The fall season is short in Winnipeg, with leaves quickly turning to warm shades of oranges and yellows, and temperatures dropping to the single digits. Last week we also had a snowstorm where it reached 34cm of snow in the city (source: chvnradio), and even double that in other areas of Manitoba! For those few days, the roads were especially dangerous since many folks are still transitioning from summer to winter tires. There were many cars left behind on the sides of roads and ambulance sirens going on all day. Apart from the roads, the snow was quite lovely! This is certainly Mocha’s type of weather, she loves to romp around in the snow, make snow dog-angels, and follow the animal footprints. The children in the neighborhood were out making snowmen and forts, some folks even tobogganing wherever they can find a rare hill. Now a week later, the snow has almost completely melted, leaving behind small piles of muddy slush on the street corners. This winter preview left as fast as it came in.

I haven’t been out birding as much as I’d like, but I have observed some occasional flocks of swans and snow geese flyover, and sparrows still hopping about in the neighborhood (including harris’s sparrows!). Canada geese and gulls are still in large numbers here, but probably not for much longer. I’m looking forward to the winter residents, like the snow buntings and snowy owls. Time is going by so quickly and I cannot keep up with all the things I need to do as a graduate student. Sometimes I wish I could just fatten up and hibernate in a burrow like a prairie dog!

-Evelien