A final full day in Churchill and it was the day we decided to try to put on a wee blitz. We had made arrangements with Rudolf Koes that his weekly workshop group would share their data with us for that day and we would be able to put together a comprehensive list of everything seen between the two groups.

The IBA group met at Cape Merry at 8am. In total 13 people came along, some had to leave at different points (one was even called into work at the boat yard within a couple of minutes of arriving). Cape Merry is a fabulous for birders but we learnt a lesson that it was probably not the easiest place for beginners to learn about IBA blitzing. However we were able to show off some good species including Red-throated Loons, scoters, eiders, Parasitic Jaegars and a few of the gulls. Unfortunately Black-legged Kittiwake noticed by Bonnie was too far for showing folk, off about a mile in the scope. We also got to look at a few of the plants such as this Lapland Rose Bay, a species of native rhododendron.

Bonnie and I decided that the Granary Ponds would be a better place for counting birds as a group. There were good numbers of Tundra Swan and Greater Scaup hanging around for the day.

The Sandhill Cranes also put in an appearance. This species in the north breeds in bogs, surrounded by trees and mate for life.

By this point much of our group were gravitating towards other commitments, including the opening of a new piece of art at the Parks Canada Centre. We had coffee with a couple of potential volunteers, told them of the IBA Program, showing them eBird and then headed out for one final look at the Hydro Road.

We reached the end of the Hydro Road and CR30 and did another count of the birds on the Churchill River. Given this count is a snapshot of a single spot, the counts of over 100 Tundra Swan moving up river, over 50 Arctic Tern and large groups of scoters would suggest that this area is critically important for all these species. We also got a good close-up of the sandbags protecting the water pump for the Town of Churchill. The sandbagging was apparently a real community effort by members of the public and the authorities.

The highlight on the way back was the appearance of two Little Gull among a group of foraging Bonaparte’s Gull.

We also checked a few other areas around the town in the afternoon picking up a calling Sora outside Parks Canada (thanks Wanda for the tip). In the evening Tim gave a talk to around 10 people at the Town Complex. There were a few technical issues, including a complete computer freeze halfway through the talk – but Bonnie saved the day with a great little interlude about the history of Ross’s Gull. And that was that. We still have lots of follow-up to do, people to catch and possibly even an opportunity for Bonnie to head up to Churchill in August to follow-up in person.

The results of the blitz are listed below. 836 Canada Goose makes this the most numerous species which would tally with our own observations. In addition there were 138 Tundra Swan, making one wonder how many actually pass through Churchill on passage to the north (some breed here). Snow Goose appeared thin on the ground contrary to the fact that this species is becoming too numerous in parts of the north. Greater Scaup, Black Scoter, Common Eider and Common Goldeneye were also present in good numbers.

Of the shorebirds, 10 species were noted but only Sanderling in migration groups of upwards of 10 individuals. Strange! In June 2016 there are notes from Bruce di Labio published in Manitoba Birds describing groups of White-rumped Sandpiper, 1,750 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 250+ Ruddy Turnstone and 565 Stilt Sandpiper so this year really was unusual.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the blitz, especially Rudolf and Robert Guth who provided the eBird checklists from that group.

Snow Goose	3
Canada Goose	836
Tundra Swan	138
Gadwall	2
American Wigeon	25
American Black Duck	4
Mallard	19
Northern Shoveler	10
Northern Pintail	45
Green-winged Teal	25
Greater Scaup	124
Lesser Scaup	14
Common Eider	188
Surf Scoter	96
White-winged Scoter	54
Black Scoter	148
Long-tailed Duck	44
Bufflehead	6
Common Goldeneye	142
Hooded Merganser	3
Common Merganser	30
Red-breasted Merganser	32
Willow Ptarmigan	4
Red-throated Loon	31
Pacific Loon	19
Common Loon	4
American Bittern	1
Osprey	2
Golden Eagle	1
Northern Harrier	4
Bald Eagle	1
Sora	2
Sandhill Crane	15
Semipalmated Plover	5
Whimbrel	3
Hudsonian Godwit	17
Sanderling	42
Dunlin	2
Short-billed Dowitcher	4
Wilson’s Snipe	8
Spotted Sandpiper	16
Solitary Sandpiper	2
Lesser Yellowlegs	18
Parasitic Jaeger	4
Sabine’s Gull	1
Bonaparte’s Gull	37
Little Gull	2
Ring-billed Gull	15
Herring Gull	137
Glaucous Gull	1
Arctic Tern	154
Northern Flicker	2
American Kestrel	1
Merlin	1
Alder Flycatcher	1
Gray Jay	1
Common Raven	23
Tree Swallow	5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	11
Gray-cheeked Thrush	1
Hermit Thrush	1
American Robin	35
European Starling	11
American Pipit	2
Northern Waterthrush	16
Orange-crowned Warbler	7
Yellow Warbler	36
Blackpoll Warbler	10
Palm Warbler	1
Yellow-rumped Warbler	3
American Tree Sparrow	15
Fox Sparrow	32
Dark-eyed Junco	8
White-crowned Sparrow	72
Harris’s Sparrow	1
White-throated Sparrow	4
Savannah Sparrow	35
Swamp Sparrow	6
Rusty Blackbird	4
Pine Grosbeak	8
Common Redpoll	10
Hoary Redpoll	4
House Sparrow	36

A brief foray before Tim’s flight the following day and a Caribou appeared – a definite great addition for any trip to the north.

But the trip was over and now the real challenge is to create some momentum and support possible new volunteers for the IBA Program in the north.