Hi everyone! The next event we’d like to highlight from summer 2025 is the Red-headed Woodpecker (RHWO) Blitz that took place in the Oak Lake/Plum Lakes IBA on July 5.  

This was our 5^th annual RHWO Blitz in this IBA, and we had 6 groups of volunteers split up to gather important data on this Threatened species. The Red-headed Woodpecker is one that’s hard to miss while out birding, with its vibrant red head and black and white body. This bird nests in cavities in dead or dying aspen or oak trees, and prefers sparse forests with little to no understory vegetation. Due to habitat loss, the Red-headed Woodpecker is facing steep population declines, and is listed as Threatened under both the provincial Endangered Species Act and the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA).  If you’re curious to learn more about this Threatened bird species, you can read the write-up we put together at the following link: https://www.naturemanitoba.ca/red-headed-woodpecker 

Volunteers drove along designated survey routes to look for Red-headed Woodpeckers, stopping in areas with suitable habitat: stands of aspen, oak, or cottonwood, with standing dead trees and sparse understories. There was an option to follow a playback protocol (under a provincial government permit), at these areas of suitable habitat. All groups began birding around 8:30 am and finished up in time for a picnic lunch at Oak Lake Provincial Park at 12:30. Although the focus was on RHWO, all species of birds observed were recorded and are listed in the table at the bottom of this post. A map showing each group’s survey area is below. 

Group 1 consisted of Gillian and Gwyn, who covered the area north of Highway 1 and northeast of Highway 254. They spotted a total of 6 Red-headed Woodpeckers, including a group of 3 that were seen together. In addition to the RHWO, Gillian and Gwyn also spotted an Eastern Wood-Pewee, a COSEWIC and SARA species of Special Concern.  

Group 2 was made up of Linda and Colette who surveyed the area south of Highway 1, west of Highway 254 and along the north end of Oak Lake. They saw a total of 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers, an Eastern Wood-Pewee, and a White-faced Ibis. 

Tom and Renee were in group 3, and they monitored the east side of Oak Lake. The two of them saw 6 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 3 along Road 48 North. They also saw a pair of Northern Shovelers with 7 ducklings in tow.  

Katharine and Alanna were in group 4, covering the south end of Oak Lake; Highway 543 between Road 134W and Road 138W; Road 138W and Road 137W. They had a very exciting morning, spotting 10 adult Red-headed Woodpeckers, in addition to hearing juveniles calling, a huge success! Katharine and Alanna also saw two Bobolink and a colony of 35 Bank Swallows. The Swallows were seen flying through the air and entering/exiting holes in piles of sandy soil. Both Bank Swallows and Bobolink are federally listed as Threatened species, so these were also great finds!  

Group 5 was made up Leah, Kristopher and Glennis. The three of them covered the southeastern portion of the IBA, spotting 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers. They also spotted two large groups of Franklin’s Gulls, one group with a minimum estimate of 342 individuals, and another with 72 individuals, AND another large group of 34 Bank Swallows.  

Marissa flew solo in group 6 covering the south-west portion of the IBA. She was unable to spot any Red-headed Woodpeckers, although she did she a Grasshopper Sparrow, an Eastern Wood-Pewee, and another large group of 200 Franklin’s Gulls. 

Our final count of the 2025 Oak Lake Blitz came to 24 RHWO. To compare to previous years, this wasn’t as high as last year’s program record of 45 individuals, but it was comparable with 2023 (25 RHWO), and higher than both 2022 (13 RWHO) and 2021 (16 RHWO). Although our focus was on RHWO, we saw a total of 84 different species, and 2,218 individual birds. Once again, a huge thank you to everyone who joined us for this blitz, your dedication and commitment to helping us survey Species at Risk is unmatched! 

This event was made possible by funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Fund. 

If you are interested in volunteering for future blitz events, please email iba@naturemanitoba.ca for more information. 

Species	Count
American Coot	33
American Crow	16
American Goldfinch	48
American Kestrel	12
American Redstart	1
American Robin	44
Baltimore Oriole	5
Bank Swallow	34
Barn Swallow	13
Black Tern	43
Black-and-white Warbler	1
Black-billed Magpie	18
Black-capped Chickadee	3
Blue Jay	1
Blue-winged Teal	6
Bobolink	6
Brewer’s Blackbird	38
Brown Thrasher	1
Brown-headed Cowbird	23
Canada Goose	26
Cedar Waxwing	15
Chipping Sparrow	2
Clay-colored Sparrow	28
Common Grackle	18
Common Nighthawk	1
Common Raven	7
Common Yellowthroat	24
Cooper’s Hawk	1
Downy Woodpecker	1
Eastern Bluebird	12
Eastern Kingbird	36
Eastern Phoebe	6
Eastern Wood-Pewee	5
European Starling	10
Franklin’s Gull	816
Gadwall	3
Grasshopper Sparrow	3
Gray Catbird	11
Great Crested Flycatcher	6
Horned Lark	2
House Finch	2
House Sparrow	2
Killdeer	9
Lark Sparrow	23
Least Flycatcher	55
Mallard	5
Marsh Wren	9
Merlin	1
Mourning Dove	59
Nelson’s Sparrow	1
Northern Flicker	17
Northern Harrier	2
Northern House Wren	32
Northern Shoveler	5
Purple Martin	7
Red-eyed Vireo	9
Red-headed Woodpecker	24
Red-tailed Hawk	12
Red-winged Blackbird	206
Ring-billed Gull	7
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)	7
Savannah Sparrow	38
Sedge Wren	11
Song Sparrow	24
Sora	3
Swainson’s Hawk	5
Swamp Sparrow	1
Tree Swallow	72
Turkey Vulture	4
Upland Sandpiper	7
Vesper Sparrow	22
Virginia Rail	2
Warbling Vireo	23
Western Kingbird	11
Western Meadowlark	71
White-faced Ibis	3
Wild Turkey	1
Wilson’s Snipe	3
Yellow Warbler	28
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	4
Yellow-headed Blackbird	6
Lesser Yellowlegs	3
Stilt Sandpiper	1
Willow Flycatcher	2
Total species	84
Total individuals	2218