Several magpies.

We went to the next town shopping this morning. The snow is long gone and there is a strong drying wind so that some farmers with crops still unharvested are hard at work combining. There are few birds about but we did see several lone magpies both on the way and coming back. We saw one crow or perhaps a raven by now as the colder weather is coming.

Very very cold and windy..

We went shopping to the next town today. It was more than minus 40C windchill. The only birds we saw were half a dozen ravens. At the feeder there are only red polls and chickadees and only a few of them.

A Blue Jay

I was surprised the other morning to see a blue jay. It may have been at the feeder but it flew into a spruce tree as I approached the window. This is the first blue jay I remember seeing in my yard. I saw another one last year in a farm yard. I have not had another sighting since.

We drove to our farmer friend who lives near the east end of Riding Mountain Park. I did not see many birds on the way but there were several ravens and also some gulls standing on ice that had formed in a slough! I also heard one flock of geese going south while at the farm. They have not all left yet. Indeed, last week I saw some American hunters at Shoal Lake and they were in the restaurant where we had lunch and were talking about having located some flocks.

Shopping trip to Brandon

We drove about 250 kilometres to Brandon and back. The windchill this morning was about minus 40 and the temperature minus 29, ridiculous for March. Nevertheless there were more birds than I have seen recently. There were several ravens but all of them by themselves. We also saw two flocks of snow buntings and also a flock of some other birds I could not identify. There also two smaller birds that I could not identify.

At the bird feeder there have only been black-capped chickadees the last couple of days. However, this evening after I got home I saw all of six house sparrows at the feeder. There are obviously still some around!

In the countryside.

We went to Inglis that is just west of the west border of Riding Mountain National Park. On the way we saw few birds just an occasional raven and one solitary magpie (photo). There were no flocks of snow buntings. Perhaps they are already on their way back north! There is no sign of winter leaving though.

At the bird feeder there were all of three house sparrows at one time the other day but mostly there are a few red-breasted nuthatches and black-capped chickadees.

Stormy conditions coming..

There is a winter storm warning out
but it sounds as if there will not be too much
snow just a lot of wind creating blizzard
conditions.
Yesterday we drove over a hundred
kilometres. We saw one large flock of snow
buntings and one sole raven.
Friends of ours saw a ring-necked pheasant
near their farm and also several blue jays.
At the feeder there are only black-capped
chickadees and red-breasted nuthatches (photo)

Warming up a bit!

The weather has turned a bit milder but this has not led to the appearance of many more birds. In trips out of town I have seen just one raven on two trips! Even at the dump there was not a single bird just one poor wretched looking stray cat!

At the feeder I have seen only two species. There are still a few black-capped chickadees visiting from time to time and also red-breasted nuthatches. I haven't seen a single sparrow for days. It is a mystery to me where they go since I haven't seen any while walking about town or on trips either.

Where are all the birds gone?

Just returned from about a 150 kilometre trip through the countryside. I saw a total of one raven (photo) plus two groups of less than half a dozen snow buntings.

At the feeder there was one sparrow the other day and there are occasional red-breasted nuthatches. Today there have been up to three chickadees from time to time but usually there are no birds at the feeder at all. I put more seeds in the feeder just for something to do since it was still a third full!

Extreme wind chill.

The wind chill this evening is below minus forty! It was frigid all day. There were very visible sun dogs as we drove to the next town to shop. I saw a few rock pigeons(photo) by a small metal grainery just outside of town. I have seen them there before but the last while there has been no sign of them. Maybe they are staying close so they can go inside out of the frigid wind.

There were a few ravens here and there. We saw one large flock of snow buntings and a group of four and six. At the bird feeder the only birds I have seen today are a couple of chickadees.

Redpolls at the feeder.

I guess the weather was not very good at many places for the annual bird count. The weather is fine here but I did not go out counting. However, for the first time this fall I have seen redpolls at the feeder. I have seen a few flocks in the countryside but this is the first time they have visited. There is not a flock just a few individual birds. Once in a while a Savannah sparrow still visits and the occasional red-breasted nuthatch. Chickadees are common. However, there is not heavy traffic at the feeder. I have not had to fill the feeder for almost a week now. There seem to be only a few house sparrows and that means the food is not scattered on the ground too much.

