Post by Randy on Oct 2, 2023 15:35:31 GMT -8
I managed to get back to Saskatoon to visit my parents for the first time in 5 years. It was not a birding trip but I snuck out a couple times to some local sites.
On September 22 I spent about 1-2 hours at Donna Birkmaier Park in Saskatoon. This is a park reminiscent of Willband, with some wetlands and scattered treed areas.
I had 27 species here. Highlights were swamp sparrows and a bittern. I was happy with some of the photos I was able to get of some of the other species as well:
Swamp Sparrow:
Swamp Sparrow at Saskatoon--Donna Birkmaier Park by Randy Walker
Greater Yellowlegs:
Greater Yellowlegs at Saskatoon--Donna Birkmaier Park by Randy Walker
Ring-billed Gull:
Ring-billed Gull at Saskatoon--Donna Birkmaier Park by Randy Walker
Ring-billed Gull at Saskatoon--Donna Birkmaier Park by Randy Walker
On the 25th I went to Cranberry Flats - a local prairie just outside Saskatoon along the river. The day prior I had seen hundreds of Sandhill cranes in the fields on the other side of the river so I thought I may find some here. I was not disappointed. I love the calls they make!
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Here's a video I took - I clearly need to work on my videography skills though! Also I feel like YouTube decreased the resolution quite a bit...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MmrBFNpRdE
Another highlight here was a couple distant rusty blackbirds - a species I've only seen once before.
That was the end of my dedicated birding time. However, we took my kids to Batoche (the site of the Riel Rebellion) and drove a gravel road through some beautiful prairie. We came across a flock of snow geese and I had been hoping to find a lifer Ross's goose so I made my family wait while I scanned the flock. There ended up being a number of Ross's geese but scanning though my photos helped find them!
Snow Goose at Unnamed Road, Alvena, Saskatchewan, CA (52.596, -106.004) by Randy Walker
Snow Goose at Unnamed Road, Alvena, Saskatchewan, CA (52.596, -106.004) by Randy Walker
Snow Goose at Unnamed Road, Alvena, Saskatchewan, CA (52.596, -106.004) by Randy Walker
There are a few Ross's geese in the centre of this cropped one:
Ross's Goose at Unnamed Road, Alvena, Saskatchewan, CA (52.596, -106.004) by Randy Walker
Here's the link to the trip report:
ebird.org/tripreport/161498
On September 22 I spent about 1-2 hours at Donna Birkmaier Park in Saskatoon. This is a park reminiscent of Willband, with some wetlands and scattered treed areas.
I had 27 species here. Highlights were swamp sparrows and a bittern. I was happy with some of the photos I was able to get of some of the other species as well:
Swamp Sparrow:
Swamp Sparrow at Saskatoon--Donna Birkmaier Park by Randy Walker
Greater Yellowlegs:
Greater Yellowlegs at Saskatoon--Donna Birkmaier Park by Randy Walker
Ring-billed Gull:
Ring-billed Gull at Saskatoon--Donna Birkmaier Park by Randy Walker
Ring-billed Gull at Saskatoon--Donna Birkmaier Park by Randy Walker
On the 25th I went to Cranberry Flats - a local prairie just outside Saskatoon along the river. The day prior I had seen hundreds of Sandhill cranes in the fields on the other side of the river so I thought I may find some here. I was not disappointed. I love the calls they make!
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Sandhill Crane at Cranberry Flats Conservation Area by Randy Walker
Here's a video I took - I clearly need to work on my videography skills though! Also I feel like YouTube decreased the resolution quite a bit...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MmrBFNpRdE
Another highlight here was a couple distant rusty blackbirds - a species I've only seen once before.
That was the end of my dedicated birding time. However, we took my kids to Batoche (the site of the Riel Rebellion) and drove a gravel road through some beautiful prairie. We came across a flock of snow geese and I had been hoping to find a lifer Ross's goose so I made my family wait while I scanned the flock. There ended up being a number of Ross's geese but scanning though my photos helped find them!
Snow Goose at Unnamed Road, Alvena, Saskatchewan, CA (52.596, -106.004) by Randy Walker
Snow Goose at Unnamed Road, Alvena, Saskatchewan, CA (52.596, -106.004) by Randy Walker
Snow Goose at Unnamed Road, Alvena, Saskatchewan, CA (52.596, -106.004) by Randy Walker
There are a few Ross's geese in the centre of this cropped one:
Ross's Goose at Unnamed Road, Alvena, Saskatchewan, CA (52.596, -106.004) by Randy Walker
Here's the link to the trip report:
ebird.org/tripreport/161498