Hi everyone! Our next summer 2025 event recap is another Red-headed Woodpecker Blitz, this time at the Shoal Lakes IBA in the Interlake region! This event took place on July 19, and we had 15 participants helping us search for this charismatic species at risk. Check out our post on the Oak Lake RHWO Blitz for more information about the identification and habitat requirements for the Red-headed Woodpecker.  

Participants split into five groups, each assigned to a section of the IBA. Within their sections, groups followed mapped-out routes, getting out of their vehicles to search more thoroughly in areas of suitable RHWO habitat. We also had an option for groups to follow a playback protocol, with the necessary permits from the provincial government. Each group kept a record of all the birds they saw along their routes, paying close attention to the RHWO. In total, 40 Red-headed Woodpeckers were counted, which I believe is a new blitz record!!  At the end of the blitz, all groups met up to share their findings at Fry-Days in Teulon. 

A map of our survey areas is below, as you can see, we extended beyond the IBA boundaries where there was potential habitat suitable for RHWO. 

Jo, Betsy and Jan were in Group 1, searching the western section of the IBA. This group had an excellent morning of birding, spotting a whopping 61 different species, including 14 individual Red-headed Woodpeckers! The diversity of habitats in and around this IBA allows for some very diverse bird sightings in a short distance, as demonstrated by this group’s observations. They saw raptors, waterfowl, woodpeckers, flycatchers, sparrows, swallows and more! Other highlights from this group included 12 Barn Swallows and 4 Sandhill Cranes. 

Katharine, Carol and Gary were in Group 2, covering the southwest section of the IBA, east of Highway 6 and along the west shore of East Shoal Lake, collectively sighting 5 RHWO. This trio also saw 3 Great Egrets, a Double-Crested Cormorant, and 2 Bobolinks! 

Eda, Graham, Amy, Marissa made up Group 3, surveying the area between the east shore of East Shoal Lake and Highway 322. Although this group didn’t observe any Red-headed Woodpeckers, they were treated to a close encounter with a pair of Sandhill Cranes.  

Bonnie and Gwyn were in Group 4, and they travelled south on Highway 416 along the east shore of North Shoal Lake, then surveyed between North and East Shoal Lakes on Highway 415. They spotted 3 RHWO during their survey, as well as a total of 29 Great Egrets! 

Group 5 put up our largest RHWO count, sighting 14 within the IBA, an additional 3 seen on the way to lunch, and a final one spotted later that afternoon for a total of 18. Great work Garry, Rudolf and Gene! This group also saw the most species of the day with a total of 73! Like Group 1, Group 5 had many different habitat types within their survey area in the northern end of the IBA, giving them opportunities to see many different types of birds. 

The final count of the 2025 Shoal Lakes Red-headed Woodpecker Blitz came to 40 RHWO, as I said above, a new potential program record! In total, our excellent group of birders observed 1753 individuals of 102 different species. A table summarizing all the observations is included below. Thank you again to our volunteers for an incredible event! This event was made possible by funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Fund. 

Although we are still very much in winter mode, writing up these event summaries is getting me excited for the seasons to come. I’ll be starting to plan our 2026 Summer Events shortly, so if you’re interested in receiving updates about future events, send me an email at iba@naturemanitoba.ca! 

– Mackenzie 

Species	Count
Alder Flycatcher	3
American Bittern	4
American Coot	24
American Crow	11
American Goldfinch	63
American Kestrel	41
American Robin	74
American White Pelican	44
Bald Eagle	3
Baltimore Oriole	12
Barn Swallow	27
Barn Swallow (American)	27
Black Tern	2
Black-and-white Warbler	1
Black-billed Magpie	13
Black-capped Chickadee	7
Blue Jay	12
Blue-winged Teal	8
Bobolink	4
Brewer’s Blackbird	9
Broad-winged Hawk	1
Brown Thrasher	5
Brown-headed Cowbird	8
Canada Goose	53
Canvasback	5
Cedar Waxwing	39
Chipping Sparrow	1
Clay-colored Sparrow	46
Common Goldeneye	1
Common Grackle	15
Common Raven	31
Common Yellowthroat	45
Cooper’s Hawk	1
Double-crested Cormorant	9
Downy Woodpecker	1
Eastern Bluebird	9
Eastern Kingbird	73
Eastern Phoebe	8
Eastern Towhee	2
Eastern Wood-Pewee	7
European Starling	26
Forster’s Tern	11
Franklin’s Gull	94
Gadwall	6
Gray Catbird	11
Great Blue Heron	5
Great Crested Flycatcher	4
Great Egret	32
Greater Yellowlegs	16
Green-winged Teal	8
Hairy Woodpecker	1
Hooded Merganser	1
Horned Lark	1
House Sparrow	9
Killdeer	5
Least Flycatcher	53
LeConte’s Sparrow	2
Lesser Yellowlegs	3
Mallard	47
Marsh Wren	31
Merlin	4
Mourning Dove	58
Northern Flicker	16
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)	16
Northern Harrier	7
Northern House Wren	19
Northern Pintail	2
Northern Shoveler	4
Osprey	1
Pied-billed Grebe	6
Pileated Woodpecker	1
Purple Finch	1
Purple Martin	1
Red-eyed Vireo	25
Red-headed Woodpecker	40
Red-tailed Hawk	15
Red-winged Blackbird	72
Ring-billed Gull	7
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	2
Sandhill Crane	29
Savannah Sparrow	14
Sedge Wren	25
Song Sparrow	66
Sora	1
Spotted Sandpiper	1
Swamp Sparrow	19
Tree Swallow	15
Turkey Vulture	12
Veery	8
Vesper Sparrow	1
Warbling Vireo	25
Western Grebe	30
Western Kingbird	2
Western Meadowlark	45
White-breasted Nuthatch	1
White-throated Sparrow	1
Wilson’s Snipe	4
Wood Duck	1
Yellow Warbler	22
Yellow Warbler (Northern)	5
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	9
Yellow-headed Blackbird	5
Species Total	102
Grand Total	1753