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| Eastern Warbling Vireo was my lone lifer for the period |
After a five‑hour, turbulence‑filled flight from Barbados to Toronto, followed by an eight‑hour overnight stretch in Pearson International Airport and then another nearly four‑hour flight to Calgary—also marked by turbulence—I finally arrived on the morning of July 30, carrying more jet lag than I can ever remember. After a short nap, I launched into three intense days of birding in Fish Creek Provincial Park, to lock down the common birds but also to get acclimatize. I averaged over 11,000 steps per day and recording sixty‑four species. Fifty‑two of those were new for the year, and one, the Eastern Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus), was a lifer.
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| Red‑necked Grebe my bird favorite day 1 bird |
The afternoon of Day One found me shaking off the last of the jet lag and heading out around the pond and wooded area at Fish Creek – Burnmead. No lifers turned up, but Merlin, which I always keep running while birding, repeatedly detected a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). I searched the area thoroughly but never managed to see it. Over the next three days, the app continued to pick up Hermit Thrushes at various points, yet not once did I lay eyes on one. Yes — Hermit Thrush officially became my nemesis bird for this trip. Still, the afternoon was rewarding. I saw several nice species, with my favorite being the Red‑necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena). This Alberta trip is as much about wildlife photography as birding, so each day I’ll be posting a fine‑art photograph on my Fine Art IG page, along with a few species images on my regular birding page. Subscribe to see my selections.
- My day 1 image of the day was of a Savannah Sparrow, which I captured in here - and additional images here & here
Day Two was when the real walking began. I covered just over four miles, birding from Fish Creek – Burnmead down to the Boat Launch and back. My favorite birds of the day were a Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) and a Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula). And, in the same spot where I found the Swainson’s, Merlin once again recorded a Hermit Thrush. I searched, I waited, I circled back… nothing. At this point, I had to laugh.
- My day 2 image of the day was of another Sparrow, this time, Clay-colored Sparrow with a mouth full of bugs. You can see it here - and additional images here & here
Day Three was just as much walking as birding. I worked one side of the Bow River, followed the trail along the golf course, crossed over at the Chinook Rotary Park pedestrian bridge, and made my way back up to Burnmead. It turned out to be a productive route, adding several species to my year list. On this occasion, Merlin didn’t just detect a Hermit Thrush — it also picked up a Slender‑billed Gull. I searched for both, but neither materialized. The highlight of the day, however, was a Common Loon (Gavia immer) flying overhead, calling as it passed.
- My day 3 image is a Landscape image of the sunrise at Burnmead Pond. You can see it here - and additional images here & here.
These first three days in Calgary should set the tone for the trip — long walks, steady birding, and a mix of familiar species, year additions, and stubborn nemesis birds that refused to show themselves. Between the birds, the landscapes, and the photography, Alberta continues to be one of the most rewarding places I’ve ever explored.
If you enjoy following along, subscribe to my blog and Instagram pages to see each day’s fine‑art photo selection and additional bird images throughout the trip. More adventures — and hopefully fewer nemesis birds — are on the way.
