Prairie Provinces

miserable May evolved into one of the worst summers off record, ranging from cool and wet in southern Alberta to the sixth coldest on record in Saskatchewan and the coldest in Manitoba since regular observations began around 1875.Wind and rain prevailed.Populations of many species, passefines in particular, had little chance to recover from the losses suffered in Mays snows.The Hudson Bay lowlands were still snowand ice-bound in early June, causing geese and shorebirds to linger until midmonth.Few birds initiated nests and those that did suffered high predation.Snow Geese experienced total failure, and the success rate of Canada Geese, ducks, and shorebirds was not much better.Large flocks of non-breeders (e.g., HudsonJan Godwits, Stilt Sandpipers, Short-hilled Dowitchers) were present by late June.The woods were also deserted; even Yellow-rumped Warblers and Dark-eyed Juncos were scarce.Some of the comments of long-time Churchill observers included "it is so quiet that it is scary" (BC) and "there were just no birds around" (JJ).In northern and central Alberta, songbird numbers were down at Calling Lake (PM) and the lowest in 14 years of visits to Sir Winston Churchill EE (RT).Neotropical migrants seemed especially hard hit, but so were "half-hardy" species such as Rubycrowned Kinglet and Chipping Sparrow (fide MH).A curious by-product of conditions appeared to be the high incidence of mixed pairs of Eastern and Mountain Bluebirds in Manitoba, with as many as eight such pairs noted on one bluebird nest box trail near Brandon (BR).It would appear that bluebirds had difficulty finding partners of the same species after high mortality in May.If there was a silver lining to the rainclouds, it was lusher growth on the Alberta prairies, which seemed to benefit spedes such as Sprague• Pipit, Le Conte's Sparrow, Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, and Bobolink; all were present in higher numbers than during the past few years.CORMORANTS THROUGH FALCONS A Double-crested Cormorant at Churchill, MB 15 Jun was a local rarity (BD, LB, LK).Only in-Manitoba were rare waders reported, all at Whitewater L, where there were 2 Snowy Egrets 5 Jun (BD et al.), several Cattle Egrets in early Jun (m.ob.), and 4 Whitefaced Ibis 5-8 Jun (BD, DF, m.ob.).A concentration of 75+ Black-crowned Night-Herons there 8 Jun was also notable (DF); one at Churchill 16 Jun was the 2nd ever there (BD).A Greater White-fronted Goose at Churchill 13 Jun was a locally rare migrant (RK et al.).Flocks of white geese at Churchill contained up to 40% Ross's Geese in early and mid-Jun (RK et al.).A Mute Prairie Provin ces F Swan at Buffalo Pound L., SK 8-11 Jul was unbanded and believed to be from a wild population (BL, DH, CB).Out-of-seasonTundra Swans in Saskatchewan included 2 at the Clavet Mine ponds 23 Jul (where a pair bred last year) and 7 at Davidson 25Jul (ML, GK).A pair of Wood Ducks near Lac la Biche, AB 19-20 Jun was well beyond normal range and may have bred locally (GN, RT).A count of 30+ Cinnamon Teal near Stavely, AB 12 Jun was high (TK).Also near Stavely was an odd-looking duck, believed to be a Northern Shoveler x teal hybrid, 26 Jun (TK).A pair of Harlequin Ducks near Churchill 8 Jun was at Goose Cr., an unusual location for the spedes (RK et al.).Ferruginous Hawks in sw.Manitoba had their highest productivity since monitoring started in 1987, with an average of 2.0 young raised to fledging in 44 nests (KD).A melanistic Prairie Falcon at Sheep River Valley, AB 2 Jun may be unprecedented (WS).SHOREBIRDS THROUGH WOODPECKERS Black-necked Stilts were widespread in s.Alberta, with 35 ads.and 3 juvs.at L. Newell, Brooks 8-9 Jul being the highest number reported (GN, RT).A pair of Lesser Yellowlegs at Shepard, near Calgary, AB 3 & 9 Jul appeared to be on territory, far s. of the usual breeding range (ph.TK).At the n.edge of their range were 10 Marbled Godwits near Athabasca, AB 2 Jul (DS).A count of 400 v•rilson's Phalaropes at Clear L. near Stavely 26Jun was high for the time of year (TK).A Red Phalarope in the Souris R. valley 24 Jul (CB) and a Parasitic Jaeger at Rafferty Dam 1 Jun (GM) were both Saskatchewan rarities.Churchill hosted a Great Black-backed Gull

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