Peyto Lake, Banff NP, Alberta, Canada, Jun 24, 2024
Wilson's Warbler, Moose Meadows, Banff NP, Alberta, Canada, Jun 24, 2024
Townsend's Warbler, Moose Meadows, Banff NP, Alberta, Canada, Jun 24, 2024
Mountains, Castle Junction, Banff NP, Alberta, Canada, Jun 24, 2024
Waterfall, Castle Junction, Banff NP, Alberta, Canada, Jun 24, 2024
Mountain to the north, Peyto Lake, Banff NP, Alberta, Canada, Jun 24, 2024
Peyto Lake, Banff NP, Alberta, Canada, Jun 24, 2024
Dark eyed Junco 'oregon', Yoho NP, Alberta, Canada, Jun 24, 2024
We started the drive out of Calgary a bit after 7:30AM and took our first walk in Banff NP around 10AM at Moose Meadows. Before arriving in Banff I added a number of species along the way. Moose Meadows was an uncrowded hike with some typical western forest birds along the way. Another walk at Castle Junction featured many of the same species. We then stopped off for lunch in a very busy Lake Louise before continuing north along the Icefields Parkway toward Jasper. We gained elevation steadily and by the time we got up to our northernmost stop at Peyto Lake it was actually snow flurrying a bit and there was still snow in the woods. The area was very crowded but we wanted to see the lake so made the relatively short walk out and the view did not disappoint despite the myriad of people around. The stop also provided my first life bird of the trip with a couple of Gray crowned Rosy Finches that flew over. We then started the long drive toward our lodging in Radium Hot Springs with several stops along the way including Bow Lake, the Hoodoo Trail in Yoho NP plus a few pull offs along the road. By the time we made the drive and got groceries it was after 6:30PM. We got settled in and had a late dinner and then headed off to bed. The first day in Canada produced 36 species…21 new for Canada for me including species #100 for my Canada list with a Cassin’s Vireo.
Red necked Grebe, Saw Mill Pond, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
MacGillivray's Warbler, Sinclair Trail, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
Striped Skunk, Sinclair Trail, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
Saw Mill Pond, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
After so much driving on Monday we decided to do less driving on Tuesday and stay somewhat local. I got up before dawn and headed to nearby Sinclair canyon to walk along the creek and had a bunch of birds singing, although the rushing river drowned out the songs at times. I added more species for the trip with some close looks at a few species. I also made a brief stop at a nearby pond and added several more species for the trip including a great close up look at a Red necked Grebe plus other marsh related species.
Black Bear, Kootenay NP, BC, Canada
Kootenay Valley Viewpoint, Kootenay NP, BC, Canada
Cassin's Vireo, Old Coach Trail, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
Vesper Sparrow, Old Coach Trail, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
Mountain views from kayak, Columbia Wetlands, Invermere, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
Columbia Wetlands, Wilmer, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
White Common Loon, Columbia Wetlands, Wilmer, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
White Common Loon, Columbia Wetlands, Wilmer, BC, Canada, Jun 25, 2024
I then headed back to the lodging for a short time and headed up in elevation a bit to the south part of Kootenay NP where we stopped at Olive Lake and then an overlook of the Kootenay Valley. To keep travel to a minimum for the day we then came back down the mountain into the valley to take a walk along the Old Coach Trail, where the highlight was a distantly calling Dusky Grouse. We wanted to get some kayaking in for the trip so we headed back to the house to change and then travelled south to Invermere to the Columbia River wetlands where we paddled for about an hour and half. By the time we finished it had warmed up into the 70’s and we had the energy for just one more short walk and we went to an overlook of the large wetland area and had numerous Trumpeter Swans and a group of three Common Loons that included a nearly white individual. I didn’t have my good camera so had to attempt photos with phone through binoculars. A very interesting looking bird for sure. Ended the day with 65 species in total. More photos and videos of the loon at the following eBird link.
