Manitoba Birds
Browse by species, photographed across the province.
Most of these photographs started the same way: with a long walk and a lot of waiting. At first light, I follow the edges of marshes, where pelicans, herons, and egrets stand motionless in the shallows and the cranes call from somewhere out of sight. In summer, forest trails take over, and I listen for the hammering of a pileated woodpecker or the quick rattle of a downy. Then, by November, I am standing on frozen prairie roads, scanning fence posts and hay bales for a pale shape watching the snow.
Manitoba rewards patience. For example, the same field that holds nothing in July can hold a snowy owl in December, and a slough that looks empty can suddenly fill with geese and sandhill cranes on their way through. Because the birds here follow the seasons closely, I have learned to follow them too, going back to the same marshes, woodlots, and open fields year after year.
This collection grows as I do. Each page below is one species, with the photographs I am proudest of from across the province and a few notes on when and where to find it. So pick a bird, and wander along with me.
