A few ravens

We just returned from a trip to Brandon and back. We saw very few birds. The largest group we saw was a huge flock of pigeons in Brandon itself! In the countryside we saw a total of three ravens and nothing else. Each raven seemed to be by itself.

Ravens, snow buntings, pigeons, and wild turkeys

We drove to Winnipeg and back yesterday. There were a few more birds than during the cold spell which has now broken. We saw over half a dozen flocks of snow buntings as well as several ravens. Beside the highway just east of Portgage we saw two wild turkeys. In Winnipeg itself we saw several flocks of pigeons among the many that inhabit certain areas of the city.

Ravens and pigeons

A few days ago we drove to Brandon and back. There were few birds to be seen. At one point we did encounter a rather large flock of pigeons along the side of the road. I assume they were getting gravel for their crops. The only other birds we saw were ravens, one single raven and two groups of two.

A flock of snow buntings

Today I visited the dump. At the dump I counted ten ravens. There was another brown bird about robin size but it flew off too quickly to identify. There are plenty of rock doves (pigeons) at a grain elevator in Shoal Lake.
On the way home I saw one flock of snow buntings (photo) the first I have seen in some while. At the feeder there have been only black-capped chickadees and red breasted nuthatches today.

First Day of Winter

We have not seen any flocks of snow buntings or redpolls of late but yesterday in Shoal Lake we saw plenty of pigeons. They frequent an older style grain elevator. No doubt it is a good habitat for them. Aside from the pigeons we only saw a few ravens always alone or at most a pair.

The feeder is not as busy as it was. There are fewer sparrows and the ones that do come do not unload all the seed unto the ground. I have seen a number of chickadees but only few red-breasted nuthatches. I have not seen any Savannah sparrows for the last couple of days.

Ravens and pigeons

The bird feeder is not busy at all. Perhaps I need to change the feed so that I just have sunflower seeds again. Some people around here say that the mixed seed is not very popular with some birds. Sparrows seem to like it OK but not much else!

On route to Shoal Lake the other day I saw several ravens but that is all. In the town itself there was a large flock of pigeons that frequent an old elevator in the town. Birds must be hibernating!! Actually there seem to be more once winter gets established and there is lots of snow. I assume that is because food is scarcer.

Busy at the feeder!

The feeder has been quite busy the last couple of days but most visitors have been either pine siskins, house sparrows, or goldfinches. The pine siskins are in the greatest numbers by far. The sparrows seem to be among them quite consistently but only a few. There are some young sparrows. I saw a male sparrow actually feeding one of the young ones. The young one could peck for himself but seemed to ask to be fed whenever a larger bird came by. It was almost the same size as the male and fatter than the smaller and trimmer pine siskins!

On our drives into the countryside I saw a couple of hawks and several mourning doves. There are still plenty of red-winged blackbirds. At Shoal Lake Park I saw some tree swallows and some Eastern Kingbirds. I saw some sort of tern but could not identify it. We almost hit a rock dove (common pigeon) just outside of the village. There are a number of pigeons in a granary at the edge of the village.

Thunderstorms and Heat

There was another northern flicker on our lawn today. On the way to shopping saw several pigeons that seem to have made their home in or around a couple of metal granaries just at the highway intersection outside of the village.

As usual there are American goldfinches frequenting the feeder as well as chipping sparrows and some chickadees. I am still awaiting the first hummingbird at the feeder. I also saw a house sparrow pair at the feeder today.

Trip to Niagara Falls

We took what seems to be a mandatory trip to Niagara Falls yesterday. I did not have much time to observe birds. There are plenty of gulls around the falls. I head some songbird as well but all I ever saw was a lowly house sparrow in the tree so it was well hidden. The falls are certainly spectacular and we visited at an optimum time. It was not too hot and not at all busy. We even managed to get free parking! But in terms of finding interesting birds there was nothing.
Here where we are staying in Woodbridge, I observed some fancy pure white pigeons that seem to love to engage in aerial gymnastics.

Another downy woodpecker

This is a photo of the rock dove or common pigeon. We saw many of them today around downtown Brandon near the railroad tracks and MacKenzie Seeds building. We saw several flocks of small birds on the way in, probably red polls. On the way back we saw one lone raven.

The bird feeder has plenty of red polls this morning as well as the occasional chickadee. The seed level went down low enough that I decided to put in more seed. After we got back from our trip I saw a downy woodpecker on the feeder several times.
The birds seem to enjoy the warmer sunny weather. However, it is not that warm. It is still about minus ten and tomorrow night it is to get down to minus 25 again but at least that should be temporary!

Flocks of pigeons

The feeder was moderately busy today but only with chickadees and red polls. There are still no sign of even the lowly house sparrows. Red polls vastly outnumber house sparrows this winter. Some winters the house sparrow is the main and often the only daily visitor. Chickadees are also plentiful this winter. Earlier there were nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, and grosbeaks but they seem scarce now.

We drove to the dump and to the town of Shoal Lake. At the dump there were the usual ravens and also the regular dump cats. No catbirds though! At the town there is still one of the older type of elevator and there were flocks of pigeons flying about it. There will be lots of food and no doubt they can find good places to raise their young nearby.