City Nature Challenge 2024

The iNaturalist City Nature Challenge ran April 26-29 this year. I had a personal goal of getting 400 observations over the weekend, and barely pulled it off with 403. I saw a total of 96 species (100 was within reach, if I knew a couple more plants and didn't miss a butterfly) out of 148 total. 76 of the 148 species were birds.

Day 1

Started off with a House Sparrow around my office. After work I led a walk around the Riverbank Discovery Centre with the Westman Naturalists. Purple Martins had recently arrived at their houses, American Robins sat still for a photo, and Red-winged Blackbirds were singing in the cattail as a Muskrat swam past.

Then I went to Hanbury Hill and found a Vesper Sparrow. At the ACC North Hill Campus there were Chipping Sparrows and a Cooper's Hawk. The Wesman Salvage ponds had Canvasbacks, Herring Gulls, a nesting Canada Goose, and my first Common Raccoon that I was able to photograph. It started to rain when I arrived at the Assiniboine Food Forest but I did get a Swamp Sparrow.

Day 2

There was a Western Tanager at some bird feeders down the path along the tracks at 34th St. Brandon is close to the eastern edge of their range, so it was a great find and a lifer. There was also a Red Fox and a Broad-winged Hawk.

Day 3

Observations.

Day 4

While photographing a White-tailed Deer I heard a Sora down in the marsh. I waited around an hour but only heard it once more. My last observation was an American Coot.