Wellington Park Nesting Birds On Little Manitou Lake

Bob and I planned a more leisurely pace for our third day in the area of Little Manitou Lake in Saskatchewan, Canada.  Local people in the village of Manitou Beach had informed us of a short trail to a lookout overlooking the lake and surrounding area.  They also mentioned that Wellington Park was worthy of a visit, so we thought we’d check it out.

The sound of horses softly whinnying could be heard as we hiked through rolling countryside to achieve the view.

Subsequently, we descended the hills toward Little Manitou Lake and strolled along a creek in Wellington Park.

Wellington Park is considered the hidden jewel of Manitou Beach.  The Park is dedicated to Wellington White, the gentleman who is responsible for the building of the massive Danceland dance hall in Watrous.

Wellington Park is tiny with a picturesque stream trickling through it.  Efforts were made by the townspeople to create a retreat complete with shade trees.  It soon became a haven for local wildlife.

The abundance of stately old Spruce Trees is thanks to T. Sproule and R. McFarlane who hauled them as small trees from the nearby Touchwood Hills.  O. Willems planted the trees which add to the riparian habitat.

Our stroll began with little more intent than to enjoy the peace and tranquility.

But then, Bob and I began to see quite a bit of bird activity.  As we admired a beautiful Black-billed Magpie perched on a picnic table, I caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye.

The green space is abundantly bordered by bushes and flowering plants beneath the taller trees.  The hollow stump of an old tree stood at the edge of the border.  I was pretty sure that I had seen a bird disappear into its depths.

Bob and I patiently and quietly waited to see if I had been correct.  A little brown bird finally peeked up from the shadows.  When it took flight, we recognized it as a House Wren.

It was so much fun watching the House Wren because we soon realized that it had a brood within the stump.  It and its mate returned at intervals bearing insects to feed to their nestlings.

With furtive movements, the adult Wrens would disappear deep down inside the cavity.  Bob and I agreed that it was nice to see an active nest since we weren’t at home to appreciate all the nesting birds there.

The babbling noises of the stream attracted a few different species as we meandered through the Park.  A Blue Jay and American Goldfinches sidled up to the flowing water for a drink, a Spotted Towhee skulked in the underbrush, and a Savannah Sparrow was singing its heart out.

It wasn’t too long before I picked up the sounds of baby birds peeping.  It was sometime before we located the source of the sound.  A female Downy Woodpecker gave it away where she sat watching over a nest hole in a Poplar Tree.

A few moments later, a male Downy Woodpecker arrived with a large insect clutched in its beak.  The adults came bearing a variety of foods alternating between protein and fruit, insects and berries.

At the same moment, a little head poked out of the nest hole hoping to claim the tasty morsel ahead of its nest mates.

Over the course of many minutes, Bob and I watched the busy family.

If the adults weren’t delivering more food, they were removing fecal sacs from the nest hole.

We determined that there was at least one female and one male nestling, but judging by the number of trips the adult Downy Woodpeckers made to and from the cavity, there could have been more.

One little wooden bridge in Wellington Park spans the creek and leads to a broader expanse of green grass.

There we found a selection of picnic tables, each tucked into a private corner made so with ample native shrubs and bushes.

Imagine our surprise when we looked up and found that we were sharing the space with a Mule Deer.

It didn’t stick around for long.

Bob and I opted to walk a feeble trail through one stand of Poplars to see what else we might find.

There was much squawking by some American Crows near the back edge of the trees.  A huge assemblage of twigs could be discerned through the leaf cover.

Bob and I tread carefully through the woods as we tried to get a clearer view.  Studying our every movement was a Crow perched off to the side of the trail.

Two American Crows flew in to mind the nest, and we detected movement of a fledgling within its confines.

Bob and I pretty much had Wellington Park to ourselves that morning.  We alternated between shady copses and sunny open glades.   A Nuttall’s Cottontail Rabbit silently munched grass along the border of one such clearing.

Following along in the same direction is when Bob and I found an unexpected gateway in the form of a simple arbour.

It was the entrance to a meditative labyrinth.

It seemed appropriate to take a stroll on the beautifully designed circular paths.

Walking a labyrinth quiets the mind and allows one to meditate, reflect and relax.  We were pretty relaxed already, but it never hurts to spend a few minutes in reflection.

Thinking that we had seen all there was to see in Wellington Park, Bob and I proceeded along the gravel path back towards the main road.  A flash of blue, however, had us stopping in our tracks.  A Tree Swallow had just exited another nest cavity.

We couldn’t believe our luck stumbling upon yet another brood of babies.  Trees are so scarce on the Prairies that any woodlot or copse is sure to attract birds, and it was June after all when a lot of baby birds are hatching.

The morning was getting on when finally we got within sight of the entrance to Wellington Park.  But there was still more excitement to be had.

A pair of Crows was squabbling at the edge of the stream.

One of the Crows had caught a rodent and was feasting before returning to the nest to feed its young.

Overhead, an Eastern Phoebe was hawking for insects, and a Brown Thrasher pulled a morsel out of the grass.  At the same time, our ears were assaulted by the piercing call of a Northern Flicker.

Finally, Bob and I were within sight of our car not far from where the creek empties into Little Manitou Lake.  Significant measures have been made to protect the banks of the wee tributary.

Feeling we had had a very worthwhile visit to Wellington Park in Manitou Beach, Bob and I departed with plans for a nice lunch at Lake Manitou Springs Resort Spa followed up by some relaxation in the hot pools.  The day was definitely off to a good start!

Frame To Frame – Bob and Jean