Harlequin Duck, Delta Marsh IBA

This is short post to document the Harlequin Duck found by Matt Gasner on Sunday 28^th as part of the Delta Important Bird Area blitz (https://importantbirdareasmb.ca) and seen yesterday by Bonnie Chartier and Liis Veelma and then found by Jo Swartz and myself early this morning.  I have also added two photos of the lingering second-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull at PR 227 dump (as earlier identified by Amar Ayyash from photos submitted by Donna Martin) and a photo of the Red Knot found by Colin Blyth and team on the Delta IBA blitz on August 28^th and photographed by me on August 29th. Another highlight of the blitz was a flock of at least 34 Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Can you see any of them them in the last photo below (I gave you help with 4 of them by pasting 4 cropped sections in the top row)?

 
  

Pledge to take Birds "Under Your Wing"

Our colleagues at Environment Canada have launched a brilliantly simple initiative - make a pledge to take birds under your wing in one of eight simple ways: 

https://ec.gc.ca/nature/default.asp?lang=En&n=8DAFC533-1

This is a pledge well worth taking so here is my own personal pledge:

Manitoba Miracle

Some of you may have already heard or read about the Manitoba government's interview with the CBC late this afternoon:

http://cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/piping-plover-return-1.3719024  

so I can finally share the news that we have enjoyed a little bit of a Manitoba miracle this year. A pair of Piping Plover has nested successfully. This is the first Piping Plover nest in the province since 2012 and the first successful nesting attempt since 2010 here.


This was a lot of work and nerve-racking at times but thanks to a small dedicated team this pair fledged three chicks in a probable re-nesting situation.  Bird Studies Canada (www.bsc-eoc.org)  worked in partnership with the province's excellent stewardship to make this story a success.  I would especially like to thank ALL those involved for a truly outstanding piece of work! 

Another story based on an interview I did with The Wildlife Society was recently published at:

http://wildlife.org/plover-chicks-survive-harrowing-adventures-to-fledge-on-new-beaches/



Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)

Did you know that Bonaparte's Gulls nest in trees?

Bonus point if you can name another "unexpected" tree-nesting species!