Tundra Swans!

With the nasty weather and my breathing problems almost called it a day even before I started birding at the park this morning!Even though I was watching a Belted kingfisher perched on some bushes!Also saw a few Tree Swallows skimming over the pond.Headed over to the mulch pile were many more swallows were flying around the numerous snags,home for their young ones for the summer!Heard my first Swamp Sparrows singing and then heard swans.Twelve were seen heading northwest,could not make an id but if you see a swan in Manitoba 90%odds it is  Tundra Swans!Terrific sighting in Winnipeg!Found some unique feathers,still in my pocket,most likely a victim of the Cooper's Hawk perched on a gravel pile.And then some pink Franklin's Gulls made there first appearance this year!And finally for the first time caught the #75 bus home,while I was waiting for bus got a lot of stares from the traveling public? 

Big Green Day!

Do one of these every weekend!Big Green Day.Today I walked 10km and spent four hours looking for birds!First stop was a pond where Ruddy Ducks are regular.Three there with two males chasing the female.Unusual behavior observed ,a Bufflehead female was following them around and chasing the males away.Found a huge den close by, most likely Coyotes.Carried on to the Mazenrod pond were the grebes have left but saw a pair of Greater Scaups copulating!Heard a twittering in the last pond and then seen a Belted Kingfisher here! The sparrow spot had seven Yellow-rumped Warblers and as I drank my extra large double double watched one drink water!The regular 10:00 lady with her large dogs forced me to take a detour.Slugging through the marsh,spooked a Wood Duck!Out of a snag,many here,and those snag nesting specialists,are pretty safe here!Including the Tree Swallow seen overhead.As I walked through the sedge meadow two Coyotes walked in front of me.And later watched a young deer who likely got hit by a vehicle and could not walk.The Swainson's Hawk is back to warn me ,if you want to film Monarchs in their favorite milkweed patch,you are going to lose some hairs on that bald head!