Snipe. Other nearby locations may yield Gray Partridge and lots of interesting shorebirds and waterfowl. Overnight in Brandon.
10
Manitoba's southwest corner is part of the vast Great Plains ecosystem and we'll spend a full day searching for some of its special breeding birds. Burrowing Owl, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Sprague's Pipit, Loggerhead Shrike, and Chestnut-collared Longspur are only a few of the birds we may find among the prairie wildflowers. Second night in Brandon.
11
We'll have a chance for a few more species at Douglas Marsh before we return to Winnipeg for our afternoon flights home.