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4 Locations, 67 Sightings
Ducks, Geese, and Swans
Canada Goose
LSPP
Mallard
C
Blue-winged Teal
LSPP
Cinnamon Teal
LSPP
Northern Shoveler
LSPP
Northern Pintail
LSPP
Redhead
C
Redhead
C
Bufflehead
LSPP
Common Goldeneye
LSPP
Common Goldeneye
LSPP
Grebes
Pelicans
American White Pelican
DIBJPP
Bitterns and Herons
Hawks, Kites, and Eagles
Northern Harrier
LSPP
Northern Harrier
LSPP
Swainson's Hawk
C
Several individuals seen on the roads before Lowden Springs and after Dry Island - a good refresher course in Swainson\'s Hawk coloration.
Red-tailed Hawk
LSPP
Red-tailed Hawk
E
One individual was observed from our picnic table in Elnora - pale breast and belly, very light tail with slight rufous striping, and a very light grey head. The bird was soaring in good light at a height which filled about half the field of my binoculars. We called it a Krider\'s hawk, which is a first for Bill and me.
Rails, Gallinules and Coots
Stilts and Avocets
American Avocet
LSPP
American Avocet
LSPP
Sandpipers and Phalaropes
Spotted Sandpiper
LSPP
Wilson's Snipe
LSPP
Skuas, Gulls, and Terns
Franklin's Gull
LSPP
Bonaparte's Gull
LSPP
Black Tern
C
Seen in many locations on roads and highways, but seen beautifully at sunset at Mirror Lake in Camrose proper, along with Black Terns, Forster\'s Terns, and Franklin\'s Gulls.
Pigeons and Doves
Woodpeckers
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
DIBJPP
Vireos
Red-eyed Vireo
DIBJPP
Jays and Crows
Blue Jay
C
Black-billed Magpie
LSPP
Swallows
Tree Swallow
LSPP
Chickadees and Titmice
Thrushes
Starlings
European Starling
LSPP
Waxwings
Wood-Warblers
Common Yellowthroat
DIBJPP
Emberizids
Clay-colored Sparrow
LSPP
Vesper Sparrow
DIBJPP
Savannah Sparrow
LSPP
Grasshopper Sparrow
LSPP
Song Sparrow
DIBJPP
Blackbirds
Red-winged Blackbird
LSPP
Western Meadowlark
LSPP
Northern Finches
American Goldfinch
(h)
DIBJPP
Old World Sparrows
Camrose and environs = C
Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park = DIBJPP
Elnora = E
Lowden Springs Prairie Preserve = LSPP
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Trip Notes
We started with a drive from Camrose to the Lowden Springs prairie preserve where we saw two Grasshopper sparrows, dozens of Savannah Sparrows and a good five or more Clay-colored Sparrows, along with some good water birds. The hoped-for Baird's Sparrow and Sprague's pipit were not to be found. Either it is too late in the summer for them or these target species were observing the Canada Day bank holiday.
We took lunch at the campgrounds in Elnora - possibly the nicest campground restrooms ever - and did a bit of birding in town, then headed out to Dry Island Buffalo Jump provincial park for a last look at grassland habitat on this ten day trip. The canyon of the Red Deer River offers beautiful views of terraced badlands in rich green, grey and brown. Our wildflower lovers were in awe at the profusion of wildflowers at the top of the buffalo jump overlook. For me, though the highlight of this stop was a chance to observe a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker pair delivering food to (at least) two nestlings. The female tended to work her insect goodies into a bollus for the chicks and the male made multiple trips without apparently using an anvil to process the insects. We took in a lot of new information thanks to narration of every detail by woodpecker expert Steve Shunk. All other birds observed today were spotted on roads between Camrose and our two main destinations. Species identified by other observers on the trip but missed by us: Marbled Godwit, Eastern Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, House Wren, Mountain Bluebird, Spotted Towhee, Lark Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, and Pine Siskin [note by Mary]
Trip Map
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