Manitoba, Winnipeg, Carman, Stephenfield and area (1 Viewer)

[Craig S]

The last week has pretty active bird wise.
We went to Fort Whyte Center one day didn't see anything to phenomenal mostly just the usual year round birds, some Robins, Canada Geese and some Mallards.
We were at one of the feeding stations in a large treed area when we saw two Mallards waddle down the path from a pond about 100 yards away. They came to partake of the seed spilled on the ground. Was rather interesting and I thought unusual that they would waddle so far into a treed area.
On another path we came across a Canada Goose resting in the middle of the path. we tried to walk around it, as we have done many times in the past with no hostile action from other Geese. This one was different it got to its feet and came after us, it was close and at one point lunged at me a couple of times with its bill.
Went to Stepehnfield twice during the week.
We were seated near a marshy area and heard some horrid screams coming from the marsh, probably less than 100' distant. We were certain something was being attacked, but did,'t see any disturbance in the bull rushes or hear any disturbance in the water. The screaming went on for a few minutes. Once it stopped we could hear the bullrushes rustling and the sound of something striking the water. The screams started again a few minutes later then stopped and we didn't hear them again. We never did see anything come out of the area and have no idea what it was.
Stephenfield and area sightings 14 and 16 April:
Wild Turkeys
Turkey Vultures (One flew within 100' feet of us)
Robins
Canvasback Ducks
Franklin's Gulls
American Coots
Double Crested Cormorants
Dark Eyed Juncos
Northern Flicker
Black Billed Magpies
Mallards
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Common Loon
Meadow Lark
Crows
Tundra Swan (1 sighting of 11)
Red Wing Blackbirds
California Gulls
Red Tailed Hawks
Northern Shovelers
Bufflehead

Carman and Area Sightings 12-16 April

Dark Eyed Junco (numerous)
Mallard
Canada Geese
Cedar Waxwing
Pine Siskin (numerous)
House Sparrows (numerous)
White Breasted Nuthatch (Less now than in March)
Robin (numerous)
Fox Sparrow (1 sighting)
Yellow Rumped Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler (1 sighting of a female)
Blue Jay (numerous)
Black Capped Chickadee (numerous)
Common Grackle (numerous)
American Goldfinch
Philadelphia Vireo (1 sighting)
Brown Creeper
Sandhill Crane (1 sighting of 8)
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
Swainsons Thrush
Purple Finch
House Finch
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker (1 sighting)
Chipping Sparrow
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Wood Duck
Northern Flicker (large flock passed through on 15th)
Common Nighthawk (1 sighting)
Common Redpoll (1 sighting)
Song Sparrow

The Sandhill Cranes were a fluke. I was trying to get a picture of a thrush when I heard a kind of grunt from overhead, looked up and saw 8 of them just kind of floating in the air, started to take pictures as they angled off and slowly flew away. If they hadn't made a noise I would never have seen them.
Also saw some fish spawning in a shallow section of the river and saw a Martin scamper up the river bank and disappear into the foliage.

 

[borealowl47]

That's an impressive list of early arrivals here in Manitoba!You should join the Manitobabirds Yahoo group they would very interested in your sightings!Especially the Common Nighthawk which usually does not arrive until June!

 

[Craig S]

The birds seem to be arriving a lot earlier this year, we may have seen the nighthawk on a few occasions but only once were we able to identify it.
Lots of birds out here, river here and lake at Stephenfield are ice free now.
We saw a Belted Kingfisher a few weeks back, but haven't seen it again.
We go birding just about everyday in Carman and will likely be visiting Stephenfield once a week through the summer.
I have even put out my Humming Bird and Oriole feeders in anticipation of their early return.
Thanks for the yahoo tip will look into it later today, off birding now.

 

[Reuven_M]

About mallards away from water: I've had several land on my lawn about a kilometer away from the river, and even a nest about 2 km from the nearest water.

 

[Craig S]

Didn't know ducks would be that far from water although I've seen Wood Ducks and Double Crested Commorants roosting in trees.
Got a not bad picture of two Ruby Crowned Kinglets doing a mating thing yesterday. Posted it yesterday.
Not to much in the woods today, although I may have seen a couple of new birds, still looking at todays pictures. Quite a few Yellow Rumped Warblers and probably 2 or 3 pairs of Ruby Crowned Kinglets. Was a beautiful day for a walk.