The Enthusiastic Birder: December 2024

Wood Duck at Fish Creek - Burnmeade

On our return to Calgary from Banff on the 23rd of August, I spent most of my birding time in Fish Creek Provincial Park, exploring from Mallard Point to Burnmeads. I added a few year birds though they were not lifers. Among them were a noisy Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), a Wood Duck (Aix sponsa), a Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus), and a Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis). One morning at Burnmeads, I finally heard the haunting call of a Common Loon (Gavia immer), a bird I’d been eager to see since my first visit to Calgary. Although I didn’t spot it, I later learned that this area is part of its flight path between two lakes. More lifers came on the 27th, when Keith took Jason, and me to a local hotspot called Brown-Lowery Provincial Park.

Brown-Lowery Provincial Park

Located about 30 miles southwest of Calgary, Brown-Lowery Provincial Park was donated to the government by an oil company owned by Mr. Lowery and Mr. Brown, as Kieth told us. The park is maintained in its natural state, with volunteers keeping the trails in good condition. It is the best location for three of our four targeted birds for the morning: the Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus), White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), and American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis). We saw our fourth targeted bird, the Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) as we drove through the hamlet of Priddis and had a few more sightings further along the road to Brown-Lowery. Another bird we logged on our way to B&L was an American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), perched on a power line. We arrived at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park around 9:00 AM. Volunteers were preparing tools to head in and service the trails. The trail we took was in good shape, with a few fallen trees here and there, but the hard work of the volunteers was evident. At the start of our trek, we saw zero birds, which Keith found surprising, though we did hear a Blue Jay. It was also very cold, at least for us Caribbean boys. It was the first time I saw Jason show signs of discomfort due to the cold, aside from the 7°C day in Banff. Keith, however, wore shorts and seemed immune to the cold. Despite the chilly weather, Jason's curiosity led him to a raspberry shrub, allowing us to enjoy our first freshly picked raspberries ever.

White-throated Sparrow, a lifer seen at Brown-Lowery

About a mile into our hike, we encountered our first wild animal, a White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). From that point until the end of the birding trip, we were treated to a parade of birds. In a mixed flock of Chickadees, we heard and saw one of our targeted species, the Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus), followed by White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) just a few meters away. The White-throated Sparrow's call was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever heard, quickly becoming one of my favorites. We also spotted other lifers and interesting birds in the area, including the Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) and Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra). In a clearing in the woods, we saw a flurry of birds, mostly warblers. Although we were unable to identify the majority of them, we did spot Townsend's Warblers (Setophaga townsendi) and Wilson's Warblers (Cardellina pusilla).

Another lifer from Brown-Lowery, an American Three-toed Woodpecker

We had our best look at our last targeted bird as we neared the end of the trail. Although we saw signs of its presence in the forest, the American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis) was difficult to find. Unlike most woodpeckers, which drill into trees in search of food, this bird literally debarks the tree to find grubs under the bark, leaving a trail of bark at the base of each tree it visits. Just as we were about to exit Brown-Lowery Provincial Park, we saw one in action.

My second week in Calgaray was exciting for sightseeing and birds. See the trip report here and more images here.

August 25: Blue Jay; August 26: Wood Duck, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Wilson's Snipe, Common Loon, Least Flycatcher, Northern Rough-winged Swallow; August 27: Mountain Bluebird, American Kestrel, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Tree Swallow, Brown Creeper, Red Crossbill, White-throated Sparrow