Prairie Provinces: Spring 2025

Geese through Terns

Frank Lake hosted a Pink-footed Goose 20–21 Mar, providing Alberta with its first record (Gavin MacKinnon, m.ob., ph.). Other geese started arriving in the first half of March, generally a bit earlier than on average. Five Trumpeter Swans at Boissevain, MB on 5 Mar were also early (Brenda Lyons, ph.). A Eurasian Wigeon at Griswold Marsh, MB from 27 Apr to 3 May was a good find (Carson Rogers, ph.), as were a Blue-winged Teal x Green-winged Teal hybrid in the Prince Albert, SK area on 20 May (John Lundgren, Lilian Donahue, ph.) and a Harlequin Duck at Stony Rapids, SK on 11 May (Shayna Cossette, ph.). While Vaux’s Swift is regularly found in extreme southwest Alberta, a bird at Calgary on 19 May was well to the east (Michelle Schreder, m.ob., ph.). Single Black-chinned Hummingbirds were found at Pincher Creek and Claresholm, AB, both on 27 May (Cornell Van Ryk; Jeanne Burnham). A Ruby-throated Hummingbird x Rufous Hummingbird hybrid was an exceptional find at Calgary on 18 May (Liz Soria, ph.).

A Common Crane at Sullivan Lake, AB on 19 and 24 Apr was only the sixth for the province (Torey Danger, ph.). Black-necked Stilts have become regular features in the Prairie Provinces, but tallies of up to ten birds at two locations in Saskatchewan in May were noteworthy (Al Hartley). Manitoba added Snowy Plover to its all-time bird-list with an individual at Delta on 12 May. It was relocated on 14 May, but not afterwards (Gene Walz, John Weier, m.ob., ph.).

As mentioned in the introductory notes above, dry conditions led to a lack of suitable habitat for shorebirds; hence reports were scarce. In recent years considerable numbers of Sabine’s Gulls have been seen migrating through parts of northern Alberta and Saskatchewan. This is probably not a new phenomenon, but the result of a lack of coverage in those remote regions in the past. On 27 May 70 birds were reported at Pigeon Lake, AB (David Grinevitch), only to be outdone by up to 364 at Meadow Lake, SK on May 28 (Vicky St Germaine, Tom Hince, ph.). A Little Gull at the latter location on the same day was a bonus (Tom Hince). Two Franklin’s Gulls at Winnipeg, MB on 21 Mar were very early (William Rideout), while a bird at Churchill, MB on 31 May was far north of its usual range (Bruce Di Labio, ph.). There were the usual reports of Iceland Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Glaucous Gull. Arctic Terns were noted between 18 May and 7 Jun at four locations in Alberta. They appear to be regular spring migrants in small numbers.

Loons through Waxwings

Besides rare gulls, Meadow Lake also attracted two Pacific Loons on 28 May (Tom Hince). Best of the rare herons were a Great Egret at Spruce Grove, AB for at least the third year in-a-row (m.ob., ph.), a Snowy Egret at Taber Lake, AB for several weeks from 4 May on (m.ob., ph.) and another snowy at Delta on 31 May (Helen Slavuta, m.ob., ph.) and single Western Cattle Egrets at St Claude and Ninette, MB and at Elbow, SK. Green Herons were more prominent in Manitoba than usual, with at least nine birds noted. Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were at Ft Whyte Alive, Winnipeg on 27 Apr (Amanda Shave, m.ob., ph.) and at Sifton, MB on 19 May (Bonnie Chartier, Gwen Armbruster). A few Glossy Ibises were found amongst the more expected White-faced Ibises: one report came from southwest Manitoba on 27 May (Jan Bradley, Andrew Moses, ph.), another from Francis Lake, SK between 10 May and 10 Jun (Sharlane Toole, Fisher Stephenson, m.ob., ph.). There were no notable diurnal raptor reports. Both Eastern and Western Screech-Owl continued at several locations in southern Alberta. The owl highlight of the season was an American Barn Owl reported at Calgary, Alberta on 17 May (Anne Auclair Moe, ph). Rare woodpeckers included two Lewis’s Woodpeckers at Waterton Lakes NP, AB on 28 May (Asher Warkentin, ph.), a continuing Red-bellied Woodpecker at Saskatoon on 22 Mar (Robert Brua, Karen Machin) and a Red-breasted Sapsucker in Clearwater County, AB on 30 Mar (Jennie Callfas, ph.). A Crested Caracara was seen at Crowsnest Pass on 30 Mar during an eagle migration watch (Peter Sherrington).

