Sunday, June 12, 2011

June 12-13, 2011 Churchill birding!

Arrived at Churchill late June 12th and made a quick trip out to Cape Merry. There were numerous Common Eider, Red-throated Loon, Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Duck, American Pipit, White-crowned Sparow and Lapland Longspur. The Churchill River was free of ice and Hudson Bay was open but with large areas of ice.
At 5:45a.m, June 13th, my first bird of the day was a Brown Thrasher in the parking lot at the Seaport Hotel. It was still present this evening at 8:00p.m. At 11:15a.m. we observed a male Varied Thrush along Coast Road just south of the tanks. Unfortunately could not relocate the bird. Gull watching was excellent with 9 species including 1 adult California, 1 Iceland, 1 Glaucous, 1 Thayer's, 1 Little and 1 Sabine's Gull, all along the Churchill River in the area of the gravel/observation point near the Grain Elevators. Also, 1 adult Sabine's Gull at the Weir. Still a small number of Lapland Longspur and 1 Snow Bunting at the Granary Ponds along with Ruddy Turnstone, Baird's and White-rumped Sandpiper. The waterfowl numbers were good along Goose Creek Road with 2 male Blue-winged Teal, 2 male Ring-necked Duck, 1 female Bufflehead and 1 Trumpeter Swan all in the Weir area. A Northern Mockingbird was observed at Miss Piggy but not relocated. A great start to birding the "Pelee of the North".





The White-crowned Sparrow is a common breeder in the Churchill region.


A Wilson's Snipe near the Granary Ponds.



A Red Fox watching over her pups.


Two of the three pups watching us.


A Hudsonian Godwit along Goose Creek Road.


The Common Eider is a regular breeder in the Churchill Region.


A view of the Grain Elevator at Churchill.


Ice conditions on Hudson Bay.


The Blue-winged Teal is a rare but increasing visitor to the Churchill region.


A Brown Thrasher searches for food outside the Seaport Hotel. The Brown Thrasher is a rare
but regular visitor to the Churchill Region.



The Arctic Tern is a long distance migrant, summering in the Arctic and wintering in the Antarctic. In the Churchill Region it is a regular breeder.

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