Gillian Richards recently forwarded some images from spring at Whitewater Lake. On April 2nd Colin Blyth and Gillian counted 41,820 Snow Geese at the lake, a phenomenal number! We also have images of White-faced Ibis, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Tree Sparrow, American Kestrel, Great Egret and Beavers. Thanks Gillian!

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All photos copyright Gillian Richards

Rudolf Koes led a Nature Manitoba trip to Delta Marsh and West Shoal Lake, both IBAs on Saturday April 22nd. Garry Budyk has kindly let us post the results and a few of his photos form the day. What is really interesting is how many more birds were present in the IBA due to the new boundaries. This is especially true of the PR227 dump, a hotspot for gull activity and now part of Delta Marsh IBA. Other checklists submitted within Delta Marsh IBA which were not previously in the boundary were at PR #411, St. Ambroise (hamlet), St. Marks, PR #227 and Oakland. Take a look below at the photos and the checklists submitted by Garry to eBird.

Also look out for photos of a funky hybrid gull and a couple of rare visitors to Manitoba in spring.

West Shoal Lake

Great Egret in full breeding regalia at West Shoal Lake taken by Garry Budyk

Delta Marsh IBA

A beautiful immature dark morph Rough-legged Hawk taken by Garry Budyk

Now for the rare and unusual records for the day. First the rarities. The first is a Varied Thrush. This is a species which breeds in dense conifer forest of the Pacific northwest but is an occasional winter visitor to Manitoba.

Female Varied Thrush spotted near Delta Beach. Taken by Garry Budyk

Another annual winter visitor to Manitoba is the Townsend’s Solitaire. This species also breeds in the conifer forests of the Pacific northwest.

This Townsend’s Solitaire was spotted along PR411. Taken by Garry Budyk

Finally, gulls are seemingly one of the most regular source of at least noticeable hybridisation in bird populations. On this occasion at the PR227 dump a hybrid Glaucous and Herring Gull, also known as a Nelson’s Gull. Due to the unusual plumage Rudolf sent Garry’s photo to gull expert Amar Ayyash who gave the following reponse:

“… keep in mind that most hybrid identifications usually involve a good deal of guessing (educated guessing). Birds like this, with very pale gray upperparts are always suspected of having Glaucous influence. What gray-backed hybrid combinations are “expected” with Glaucous? Herring or Glaucous-winged. The pale eye suggests another pale-eyed species is involved, and the yellowish eye-ring helps point to Herring. Notice the outer primaries have a diluted dark gray pattern (like Kumlien’s Gull), something we often see in Glaucous x Herrings.”

Compare the Herring Gull on the left with the hybrid Glaucous x Herring Gull on the right. Taken by Garry Budyk

Thanks Garry for the list and the photos!

Manitoba IBA Program has just published a spring newsletter. Click here to read about the latest news from the program and some exciting upcoming events.

Over the past year we have been looking at revising a few of Manitoba’s IBA boundaries. Our purpose in this has been to:

1. Ensure that all the areas which currently provide habitat for significant concentrations of birds are included in the IBA
2. Redraw boundaries around the current extents of habitat in this high wet cycle that we are currently experiencing
3. Try to make boundaries more logical and easy to follow

Four IBA boundaries have recently been changed and another group are in the process of being changed (we will inform volunteers of this when it happens). The four IBAs are:

MB001 – Delta Marsh

The boundary has been altered following advice from Dr Bob Jones, who was responsible for nominating Delta Marsh as an IBA in 1998. The new boundary follows much of his original map, using PR227 as the southern boundary and bringing Lake Francis into the IBA. The new boundary also included additional woodland scrub habitat, important for species such as Sharp-tailed Grouse and extends further west.

Please note that the old boundary is always on top of the new boundary in the example pictures presented below.

MB008 – Nelson River Estuary and Marsh Point

Not one of the more accessible IBA’s but major changes have been made to this boundary due to new data being submitted showing extensive spring migration concentrations of Red Knot along the coast north and east of the estuary. Further large concentrations of Hudsonian Godwit during the Atlas sealed the deal for a new funky looking boundary. The presence of Arctic Tern colonies on islands south of the estuary have brought further areas into the IBA. Unfortunately in this case, the habitat map has yet to be changed on the website.