An Ash-throated Flycatcher at Winnipeg, the second confirmed for Manitoba, was a one-day wonder on 27 Apr (Curtis de Pena, Cam Nikkel, ph.). Another rarity was a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Breezy Point, MB on 17 May (Casey Sisterson, ph.). A Philadelphia Vireo at Churchill on 31 May was probably only the third for the location (Greg Stroud). From 1 Mar through Apr four Chestnut-backed Chickadees were at the Waterton Lakes NP townsite (m.ob., ph.). On 18 Mar a Rock Wren was at Alder Flats, AB, apparently providing the first eBird record for Edmonton county (Kathy Schwengler, ph.). An Eastern Bluebird pair at Wetaskawin, AB fledged four young (m.ob., ph.) and a pair of Western Bluebirds was unusual at Lundbreck Falls, AB on 23 Mar (Drew Rendall). Saskatchewan hosted Townsend’s Solitaires at Saskatoon, Regina, Swift Current and Assiniboia between 12 Mar and 25 May (m.ob., ph.). There were at least five reports of Wood Thrush in Manitoba, including birds on territory. The species has become regular in the extreme southeast of the province in recent years. A Sage Thrasher at Writing-on-Stone PP, AB on 17 May was a good find (Matthew Eubank, ph.), as were Northern Mockingbirds at four locations in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan and two in Manitoba. A tardy Bohemian Waxwing was at Morse, SK on 7 May (Lori Wilson).

Eurasian Tree Sparrow through Lazuli Bunting

Eurasian Tree Sparrows were reported at Broadview, SK on 18 Mar (Don Weidl, ph.), on 9 and 11 May at Regina (Richard Dutchyshen), plus two birds at Carman, MB on 6 May (Dylan Labossière, ph.). A Cassin’s Finch was a rarity at Regina 15-16 May (Cathy Smith) as was a Lesser Goldfinch at Hinton, AB on 10 May (Denise Chambers, ph.); the 10^th record for Alberta. A very early Grasshopper Sparrow was at Pembina Valley, MB on 4 May (Ben Ginter, ph.). Four Field Sparrows were found at Grasslands NP, SK on 21 May (Phee Hudson), while a single bird was seen by many at Chief Whitecap Park, SK from 23 to 27 May (m.ob., ph.). Other early arrivals were a White-crowned Sparrow at Lucky Lake, SK on 31 Mar (Adele Dueck) and a Savannah Sparrow at Mather, MB on 25 Mar (Cory Laughlin). Three Spotted Towhees in the Winnipeg area between 30 Apr and 3 May were east of their normal range (m.ob.). Out-of-range Lark Buntings were at Coyote Lake (Daniel Greenways) and Ft McMurray, AB both on 24 May (m.ob., ph.).

Rare warblers included Hooded Warblers at an unknown Manitoba location on 9 May (Darcy Herie, ph.) and at the Boyne River Trail, MB on 11 May (Steve Doell, ph.), a Northern Parula in the Maple Creek, SK area on 26 May (m.ob.) and another at Lac La Biche, AB on 31 May (m.ob., ph.), Black-throated Blue Warblers at Winnipeg on 14 May (Daryl Maiers), near Morden, MB 21-22 May (Marvin Koop, ph.) and at  Rockglen, SK on 28 May (Aaron Roberge, ph.). Rarer still were Black-throated Gray Warblers at Elbow, SK on 15 May, (Miriam Schulte, ph.) and at Calgary on 16 May (An Nguyen, ph.), both the fifth for their respective provinces. Summer Tanagers were north of their expected range at six locations in Manitoba (m.ob., ph.) and one bird was in the Saskatoon area on 16 May (Miriam Schulte, ph.), while Western Tanagers came east, with a bird at Big River, SK on about 12 May (Karen Fey-Hill, ph.) and at least eight in southern Manitoba between 10 and 26 May (m.ob., ph). A Lazuli Bunting at Winnipeg on 24 May was rare (Carson Rogers), while a Dickcissel at Grande Cache on 14 May pushed the number of Alberta records into the double digits (Tom McDonald, ph.).

Report edited by Andrew Keaveney, 3 Nov 2025.