A series of weekly, early morning, birding walks were held throughout the month of May on Island Park.

Cal Cuthbert lead these walks and shares how he got the idea.

"I got the idea from Nature Manitoba out of Winnipeg. They were having some birding for beginners, a series of walking workshops, in the Winnipeg area," explains Cuthbert. "So I thought we could probably do that in Portage la Prairie as well and Island Park is a fitting place given the variety of habitats."

He notes around 400 species of birds have been recorded for Manitoba and a significant number of those pass through the Portage area during migration. The theme of the walks was spring migration and Cuthbert says all the birds are in colourful breeding plumage at this time of the year.

Cuthbert adds he's contemplating holding another series of nature walks in the fall.