MB015 – Whitewater Lake IBA

To match large increases in lake size, the IBA boundary has been increased on all sides. We have also bought the boundaries out to road allowances and the railway to make it easier for anyone to know when they are inside the boundary or not. A large area of potholes to the northwest has been added as well as the grassland habitats on the southeast corner and some of the excellent shorebird habitats on the east. Thanks to Colin and Gillian for their advice on setting the new boundary.

MB038 – North, West and East Shoal Lakes IBA

Changing this boundary has long been an ambition following the first visit I made to the Shoal Lakes IBA with Donna Martin. Donna quite rightly pointed out that it was very hard in places to know when she was in the IBA and there were areas of good habitat outside the IBA following flooding of this area. The new boundary hopefully addresses these points, by including all the areas between the lakes in the IBA, adding the lake and wetland complexes to the north and the southwest and the wetlands southwest of North Shoal Lake.

On March 2nd 2017, 4 new Environment Canada funded projects, of which the Manitoba IBA Program is a partner in 1, were launched at a media event hosted by the Manitoba Beef Producers and addressed by local MP Terry Duguid. The following is a copy of the press release from the Manitoba Beef Producers.

WINNIPEG  – As another example of the Manitoba’s beef industry’s commitment to environmental stewardship, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) is pleased to announce a project to promote habitat enhancement for species at risk in southwestern Manitoba.

With $750,000 in funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Species at Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Lands (SARPAL) initiative, MBP is delivering voluntary, incentive-based habitat enhancement actions with beef producers in areas of southwestern Manitoba to protect important habitats. Working with beef producers in the area, MBP, while contracting experts at Manitoba Heritage Habitat Corporation (MHHC) will encourage producers to undertake practices that both enhance cattle production as well as habitats for specific species at risk. Sound grazing and feeding strategies are proving to be the best way to keep the land productive as well as maintain important grasslands for many species of prairie birds.

Brian Lemon, General Manager of the Manitoba Beef Producers introducing proceedings. Photo copyright Stephen Carlyle, Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation

“SARPAL projects help Manitoba livestock producers and farmers conserve and enhance grasslands that are home to many species at risk,” said The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “Through such collaborative efforts we are able to support sustainable ranching and farming practices that help protect wildlife and their habitats.  I look forward to continuing our work with the Manitoba Beef Producers, Manitoba Agriculture and local Conservation Districts on innovative solutions to conserve species at risk across Canada.”

Local MP, Terry Duguid, attended and addressed the audience as representative of the Government of Canada. Photo copyright Chad Saxon, Manitoba Beef Producers

The MBP project is one of four taking place in Manitoba under SARPAL and will be delivered with the expertise of MHHC staff. The three SARPAL projects also underway are:

• The Turtle Mountain Conservation District and Manitoba Sustainable Development are partnering on a burrowing owl project that focuses on the installation of artificial nests to research and raise awareness of burrowing owls.
• The West Souris River Conservation District’s grassland birds project will center on mapping, surveying and implementing bird-specific Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) for targeted species in southwestern Manitoba, including the Ferruginous hawk, Chestnut-collared longspur, Sprague’s pipit and Baird Sparrow.
• Manitoba Agriculture is working to add a species at risk component to its existing Environmental Farm Plan Program process/booklet.

“The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of agricultural land and agricultural producers to the conservation of species at risk. Many Canadian producers steward their land in ways that benefit wildlife and we support their efforts that will directly help species at risk to survive and recover,” said Terry Duguid, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Status of Women.

SARPAL funding supports projects that engage the agriculture sector in preserving key wildlife habitat. Working closely with stakeholders, Environment and Climate Change Canada is exploring a variety of approaches to working with Manitoba’s producers on voluntary agreements that result in effective protection of identified critical habitat for Species at Risk Act-listed species located on agricultural lands, while maintaining the land’s productive value.