On our trips outside the village we see occasional ravens and today we saw two flocks of snow buntings.
Merry Xmas everyone...

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.

Finally a magpie!

Finally we saw a magpie(photo) on our way to the dump but not at the dump itself. At the dump there were over half a dozen ravens searching through the trash for lunch. Magpies do not seem to be all that common hereabouts for some reason. They appear off and on for a while and then they seem to disappear from the scene.

There are plenty of chickadees these days at the feeder. THe house sparrow invasion has tapered off a bit. There is still a Savannah sparrow visiting regularly and a few red-breasted nuthatches.

A large flock of snow buntings

We ended up just visiting friends in Southwestern Manitoba and returning the same night. My old 1500 dollar car misbehaved on the way back but we made it OK. I think the car is saying that it has given me back more than the 1500 I invested a year and a half ago!

We saw few birds along the way. However, there were a few ravens usually singles or at most pairs. However, south of Virden we encountered a very large flock of snow buntings. I thought we would have regular sighting of them in our over a hundred mile trip but those were the only ones we saw.

The feeder still has the regulars but I actually saw two Savannah sparrows at the feeder yesterday so at least we have one new species along with the chickadees, house sparrows, and red-breasted nuthatches.

Return of cooler weather.

I saw just one raven on our trip to the next town shopping. THe snow is retreating from the edges of the road and soon snowmobiling will be impossible. However, there is to be more snow in two days so maybe the season is not over yet.

There are still plenty of red polls at the feeder. The area clear of snow is gradually spreading in the front yard by the spruce trees but the snow is far from gone yet. Even the roads are not yet free of ice and snow.

A few chickadees dart to the feeder and away but they and the redpolls were the only visitor yesterday and today. The photo is of a raven of course.

Warmer tomorrow!

This post is for yesterday, Wednesday the 7th. The weather is still a bit below freezing with a raw wind. The birds are busy at the feeder. The downy woodpecker seems to be present every day--assuming it is the same one! The lone sparrow has disappeared but there are plenty of red polls and also chickadees each day as well.

We drove to Shoal Lake and on the way there and back saw several ravens. I assume they are still ravens but crows will soon be back.

Red polls rule

There are oodles of red polls busy all day at the feeder. I restocked the feeder with sunflower seeds. I should buy some suet strips some day! There were also quite a few chickadees today so I have included a photo of one--borrowed from another site.
I did not see any pine grosbeaks or even any house sparrows today (March 5). However, the downy woodpecker was back. When he gets frustrated when he finds nothing under the spruce tree bark he comes and pigs out at the feeder.

On our shopping trip to the next town all I saw was one lone raven.

Light snow. Weather warming a bit.

THis is another photo of the feeder through our window. THe birds are red polls. We had lots of them today and again a couple of sparrows and a smattering of chickadees.

I took a trip to the dump at Shoal Lake and saw at least a half dozen ravens around the dump area. We will be off to the city tomorrow so I will see what I can see along the way.

Warming up to freezing

Here is a red poll on the ground in the snow. I saw a couple of sparrows over at my other house today. I heard a raven as well and saw him flying overhead. I assume it was a raven and not a crow.

At the feeder there were plenty of red polls and some chickadees. I filled the feeder yesterday. The weather is much warmer. THere are even icicles on the eaves that are dripping water.

Calm and warmer but more snow coming

Although the blizzard is past the birds are still busy at the feeder today. The same crowd of red polls plus a few chickadees. I was able to drive to the dump. There were no cats and only one solitary raven in the fields near the dump. More snow is falling. I just paid to have three places plowed so it is sure to snow quite a bit!
This is another photo of our feeder with red polls.

Weather is improving

Weather is improving but not bird variety at the feeder. There were just red polls and chickadees again today.
We drove out of town twice but the only bird visible was one lone raven. Perhaps in a few weeks some birds will be returning from the south such as the juncos but we will see.
My son brought me a bird book of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. However, it leaves out common birds such as the pine grosbeak and American goldfinch. It does have a helpful description and identification features for many birds though