Emerald Lake, Yoho NP, BC, Canada, Jun 26, 2024
Emerald Lake, Yoho NP, BC, Canada, Jun 26, 2024
Common Loon with baby, Emerald Lake, Yoho NP, BC, Canada, Jun 26, 2024
White crowned Sparrow, Emerald Lake, Yoho NP, BC, Canada, Jun 26, 2024
Yellow rumped Warbler 'audubon's', Emerald Lake, Yoho NP, BC, Canada, Jun 26, 2024
Takakkaw Falls, Yoho NP, BC, Canada, Jun 26, 2024
Tennessee Warbler, Boom Lake, Banff NP, Alberta, Canada, Jun 26, 2024
Black Swift, Marble Canyon, Kootenay NP, BC, Canada, Jun 26, 2024
Pine Siskin, Marble Canyon, Kootenay NP, BC, Canada, Jun 26, 2024
On the 26th we headed out again for some long drives to hit a few more areas in the various parks in the mountains. The first stop would be Emerald Lake in Yoho NP, a spot that was about a two hour drive from our lodging. We left around 5:30 and arrived to find few people and immediately headed out for a walk around the lake. There were many species around the lake including a few Common Loons with one carrying a chick on its back. The lake was indeed impressive with fantastic photo opportunities as the conditions were calm. We ran across very few people until the end of the walk and it was a very relaxing walk. After nearly two hours at Emerald Lake we hit a few other spots in Yoho NP including Takakkaw Falls. Bird activity was fairly low but the views were impressive for sure. We then drove through the upper portion of Banff NP with a stop at Boom Lake before making our way into Kootenay NP as we slowly worked our way back to our lodging. We made stops at Marble Canyon and Numa Falls. These stops produced a few more species for the trip including my first Tennessee Warbler and Black Swifts. We finally arrived back in Radium Hot Springs in mid afternoon. Overall for the day with 48 species.
Yellow Warbler, Saw Mill Pond, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 27, 2024
Cedar Waxwings, Saw Mill Pond, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 27, 2024
Lazuli Bunting, Sinclair Trail, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 27, 2024
Low clouds in AM, Saw Mill Pond, Radium Hot Springs, BC, Canada, Jun 27, 2024
American Coot with young, Calgary Airport, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Jun 27, 2024
Swainson's Hawk, Calgary Airport, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Jun 27, 2024
On our last day in the Rockies I was out early with the hope I would beat the forecasted rain showers. It was sprinkling a little when I drove down to nearby Saw Mill Pond and it slowly picked up in intensity with a little thunder. The pond was quite productive with a few new species. I waited out the rain for a while and it finally slowed down. I made a few more short stops before headed back to the lodging. Not long after I got back the rain stopped so I headed out again to Saw Mill Pond and the Sinclair Trail. I then headed back to start packing up. At this point the threat of a strike with Westjet came back up again and threatened our flight over to Victoria the following morning. We had to come up with some contingency plans if our flight got canceled and none of the options were good. After some thought we stayed with our plan of heading to the airport and if the flight got canceled we would try to get out on another airline. With the continued prospect of on and off rain for the rest of the day in the forecast we decided to make the three hour drive toward the airport in Calgary where we would be taking a morning flight out on Friday. We wanted to split the drive up a little so we decided on a stop near the town of Banff where we walked the Ferland Trail. Despite the light rain at times the location was quite productive although most everything was heard and not seen. We thought of making another stop but the rain was just too much. We finally made it to Calgary around three and checked in to our hotel for the night. The small pond across from the hotel proved to be a great spot for waterfowl and I had ten species of waterfowl with eight of those being new for the trip. Although the rain was annoying at times and kept me from spending as much time outside as I would have liked the various habitats I did visit throughout the day led to the highest species total for a single day with 83 species.
By the end of our time in the Rockies I had a total of 108 species with 76 of those being new for me in Canada and two being life birds (Gray crowned Rosy Finch and Dusky Grouse).
Full post on warblers from the trip at the following link: warblers on trip to western Canada
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