Manning Park in May

[Dave]

I am thinking about going to Manning Park for a Saturday in May. Have any of you birded this area? What trails/areas do you recommend? I would like to see birds not seen in a while, such as:

Three-toed Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker (would be a life bird for me)
Pileated Woodpecker
Nashville Warbler
Macgill. Warbler
Towns. Warlber

How about Ptarmagins? Rosy-finches?

All advice/tips welcome. Good topic for the rainy days

Dave

[tmanson]

Hi Dave: Here is my experience with Manning, and the species you are looking for. I am sure others will be able to supplement. 1) Three toed Woodpecker; have seen just in from the parking lot at Spruce Bay, which is the upper parking lot for Lightning Lakes; also above Buckhorn Camp which is on the trail to Three Brothers. Also on this trail, specifically on the shoulder of Three Brothers Mountain before you start the ascent for First Brother, Brent and Carolynn Schmor, and I found White-tailed Ptarmigan. Black-backed Woodpecker- I could be wrong, but you are better off looking for this species along Shuttleworth Creek Road behind Okanagan Falls. Pileated Woodpecker; have seen this bird along the same trail heading from Spruce Bay Parking Lot towards Lightning Lake. Nashville Warbler; probably there, but the closest I have seen this species is outside North Bend/Boston Bar. MacGillvrarys Warbler; actually travelled to Vancouver Is. to find this bird, but then found around Hicks Lake outside Harrison. Townsville Warbler- have found this bird on the Mt. Frosty Trail in Manning; lower third. Rosy Finches; looked for them around the snow fields in Manning, but found them in winter at the Princeton Dump with Brent and Carolynn. You can also find Boreal Chickadee at the emergency shelter heading up Frosty, and Brent and Carolynn have found White winged Crossbill on the drive up to Blackwall Meadows. Other birds seen hiking up to Three Brothers: Mountain Bluebird, American Pipit, Horned Lark, Fox Sparrow. Good luck. Thor

Thor Manson
Hope, B.C.

[tmanson]

Dave: Having just written this reply I just realized you said you wanted to go in May!! As you know, most of the trails, and roads I just wrote about will not be open in May. They may not be open unitl the beginning of July I did find the Three-toed Wooedpecker in May, just in fromt the Spruce Bay parking lot, but I was wading through thigh deep snow. The area around Beaver Lake will be open, and I did see Red naped Sapsucker there. Small consolation!! I am hiking the Silver Skagit Trail June 2nd. I will report back on anything interesing I see there. Thor

Thor Manson
Hope, BC.

[Dave]

Thanks for the comments, Thor. Yes, I know I am kind of early with the snowpack, but I am going away on an extended trip this summer and thought a nice Saturday at Manning in May (even just at lower elev. - BeaverPond/Lightning Lake,etc) would be fun. Do you know off hand how much snow would be around Lightning Lake with the larger pack this year in Mid-May?

Dave

[Gord]

Im not too experienced with Manning myself, and Thor share what I know and more.

I can share places to see some of those species though.

Townsend Warbler: Cheam Lake during migration (Aug usually) and all summer on Sumas Mountain where they breed.
McGillivary's Warbler: I see them everywhere during migration, Sucker's Creek in Hope even had a male singing and then got really upset when I walked near a certain area. I think there was a nest possibly? Sumas Mountain is also a very good place for them as well.
Pileated Woodpecker also is regular at Cheam Lake and I saw a pair all summer at Sucker's Creek in Hope two summers ago.
Rosy Finch and Ptarmigan are in good numbers at Cheam Ridge, but more work to get these birds over Manning.
Look forward to hearing about your trips, with lots of pictures too as usual.

[tmanson]

Dave: Re your question about snow pack, the best advice I can give is phone the lodge close to the date you are traveling. They should be able to advise about parking lot, road, and trail openings. Thor

Thor Manson
Hope, B.C.