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Look up! Migration season is here

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/09/2016 (3532 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They’re on the move! Hundreds of thousands ducks, geese, songbirds, shorebirds and birds of prey fill the Manitoba skies as the annual fall migration gets underway. Over the next month, birds from Central, Mississippi and Atlantic flyways will pass through our province on their way to warmer climes in the south.

It makes for some spectacular bird watching during the most colourful of all seasons. Best of all, it’s easy to witness the magic of migration almost anywhere in the province by simply listening for the overhead honks and looking up.

The biggest migration congregation happens at Oak Hammock Marsh (oakhammockmarsh.ca/) when an estimated 400,000 ducks and geese move through the area before winter sets in.

“Watching the flocks of geese returning to the marsh in the evening is quite grandiose but the morning take off is a photographer’s dream,” said Jacques Bourgeois of the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre. “It feels like watching an avian fireworks with explosions of colourful wings in every direction taking off from the calm waters of the marsh. The light is also at its best to capture this beautiful display.”

The festivities kick off today with A Bird in the Hand, a songbird banding session at the marsh. The bird banding experience is followed by a canoe excursion or a guided birding walk on the trails.

Dive deep into migration with a workshop on Sunday at 1 pm. You’ll learn about how birds navigate on this spectacular journey south. The workshop fee is $5 with regular admission.

Enjoy delicious food and spectacular sights at one of Oak Hammock Marsh’s Migrations Dinners (Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 5). Sit down to a three-course meal featuring a roasted tomato salad, pork tenderloin with wild rice and crème brulee. The $45 dinner includes wine or coffee and wave after wave of waterfowl as they return to the safety of the marsh each evening.

Over at FortWhyte Alive (fortwhyte.org), the action never stops during migration season. Tens of thousands of birds stop at the ponds before continuing their journey south. Best of all, the centre is located within city limits for easy access.

“Feeding on grain fields outside of Winnipeg by day, thousands of geese return to sleep at FortWhyte Alive every night just before sunset,” said Barret Miller, special projects interpreter. “Currently, cool nights and strong winds have triggered the formation of growing migration flocks. Peak numbers of geese usually visit FortWhyte around the Thanksgiving long weekend.”

Stop by for Sunset Goose Flights Wednesdays through Sundays starting at 6 pm. The evening includes an interpretive presentation about goose migration, a barbecue and concessions on the south deck of the Interpretive Centre. There’s also a nightly bonfire and Bannock Bar!

There are also Goose Flight Feasts, the Golden Goose Experience and Honky Tonk Night—each featuring a unique combination of food, wine and music to go along with the sights and sounds of migration season. Visit the website for all the details.