Manitoba, Canada: 2009

Click on the small picture to see a larger, more detailed version. I toured southern Manitoba plus Thompson and Churchill farther north in June 2009. The weather was rainy for a day or two but turned nice when we got to Churchill. It was the latest spring thaw in many years in Churchill so our options were limited first by ice and snow and then by washed out roadways. Most of the photos were taken with a Canon SLR camera with 300mm zoom lens, but I also use a Nikon point-and-shoot for both scenery and digiscoping. All modes are represented below. Many of the pictures are degraded by having been taken through vehicle windows. The trip was very enjoyable and was led by Jan Hansen (dba Otus Asio Tours otusasiotours@bellsouth.net). Jan leads a variety of trips, all of which I would recommend. Jan has purchased a camera for digi-scoping and got a number of wonderful pictures which I cannot achieve with my present cameras.

Southern Manitoba

Sedge Wren, LeConte's Sparrow, Winnipeg, June 1 and 2, 2009

Clay-colored Sparrow, Grey Partridge, Franklin's and Ring-billed Gull,
Winnipeg, June 1 and 2, 2009

American Bittern, Blue-winged Teal, Willet, Oak Hammock Marsh, June 2, 2009

Least Sandpiper, Barn Swallow, Richardson's Ground Squirrel,
Oak Hammock Marsh, June 2, 2009

Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, Sora,
Delta Beach, June 2, 2009

Purple Martin along highway, Boreal Chickadee in Wasagaming, June 2, 2009

Great Grey Owl, Riding Mountain National Park, June 2, 2009

Evening Grosbeak, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Tennessee Warbler,
Riding Mountain National Park, June 3, 2009

Canadian Lynx (photos through car front window), Red-necked Grebe,
Riding Mountain National Park, June 3, 2009

Black bear with cubs and one alone in rain, Riding Mountain National Park, June 4, 2009

Conecticut Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo,
Riding Mountain National Park, June 4, 2009

Scarlet Tanager and Indigo Bunting in Brandon Hills WMA,
Baltimore Oriole and Downy Woodpecker at Melita motel, June 5, 2009

Eared Grebe, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Red-winged Blackbird,
Whitewater Lake, June 5, 2009

Wilson's Phalarope and Ruddy Duck at Whitewater Lake,
Marbled Godwit along road, June 5, 2009

Baird's Sparrow, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Sprague's Pippit,
near Melita, June 6, 2009

Ferruginous Hawk (dark phase), Upland Sandpiper, Grasshoper Sparrow, Merlin,
near Melita, June 6, 2009

Pine Siskin, 13-Lined Ground Squirrel, Red Fox, Yellow-throated Vireo,
near Melita, June 6, 2009

Burrowing Owl, Loggerhead Shrike, Jan Hansen, Swainson's Hawk, Eastern Phoebe,
near Melita, June 6, 2009

Red Fox, Black Tern, Western Grebe, American White Pelican,
along the way from Melita to Winnipeg, June 7, 2009

Further north

Snowshoe Hare, Grey Jay (imm. & adult), Greater Yellowlegs, near Thompson, June 8, 2009

Lapland Longspur, Jan Hansen, train for Churchill, near Thompson, June 8, 2009

scenery, Snow Bunting, Bald Eagle, from train, June 9, 2009

Willow, sled dogs, muskrat, scenery and sunset over the river,
Churchill, June 10-11, 2009

Hudson Bay scenes and carribou, near Churchill, June 10-11, 2009

Wintry scenes with Common and Red-breasted Merganser, Common Goldeneye and
Long-tailed Duck, Canada Goose, Snow Goose, near Churchill, June 10-11, 2009