Northern Rockies Trip

[Chris]

I was lucky enough to get two days off. I took the opportunity to do a Northern Trip. I left after work on Wednesday and traveled to Fort Nelson seeing three bears and a few Sandhill Cranes. The drive from Fort Nelson into the Northern Rockies is awesome. Wildlife is plentiful and the scenery is spectacular.

Kledo Creek is a nice quick stop about thirty minutes outside of Fort Nelson. A few warblers were present including Magnolia and an Ovenbird.

Saw 67 Stone Sheep





Four Moose were seen



One of the highlights was porcupines. I have only seen one before this trip but on the trip, there were eight! This one was on the side of the road.





Saw nine Caribou in total



Wood Bison are always a highlight



At Liard River Hot Springs picked up a few bird species including a few Bohemian Waxwings.



Stayed at the Northern Rockies Lodge on Muncho Lake. A wonderful place. Mew Gulls nest nearby.



Saw two Red Fox



Black Bears were numerous, saw 30, but no Grizzlies



Tennessee Warblers seemed to be singing at many stops.



The bird highlight was a lifer Gray-cheeked Thrush at Summit Lake. Think it was a migratory bird. Couldn’t get a photo of it.

Mammal list

30 Black Bear
67 Stone Sheep
4 Moose
1 Elk
8 Porcupine
2 Red Fox
86 Wood Bison
4 Deer

Bird List

Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Blue-winged Teal
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Ruffed Grouse
Horned Grebe
Sandhill Crane
Wilson's Snipe
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Mew Gull
Herring Gull
Common Loon
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Western Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Canada Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Boreal Chickadee
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Dipper
Varied Thrush
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Bohemian Waxwing
American Pipit
White-winged Crossbill
Pine Siskin
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Rusty Blackbird
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Tennessee Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Western Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

[butterfly]

Absolutely amazing! Beautiful photos! Bruce and Joanne

[kenneth2019]

We love that country, thanks for the post.

[oldfulica]

May 30, 2021 10:20:46 GMT -8 Chris said:

I was lucky enough to get two days off. I took the opportunity to do a Northern Trip. I left after work on Wednesday and traveled to Fort Nelson seeing three bears and a few Sandhill Cranes. The drive from Fort Nelson into the Northern Rockies is awesome. Wildlife is plentiful and the scenery is spectacular.

Love the shots Chris. We were married in Ft. Nelson and spent a week on our honeymoon on horseback with a guide in the Liard Hot Springs area. I wish I had been a birder back then.

[Dave]

Awesome, Chris. I love that drive from Fort Nelson towards Watson Lake. Absolutely gorgeous! And the large wildlife up there makes Yellowstone look like a Walmart parking lot!!🤪 Summit Lake has good memories 👍. Thanks for sharing. DB.

[murraybrown]

Those are great pictures Chris. So good that they would be approved for a wildlife publication. You mentioned Kledo Creek as a worthwhile stop and I would have to agree. We have picked up some interesting birds there including Mourning Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler. I seem to remember someone finding a Bay-breasted there too. You have piqued my interest in heading back up there soon. How has the traffic been this year compared to other non pandemic years?

Murray

[Chris]

Thanks for all of the comments.

Len, that would have been a great trip. It's a unique ecosystem around the hot springs you might have had some neat species.

Dave, while walking up the microwave tower it brought back fond memories of our hike up there. I can easily recall the numerous sparrow species and Tennesse Warblers singing and the mosquitoes!

Murray, the traffic up here has been a lot quieter this year. I have seen a few RVs from various states within the but not like other years.

[paulos]

I have to that there are a few too many Summit Lakes and Separation Lakes in BC to keep track of.

Looks like a great trip!