June 10,2015 Common Crane still at Churchill, Manitoba

Hi Everyone 

The Common Crane is still present in Churchill and continues to feed with Sandhill Cranes at the Granary Ponds and the pods north of the Grain Elevator. I visited the area three times today and the crane was easily observed as it fed. 

Good birding,

Bruce

 

The Common Crane continues to frequent the Granary Ponds at Churchill 

The Common Crane is easy to distinguish from the Sandhill Crane.   

A first record for Manitoba and one of the few records for Canada, this crane has attracted lots of attention locally.   

June 9,2015 Common Crane update

Hi Everyone
The COMMON CRANE continues to linger at the Granary Ponds at Churchill. The bird was present most of the day feeding and resting both at the Granary Ponds and the ponds just north of the Grain Elevator.

Good birding,
Bruce

Common Crane coming in for a landing at the Granary Ponds. 

Common Crane with Sandhill Crane and Canada Geese feeding on grain.

The Common Crane was very wary and kept looking around  every few minutes and then continue feeding. 

Common Crane with Sandhill Cranes.

June 8,2015 Common Crane at Churchill, Manitoba

Hi Everyone 

 Man, traveling can be tiring and birding can be slow, but every once in a while there are great surprises. After spending 11 days birding Alberta and Saskatchewan, I flew to Winnipeg on route to my 16th consecutive June trip to Churchill. While still in Winnipeg, I  checked Manitoba Birds - just to see whether much was being seen in Churchill. To my incredible surprise there was a report of a COMMON CRANE (!#$%^) at the Granary Ponds, seen on June 7th by Bonnie Chartier. My heart began beating faster; this is an incredible record and would be a lifer. But would it still be there when I arrived in Churchill the next day?  I had a restless night.  I arrived at the Winnipeg Airport for my 6:50 a.m. flight only to find out that it was delayed till 8:30!!  A potentially disastrous delay?  My guess was no, because the delay was because of inclement weather in Churchill. The crane won't leave in bad weather!

I arrived in Churchill around 11:00a.m. It was cold and drizzling.  I picked up the rental truck and drove straight to the Granary Ponds. No bird!!  Hard to overlook a crane. I check the gravel point off the port property near the Grain Elevator. Nothing much there except for a flock of breeding-plumaged Ruddy Turnstones floating by on an ice flow. Nice, but no Common Crane.

I decided to go back to the Granary Ponds for another shot. As I drove up, a flock of Sandhill Cranes flew in and landed.  Eureka!  There it was; the Common Crane. A lifer.

I stayed and enjoyed this bird for a good while.  Took lots of photos and studied the bird.  This was special.  But I also had to pick up my friend Ross at the airport - he had been delayed until the next flight.  Long story short ... Ross got to see the bird too, along with 18 just-arrived people on a Massachusetts Audubon tour.  We followed the crane to a pile of grain closer to the grain elevators for some even better views.  Just tremendous!!  Its been a good day.

Common Crane coming in for a landing.

Common Crane 

Common Crane 

Common Crane 

Common Crane 

June 8,2015 Little Egret finally refound!

Hi Everyone
Despite intensive searching by many local and out-of-town birders, the Little Egret remained "missing in action" after disappearing the morning of June 3rd ... until now!  The egret was rediscovered  on June 7th, feeding in ponds along Eagleson Road and Emerald Meadows Drive.  A collective sigh of relief was heard throughout southern Ontario.  Today (June 8th), those who missed the bird initially were successful in seeing it in spite of inclement weather. Hopefully all those who traveled from southern Ontario and missed it the morning of June 3rd, will also be successful tomorrow.


Good luck,
Bruce (birding in Churchill)

June 3,2015 Carp Little Egret update

Hi Everyone

Since Ben’s sighting of the LITTLE EGRET early this morning there hasn’t been any further observations in spite of many birders searching the area.   The LITTLE EGRET was last seen flying west along the Carp River at around 6:05 a.m. There are a lot of good hiding places for the egret along the Carp River and I’ll post if the bird is relocated tomorrow.

Good luck,

Bruce

Directions: From Ottawa take Hwy. 417 west to the Carp Road exit. and turn
right and follow Carp Road to the village of Carp. After crossing the
bridge ​take the first right, Rivington Str. and follow to the end.

June 3,2015 Little Egret back feeding along the Carp River in Carp.

Hi Everyone
Ben was back down along the Carp River at 5:45 a.m. and saw the LITTLE EGRET feeding along the river. Around 6:00 a.m. it flew west along the river and disappeared. The Carp River is small, narrow and has many hiding places for an egret to kept out of sight. Hopefully it will  be relocated soon.

Good luck,
Bruce

Directions: From Ottawa take Hwy. 417 west to the Carp Road exit. and turn
right and follow Carp Road to the village of Carp. After crossing the
bridge ​take the first right, Rivington Str. and follow to the end.

June 2,2015 LITTLE EGRET at Carp Ontario

Hi Everyone
Well, you never know what's going to show up in your backyard. While birding in Alberta I got a phone call from my son Ben. He had a white egret/heron feeding along the Carp River. He described the bird to me, it was white with black legs and what looked like a blue bill. I said, immature Little Blue Heron. Next thing, Ben says it has yellow feet. There is a pause. I ask him, does it have two long white plumes, answer, yes. OMG, its a LITTLE EGRET. Pause. Ben are you still there? Yes Dad. Are you sure it has two plumes.Yep. OK. Likely a Little Egret. I'll make a few calls, you take pictures and wait there and watch it. I phoned Mike Tate and texted Bruce Mactavish in Newfoundland. I haven't seen many LITTLE EGRETS and knew Bruce M. has seen a few in Newfoundland over the years and one recently. After reviewing the photos he felt it was likely one.
By then Mike Tate had arrived and Ben and Mike studied the egret. All agreed. This is the first record for Ontario and a species that has been talked about over the past couple of years since one occurred in Montreal a few years ago. This is the same location Ben found the first record of White-faced Ibis for the Ottawa-Gatineau district on July 4,2011. Awesome find son!

Good birding,
Bruce


Directions: If you are coming from southern Ontario take Hwy 401 east to Hwy 416 and north to Hwy 417 and go west to the Carp Road exit. Turn right (north) and follow the Carp Road towards Carp. After crossing March Road (traffic lights) continue on and you will have farm land on both sides of the road. Watch for the small bridge and take the first right, Rivington Street. Follow to end of street. View the Carp River from road. 

Little Egret at Carp, Ontario 

The Little Egret is a casual visitor to North America from Europe. The closest record to Ontario was an individual near Montreal in July 2012.