Lynnea Parker presenting her research poster, 2016
My name is Lynnea Parker and I am very thrilled to be joining Nature Manitoba for the next year as a full-time internship student. This intern position was made possible through co-funding provided by EcoCanada and Nature Manitoba. I will be working directly with the Manitoba’s Breeding Bird Atlas, Nocturnal Owl Survey, Important Bird Areas (IBA) program and the Chimney Swift Initiative.
I moved to Winnipeg from Nanaimo, BC in the fall of 2015 to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Manitoba. My thesis is on bear smart messaging and black bear conflicts near Riding Mountain National Park. This project was a perfect fit for me, as I have always held a passion for understanding human-wildlife interactions and finding non-lethal ways to reduce conflict. I plan to defend my thesis and graduate this summer.
Aside from my educational goals, I have held an interest in birding since 2013 when I received my first field job as a Grassland Songbird Research Technician in Brooks, AB. This is the same project that was the focus of ex-IBA Summer Assistant, Patricia Rosa’s PhD. I learned how to identify grassland songbirds and conduct various bird and plant survey methods for the first time. Since that summer, birding has become a dedicated hobby. The wonderful bird diversity and variety of conservation-oriented initiatives in Manitoba have prompted me to stay in the province after the completion of my master’s degree.
Left: Chestnut-collared Longspur chicks, Right Upper: Long-billed Curlew, Right Middle: Marbled Godwit, Right Lower: Prairie Rattlesnake. Photos by Lynnea Parker.
Riding Mountain National Park was a fantastic setting to conduct research and go bird watching. A little known, but highly diverse IBA is located at Proven Lake, just 20 minutes south of Wasagaming. It was at this IBA I encountered my first Great Gray Owl at dusk. Other highlights of this IBA included being startled by a Short-eared Owl in the spooky black spruce bog, watching Bobolink glide across open fields, and stumbling across many nests alongside the 1.5 km trail.
Great Gray Owl at dusk, Proven Lake IBA, Photo by Lynnea Parker
Manitoba Important Bird Areas Program 