I took a trip to Fort Providence at the end of June to go birding and do some fishing with my son. Fort Providence is approximately four hours from Yellowknife by car and is a Yellowknifer’s closest access to the Mackenzie River. During the spring and fall migration, Big River hosts thousands of birds from gulls, and ducks, to swans, eagles, and loons. Many of the birds migrating along the Mackenzie head to the tundra to breed before heading back south.
One of the birds that sticks around Fort Providence is the Cliff swallow, a small, agile bird that thrives on man made structures. Cliff swallows often build nests on the undersides of bridges or under the eaves of houses near water. They generally nest in large groups called colonies and in some places there can be up to 3700 nests!
The day I was in Fort Providence it was quite windy. I saw what I first thought were butterflies drinking at a puddle. When I got closer I realized it was a flock of swallows scooping up mud in their beaks to build their nests. The birds kept their wings open and seemed to drift into the mud, grab a mouthful, and lift off towards the Dehcho bridge. They took turns building up the walls of their nests forming a round ball with a narrow neck. I enjoyed watching them flitting in the mud and manoeuvring elegantly in the currents of wind.
Fun Fact: The oldest recorded Cliff Swallow was a male, and at least 11 years, 10 months old when he was recaptured and re-released for scientific purposes in California in 2004. He was banded in Nebraska in 1993.*
That’s all for this week. Thanks for stopping by!