Oak Hammock Marsh

I may not be near mountains and waterfalls and all the lovely things Calgary had to offer, but I know Manitoba has its own beauty and today I set out with my camera to find some of it.

I'd heard about Oak Hammock Marsh... an Interpretive Centre that is a birding hotspot. Since it is autumn, and with autumn comes migration, it seemed like a good time to head out there. Not exactly a warm day, but at least there was no wind when I checked outside my house in the morning, and so I set off.

Oak Hammock Marsh is an hour north of my place, and the lack of trees, houses, etc, means it is also windier than at my place. I was very grateful for the extra jacket and the scarf in my car.


The sun cooperated most of the time, and the sky was very expressive. I love the combination of the browns and the blues on a day like this. The paths were empty. I saw one other person on the trails in the two hours that I was there. Others were in the Interpretive Centre, but evidently, few were venturing into the chill of the wind.

I include the photo of the geese in the sky just to show that I did actully try to take pictures of the birds. However, on a cold day like today, I did not have patience to sit quietly and wait for them to show up where I was. And my lens wasn't long enough to get any closer. Perhaps both these problems can be rectified in the future.


I may not have gotten near the birds, but I did manage to get a lot of the cattail and the various grasses. The wind is quite evident in a number of the shots.

There are enough trails to keep you busy for hours on the right kind of day, and in the winter, the trails are open for skiing.

I left this place with numb fingers but a refreshed spirit. A very worthwhile day!