Migration continues

Most of today has been spent getting the new crew members used to the field station and going over protocol. Our full crew now includes:

Maggi - a 2nd-season grad student who acts as field manager. Studying the differences in bison and cattle grazing on songbird diversity. Originally from near Buffalo, NY.

Alexis - a 1st-season grad student studying the effects of wildfires on songbird diversity. Originally from near Ottawa, Ontario.


Tonya - a 2nd-season incoming grad student studying the effects of cattle grazing on vegetation structure and diversity. Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Adrienne - a 2nd-season incoming grad student studying the effects of bison and cattle grazing on vegetation structure and diversity. Originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Emily (me) - a 2nd-season grad student studying the effects of cattle grazing on songbird nesting success. Originally from near Rochester, NY.


Josh - an incoming 1st-season grad student studying nest predation through the use of cameras. Originally from the the St. Paul/Minneapolis area.

Bonnie - an assistant on the bird/plant crew. Originally from Senkiw, Manitoba.

Chris - an assistant on the nest crew. Originally from Burlington, Ontario.

Amy - an assistant on the nest crew. Originally from Eyebrow, Saskatchewan.

Barb - an assistant on the bird/plant crew. Originally from Saskatchewan.

All of us grad students are at the University of Manitoba, studying under Dr. Nicola Koper.


Today I went over some basic nest searching and monitoring information with Amy and Chris. But beforehand we went out birding at the pond again, because it was relatively nice out (and no snow!).

There was quite a group of shorebirds, including Spotted Sandpiper, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, and this Lesser Yellowlegs.



There were several Wilson's Phalaropes as well, which breed here in the prairie. Last year we found a nest. Unlike most birds, the female in this species is more colorful.

A couple times the birds would all flush, signalling the presence of a Northern Harrier overhead.

We also lucked out by spotting a couple migrating songbirds, an American Pipit and this Northern Waterthrush, both of which were life birds for me.


Unfortunately with all the meltwater from the week's snow, the creeks have risen quite a bit. Sometimes the only way across is straight through, leaving us soaked to the knees. There are many creeks criss-crossing the prairie.

Tomorrow we have to head to the West Block for some orientation training. Hopefully by Wednesday or Thursday the roads will be dry enough to get out and start looking for some nests!