Manitoba Owls

Participants will be arriving in Winnipeg throughout the day. For those that arrive early enough, there are opportunities for birding on your own in and around Winnipeg. Alternatively, there are some great museums worth visiting in the city (Manitoba Mueseum, Winnipeg Art Gallery, and the Museum of Human Rights).

We meet in the evening at our hotel for dinner and to discuss the plan for the days ahead based on the weather and the latest sightings. After dinner, we will have a fascinating presentation by Jim Duncan, who will bring along his live Great Gray Owl. You will get close-up views of this stunning bird, and will learn more about owl research and conservation in the area. Night in Winnipeg near the airport.

After breakfast, we set out in search of the most reliable owl sightings. Our exact route will depend on current conditions and recent reports, but we may begin in the open agricultural country around Winnipeg in search of Snowy Owls. Along the way we’ll keep watch for Gray Partridge, Snow Bunting, Bald Eagle and other wintering or early migrating raptors.

We may also explore areas within Winnipeg in search of a roosting Eastern Screech-Owl before continuing toward the boreal forest. Sharp-tailed Grouse and other northern specialties are possible along the way.

Later in the day, our attention increasingly turns toward Great Gray and Northern Hawk Owls. If conditions are calm after dinner, we may venture into the boreal forest to listen for calling owls.

Our itinerary remains deliberately flexible, and we may concentrate on entirely different areas if recent reports indicate particularly productive locations. Depending on current sightings, we may stay in Winnipeg, Lac du Bonnet, Pine Falls or another suitable location.

Our days typically begin around 8:00 a.m., although we may occasionally start earlier and have a later breakfast. We explore roads, forest edges and trails through southeastern Manitoba, concentrating on areas where Great Gray Owls and other northern species have recently been reported.

Great Gray Owl is one of our primary targets and can sometimes provide superb views as it hunts along forest edges and open areas. Northern Hawk Owl is another important target and, when present, can also offer excellent viewing opportunities.

As we travel through the boreal forest and surrounding countryside, we’ll watch for other northern birds such as Sharp-tailed Grouse, Spruce Grouse, Pileated Woodpecker, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Black-backed Woodpecker, Northern Shrike, Canada Jay and Boreal Chickadee. Bald Eagles are also regularly encountered.

We may visit feeders in small communities and cottage areas, where we search for Evening Grosbeak and Redpoll. Both the darker “Common” and paler “Hoary” forms of Redpoll may occur, although they are now treated as a single species. Pine Grosbeak is another possibility, while crossbill numbers fluctuate considerably from winter to winter.

Lunches will either be taken in the field or at local restaurants. Weather permitting, and if the group is interested after a full day of birding, we may head out again on the evening of Day 3 to listen for owls. Great Horned, Barred and Northern Saw-whet Owls are all possible.

Depending on current bird activity, we may stay in Winnipeg, Lac du Bonnet, Pine Falls or another suitable location on Day 3. Late in the afternoon on Day 4, we return to Winnipeg for dinner and our final night near the airport.