To the North

It has been so nice being back in Winnipeg for the end of the summer. The weather, for the most part, has been beautiful, and early migration is already under way.

This is the first time I've been able to walk around Assiniboine Park while the gardens are still flowering, and the change from the normal dead leaf- or snow-encrusted visage is magnificent. The riot of color and smell is enough to transport you from the everyday mundane into a world of beauty and transquility.

The place is also virtually a birder's paradise at the moment, though much patience is needed to successfully ID the small birds flitting amongst the trees and flowers. To add extra difficulty, many of the birds are still in juvenile plumage, while many more are in fall plumage... meaning they are much more drab-looking than normal. Warblers in particular all look very similar once they molt their breeding plumage.

Nonetheless, during two trips to Assiniboine Park during the last two weeks, I've managed to pick up American Redstart, plus Tennessee, Nashville, Chestnut-sided, and Yellow Warblers. There have also been Red-eyed, Warbling, and Blue-headed Vireos hanging around, as well as Indigo Buntings, House Finches, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Chipping Sparrows.

A female Ruby-throated Hummingbird dining on red flowers.

A female American Goldfinch munching old seed heads.

A juvenile Chipping Sparrow.

An immature American Robin.

I'm getting very excited because on Monday, August 30, I leave for a week-long field course that takes us all throughout Manitoba, ending in the famous tundra town of Churchill, nestled against the Hudson Bay.

Our first stop will be the Delta Marsh Field Station on Lake Manitoba, where we will learn about the wetland and the waterfowl research that takes place there. Next is Riding Mountain National Park, where we will learn about park management and ecological integrity. Onward to the Duck Mountain Provincial Forest at Swan River with an emphasis on forestry and resource management. North-ward takes us to The Pas and learning about northern agriculture and Aboriginal self-government. Then to Pisew Falls Provincial Park and Thompson, where we will learn about mining and hydroelectricity. And finally... an hour plane ride will land us in Churchill, the polar bear capital! Besides polar bears, Churchill also boasts beluga whales, some fantastic birds, and a rich Native heritage. It can only be reached by plane or train.

Thinking of the distance between Winnipeg and Churchill (1465 kilometers) really brings home how incredibly large Manitoba is. In the time it takes to drive to Churchill from Winnipeg, I could almost drive from Winnipeg back home to Rochester, NY!

Anyway, I believe this will be a trip of a lifetime, and I cannot WAIT to get started. I'm looking forward to seeing all that Manitoba has to offer, and itching to do some boreal and tundra birding.