The Enthusiastic Birder: Alberta 2024 - Day 8

The second day in Banff was dedicated to touring. We had planned to take the Banff Gondola up Sulfur Mountain, followed by a Roam Public Transit Bus ride to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. However, I began the morning by birding along Bow Avenue along the Bow River. The Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) I had spotted the previous day was still present. That morning, the only new bird I encountered by the river was an Empidonax flycatcher, yet to be identified, which are infamously challenging to identify without their calls. After birding for about thirty minutes, I met up with the others for our 8:05 am Banff Gondola appointment.

Banff Gondola

Dark-eyed Junco

Our gondola adventure began at the visitor center, where my family, friends, and I, a group of nine, queued for a gondola pod. My wife and I were the first to ascend Sulfur Mountain. We shared a pod, designed for four adults, with two women. The mild motion sickness I experienced from the pod's gentle sway during the eight-minute ride became a humorous icebreaker for everyone but me. We learned they were from Taiwan and exchanged thoughts on Banff's chilly weather, comparing it to the climate back in our respective homes.

The summit proved to be even chillier than the base. We took in the summit building, astonished by the stunning vistas of Banff, along with the adjacent peaks and valleys. A few of us endured the biting cold to traverse a solid, well-kept boardwalk up to Sanson's Peak. Ordinarily, I would find this walk effortless, but the rarefied air at such an elevation made it laborious. The conspicuous absence of birds was remarkable; none were seen or heard, yet the intimate sightings of local mammals made up for it to an extent. I enjoyed clear views of two Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) and charming Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis). The first bird I came across was a first-time sighting; its call was heard before it disappeared into the trees. It was a grey bird, displaying a white tail with a black center as it took flight, identified as a Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana). Additionally, I observed two other species, the ever-present Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) and Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), before we left the summit for our next stop, Moraine Lake.

Moraine Lake

Swainson's Thrush at Moraine a lifer

The drive to these two locations, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake were just stunning - snowcapped mountains, flowing rivers, evergreen trees wow! but not even those sense could have prepared us for the magic of Moraine Lake. The pit toilets kind of throw us off a bit but after following the trial along the rock pile and looking down on the rich turquoise water of the lake, it all vanished. The setting with the snowy mountains in the background and the greens of the evergreen trees was just amazing. After having my full the surrounding vista, it was time to bird. I saw two small drab birds flicking around in one of the pine trees, then another and another. In a few minutes, like a wave, this small area was covered with this drab bird, Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronata). There were joined by Mountain Chickadees (Poecile gambeli) and some other birds, along with my second lifer from Banff for this trip a Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus). I got good looks and Images of Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), which was another plus. From here we moved on to our final stop of the day Lake Louise

Lake Louise

A good bird but poor image, a Steller's Jay at Lake Louise, lifer

Lake Louise may not be as breathtaking as Moraine Lake, yet it too appears as though it's lifted straight from a postcard. The presence of the grand Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise along its shore somewhat diminishes its wild, natural allure. To me, it felt more populated than Moraine Lake. While most common birds in the area were visible, I was surprised by an unexpected sighting of the peculiar yet stunning Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri). Capturing a good photograph proved challenging as the bird flitted through the dark woods surrounding the lake. Spotting this bird was the highlight of my second day in Banff.

By the end of my second day in Banff and the eighth day of my trip, my count of lifers stood at fifteen, bringing my total tally to 394 species. Stay tuned for my next post on day three in Banff to discover which bird becomes my next lifer.

Trip Stats at this Point

New Species for the Day: 4 | Lifers for the Day: 3 | Total Species for this Trip: 105 |
Total Lifers for this Trip: 15 | World: 394

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Some of the Images from Banff Day 2