SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Eighteen bird watchers came out with binoculars in hand, to check out what they could see during the annual Spring Bird Walk on Sunday.

From right: Lynn Hjartarson, Patricia Baldwin, Shannon Ripley, Christine Wenman and Catherine Pigott use binoculars to get a closer look at the many varieties of birds on Niven Lake. - Heather Lange/NNSL photo

This was the 19th year for the Spring Bird Walk. The outing, which is usually held on Mother's Day, was delayed until May 29 due to the cold weather. There were a total of 48 species of birds reported, up from 33 last year.

The bird watchers, or "twitchers" as they are referred to in Britain, started their walk on Niven Lake, the most highly bird-populated lake in town because of its history as a former sewage lagoon.

"Most lakes in the NWT are low in nutrients but because of the waste that was dumped into Niven Lake, it has produced a lot of nutrients and is the favourite breeding ground of migratory birds," said Vicky Johnston, the lead guide on the bird walk.

After Niven Lake, the bird watchers had lunch near an osprey nest located at the radio tower past the Dettah Road turn off on the Ingraham Trail. The group then went for a hike past Ranney Hill to Martin Lake off the Vee Lake Road.

Patty Baldwin said she learns a lot from other bird watchers.

"I see nothing when I'm alone but I see hundreds of birds when I'm with people who are pointing them out," said Baldwin.

A red-winged blackbird was seen darting in and out among the reeds and trees on Niven Lake, at times puffing out its chest.

"It puffs out the red on its chest to look especially sexy to his girlfriend," said Johnston.

Two American wigeons floated by in a small pool of water on Niven Lake. The female is a duller brown with white speckles, perfect for camouflaging among the reeds, while the male has striking green markings above its eyes, looking almost like eyeshadow.

To an untrained ear, the noises birds make sound just like, well noise, but once Vicky Johnston identified one call, it was hard not to hear it being sung in the trees.

"The white-throated sparrow has an unmistakable call, "Oh, sam, peabody, peabody, peabody,'" called Johnston.

The yellow warbler is called the "wild canary" for its uncanny similarity to this more famous little yellow bird. They dart from tree to tree, never staying in one spot long.

A female red-necked grebe sat on her nest, signaling the nesting period has begun for these golden birds, also on Niven Lake.

"The red-necked grebe are iridescent. They look dull but when the sun hits them, they explode into colour," said Johnston.

Johnston said the bravest bird she has ever seen is the Bonaparte's gull.

"They are birds with balls. I've seen them chase away eagles," said Johnston with a laugh.

A group of scaup, a distinctively black-and-white duck, sat among a muddy embankment on the shallower side of Niven Lake.

"These are puddle ducks. They eat only vegetation and don't dive. They have to be where it's shallow," said Johnston

The most notable sighting was of a white-winged dove. This dove's farthest northerly range is normally Baja, California, so for it to be seen up here is very unusual. Johnston stated in an e-mail, it may have been an escaped pet or could be a wild bird that somehow ended up way out of its home range. With 10 bird watchers spotting it, it was a confirmed sighting and a rare bird report for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be filed.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.