Located on the southern shore of Hudson Bay, Churchill is a remote community with no road access. To get here we must take a 2-hour flight north from Winnipeg, Manitoba. We make this journey to see classic subarctic species such as; Willow Ptarmigan, Pacific Loon, Parasitic Jaeger and American Golden-Plover. While the road network in Churchill is limited, we will still be able to do some exploring. Boreal specialties such as; Spruce Grouse, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Bohemian Waxwing, Gray-cheeked Thrush and Boreal Chickadee are all possible south of town. The Churchill area is a very important breeding location for many species and out tour is timed to line up with the peak. Shorebird species that are only seen during migration throughout most of North America nest here. Stilt Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers, Dunlins, Hudsonian Godwits, American Golden and Semipalmated Plovers are all relatively common and can often be seen displaying, a rare sight farther south. Possible mammals include Belugas and Polar Bears.
Day 1: Arrival in Winnipeg
The tour will begin this evening with a welcome dinner at our hotel near the James Armstrong Richardson International Airport in Winnipeg. Days 2-6: Churchill Five days will be spent exploring the famous town of Churchill and the surrounding natural areas. We will make regular visits to Cape Merry at the mouth of the Churchill River where a variety of shorebirds, ducks, gulls and loons can be observed. In particular we can expect to see; Common Eiders, Black Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, Parasitic Jaegers, Arctic Terns as well as both Red-throated and Pacific Loons. We will also spend time searching for breeding songbirds, while the diversity is lower at higher latitudes the species here are often elusive further south. These birds include Bohemian waxwing, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Snow Bunting, both Common and Hoary Redpolls and Harris's Sparrow. |
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