Birding North
I Spy With My LIttle Eye...
While working for a client who lives only 15 minutes south of the town of The Pas I sometimes get to spy on some interesting wildlife. While I wouldn’t call myself a “birder”, I do find watching birds go about their daily routine both peaceful and fascinating. Spying these birds, with their little ones, interacting with one another and other species, witnessing their social dynamic has me quite captivated and I often find myself wanting to see more and to look for other species in the marshy woodlands nearby. Not knowing where to look myself, I reached out to a few avid watchers in our area for some advice. Here is some information, tips and suggestions for great bird watching in the tri-area of The Pas, Opaskwayak and the Rural Municipality of Kelsey.
-Donna Dawe
Gear Up
1. Get your hands on a field guide. Any book will do as long as it has pictures of each bird and maps of their range. There are many apps & online resources, just make sure they can be used offline when service isn't an option. Some resources to check out: www.ebird.org, or www.ibacanada.org
2. Binoculars (nothing fancy needed) or something to hold to the eye and make those far-away little birdies a bit bigger.
3. Journal or scapbook to record your notes and keep your checklists. Many birders keep track of species, dates and locations. Some even keep photos and drawings of their finds.
Get to Know Our Area
We are nestled in the Saskatchewan River Delta, bordering Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Our unique location is excellent for siting numerous waterfowl and both common and hard to find birds.
According to local birder David Raitt, 25-26 species can be observed in our area year-round, 6 species regularly seen over winter (max. 30 species), sightings peek in spring with about 190 species (135 breeding, 35 passing through) and then down to about 160 through summer. David says that, 100 species can be spotted in one day and 60 of those are within the town of The Pas, on the walking trail if you're willing to start at 4:30 am!
Respect Habitats
As many birds are located in tall grass, marshlands and deeper within forested areas, it is vitally important that we are careful when we explore. We do not want to be disturbing their natural habitats, accidentally scaring them off or worse destroying their homes or offspring. Take your time, don’t touch and take everything you brought into the hunt, out with you (even organic materials). #RecreateResponsibly #leavenotrace