“The commitment of Manitoba’s beef producers to being sound stewards of the land is well-documented,” said MBP President Ben E. Fox. “Properly managed pasture land is integral to our business as well as in supporting biodiversity and providing habitat for a range of wildlife, including species at risk. The funds provided by this program will allow producers in the southwest to take their stewardship efforts a step further and  implement measures that show how cattle production is part of the solution as we work to support and protect species at risk in that region.”

Dr Christian Artuso gave an impassioned speech on why grassland birds are dependent on the continuation of grazing and beef production in southwestern Manitoba. Copyright Chad Saxon, Manitoba Beef Producers

“The Manitoba Burrowing Owl Recovery Program is a non-profit organization that works directly with program partners, Turtle Mountain and West Souris River Conservation District, in southwestern Manitoba,” said Alexandra Froese, Turtle Mountain Conservation District Project Coordinator. “One of the program’s main focuses is to connect with landowners who have habitat suitable for burrowing owls. We work with select landowners to both maintain and improve habitat for returning Burrowing Owls which includes the installation of artificial nest burrows that protect nests from digging animals (predators). Our program runs solely on private and public funding and we are so thrilled to receive this tremendous support from SARPAL for three seasons.”

Shane Robins from the Manitoba Conservation District Association addressing the audience. Photo copyright Chad Saxon, Manitoba Beef Producers

“The board and staff of the West Souris River Conservation District are looking forward to hitting the ground running with this project,” said WRSCD Manager Dean Booker. “There has already been a lot of interest from landowners in the area.”

SARPAL is focused entirely on commercially-farmed lands containing individuals, residences, or critical habitat of Species at Risk Act-listed species, and has three main elements: agreements/contracts, BMPs, and funding for producers.

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 Manitoba Beef Producers is the exclusive voice of the beef industry in Manitoba. Our role and mission is to represent our beef producers through communication, research, advocacy and education. Manitoba Beef Producers represents 7,000 beef producers across the province. 

L to R, Tim Sopuck (MHHC), Terry Duguid MP, Christian Artuso (BSC/IBA), Shane Robins (MCDA) and Brian Lemon (MB Beef Producer). Photo copyright Chad Saxon, Manitoba Beef Producers

These initiatives are timely and will involve a number of organisations collaborating across the landscape. We will be following up with more information in the coming weeks and months on our involvement. Thanks especially to the Manitoba Beef Producers for arranging and hosting the event today and for MP Terry Duguid for giving up his time to address us.

Nature Manitoba published its February newsletter earlier this month and there are a couple of IBA-related articles.

The first is related to a new project following up on the Grassland Bird Conservation Initiative is part of a new partnership funded by Environment Canada and Climate Change to fund grassland bird conservation with beef producers. Take a look at the article including quotes from Christian Artuso here.

Ferruginous Hawks at home in a pasture with a cattle. Retaining these habitats is critical for conserving our grassland birds. Photo copyright Tim Poole

The second article refers to a new powerline in western Manitoba. The proposal from Manitoba Hydro is that the powerline would pass through an area of native prairie with globally significant numbers of grassland birds. Nature Manitoba have responded to the public consultation on this and you can read it on the their website, including reference to the IBA Program.

There is also a new feature for bird of the month which will include references to birds in IBAs over the course of the year. Keep your eyes open for this feature in the future but for now, enjoy the Great Gray Owl feature this month.

If you do not receive the Eco-Journal, then you might have missed the article published on Whitewater Lake and written by Manitoba IBA Program Coordinator, Tim Poole. We discuss the issues with water impacting communities in this area, the globally important bird populations and what this might mean for the future. A quick note of correction is that all the photos were taken by Christian Artuso, not Tim!

You can download the full article on Whitewater Lake here.

And for our previous offering on grassland birds, you can download here..

Happy New Year to all our readers! If you have not been following the news in Manitoba, you may have missed the Nature Manitoba piece on New Year Resolutions for environmental groups which also featured an entry from the IBA Program.

We even got a mention on the CBC news website.