Waterton Weekend

[Lesser Spot Finder]

I had been told that Waterton was a wonderful place and I wasn’t disappointed. Straddling the US/Canadian Border the Waterton Lakes/Glacier National Park is within a five hour drive of Suffield taking in a number of lakes on the way. The trip there was uneventful with little of note on the way although 2 hours on a Prairie Road without seeing hardly anyone is slightly disconcerting. Many Tim Horton’s later I arrived in Waterton and was immediately presented with 2 lifers, Vaux’s Swift over Linnet Lake and Rufous Hummingbird feeding on feeders over yet another coffee shop.

After a night’s sleep in my car in a campsite in the Red Rock Canyon I was up at 0500hrs to bird the campsite before heading down into Waterton for a quick bagel and a day’s worth of ornithological delight. On the way into Waterton I bagged my 3rd lifer with a Red-naped Sapsucker drumming on a metal chimney – a wonderful sight and sound. After discussing the merits of Waterton with a local over a bagel, first stop was the walk up to the Bear’s Hump, a walk just out of town. Within minutes I was looking at my first ever Western Tanager singing just above my head – I was so enthralled with this bird that I forgot to photograph it. I continued the walk and bumped into a Wilson’s Warbler which confirmed my sighting from last week.

After stunning views of the valley from the Hump I headed up the recently opened Cameron Lake Road where I saw my first Black Bear. The Lake was still frozen and drifts of snow were still at least 8ft high at the side of the road. The Cameron Lake was stunning and to boot I bagged more lifers with Steller’s Jay feeding from the bonnet of my hire car, Gray Jay in the trees showing well, Varied Thrush calling from the tops of trees and a rather distant view of Boreal Chickadee. Only the car park was open as everything else was snowed in so at that point with the car park filling I headed back towards town. The next few hours were all too familiar with little of interest but then I drove down to the entrance lake and the chance of Sandhill Crane. This species I found quickly with a female and 2 chicks at the far side. I was at this point joined by a German (who had been a POW in Medicine Hat and now lived in Calgary) and the obligatory Dutch Birders, a couple from near Amsterdam. It was great to be in birding company for a while as we picked up birds over the next hour or so. American Birders who joined us explained that it was all rather surreal as we picked up birds for them in what really was their turf.

The Dutch couple told me of the Harlequin Ducks they had seen at Red Rock Canyon and gave me the location. I jumped into the car and headed up the valley. I searched high and low for a couple of hours but failed to connect – that’s birding for you. I then went to walk Waterton Village in the hope of Cassin’s Finch and went to the reliable site given to me by Tim C. Sadly there were no bird feeders in any of the gardens and no finches were found so I headed back to the lakes. At this point the torrential rain started so I jumped into a cafe to keep dry. Over a strong drink to keep me awake a local told me that the rain was due for a further 12 hours so I decided to cut my losses and head back to Suffield and bird the following day locally. A final quick look from my car over the lakes gave me the opportunity to find another lifer, a displaying Barrow’s Goldeneye and with seconds before I drove off a juvenile Bald Eagle. The rain continued all the way up through the village of Mountain View where I hope to have seen Bobolink but due to the rain did not.

After an uneventful journey I stopped of a Taber Lake where I was joined by a local birder who luckily agreed with my identification of a Forster’s Tern feeding over the lake. Red-necked Grebe was also seen around the edges; always nice to see a familiar bird. I then drove across the Prairie steadily heading East. On the adjacent sloughs I picked up Black-Necked Stilt, Slavonian Grebe and Marbled Godwit and nearly hit my final lifer, a female Sharp-tailed Grouse which flew across the road.

I had a cracking time this weekend. I am about to go back to Police Point via the Suffield Village Sewage farm and will see what I pick up there.
17 Lifers in total – mega!

[Wandering Tattler]

You have really caught the bad weather! Glad you managed to see something at Waterton, I hope the weather improves before you return.

Pleased that you got the R-N Sapsucker and Tanager. Did you see or hear the Varied Thrush?

[Lesser Spot Finder]

You have really caught the bad weather! Glad you managed to see something at Waterton, I hope the weather improves before you return.

Pleased that you got the R-N Sapsucker and Tanager. Did you see or hear the Varied Thrush?

Heard several Varied Thrushes and caught one briefly. Bird of the weekend was the Gray Jay (Whisky Jack in Canadian). I've always wanted to see this species.

[Wandering Tattler]

Varied Thrush is probably my favourite bird in Canada. Grey Jays are nice, although I think your FB photo of the Stellar's Jay shows which is the more glamourous. Lake Louise car park soon for the Clark's Nutcracker!

[Lesser Spot Finder]

Varied Thrush is probably my favourite bird in Canada. Grey Jays are nice, although I think your FB photo of the Stellar's Jay shows which is the more glamourous. Lake Louise car park soon for the Clark's Nutcracker!

Form some reason Steller's Jay looks an odd bird for the Rockies - almost one you'd expect in the Amazon. Gray Jay is an iconic bird - after spending years watching Ray Mears/Bruce Parry and Bear Grylls programmes where you often get to see all of them feeding Gray Jays by hand in the Boreal Forests. I watched a programme on Canadian TV last night - a bloke called Les Stroud, the Canadian Version of Bear Grylls and one appeared on the screen - he was in Labrador.

Rich

[AOS@CA]

Les Stroud a.k.a. Survivorman is the real deal. Travels to remote locations alone, carrying all his camera gear, and then survives off the land. Makes Bear Grylls et al with their camera crews look a bit like poseurs.

Tony

[Lesser Spot Finder]

Les Stroud a.k.a. Survivorman is the real deal. Travels to remote locations alone, carrying all his camera gear, and then survives off the land. Makes Bear Grylls et al with their camera crews look a bit like poseurs.

Tony

Tony,

now fully converted to Les. Just bought all three Series of Survivorman - excellent. 'I've been in the mountains for 5 days and all I've eaten is 1 mushroom and a few berries, I'm exhausted and cold' Then he smashes up one of his cameras and uses the Lens to start a fire. What a guy.