Alberta 2024 - Acknowledgements

The Black-caped Chickadee is still my favorite Canadian bird after two trips

My second visit to Alberta turned out to be even better than the first, and for many reasons:

• This time, I had my entire family with me, and we all had a blast.
• I was able to spend extended, meaningful time with my uncle and aunt.
• And of course, the birding was simply fantastic, thanks to some local birders.

I want to say a big thank you to my uncle and aunt for opening their home and allowing my family and me to share their space for an entire month. Their hospitality made this trip truly special.

In total, I recorded 145 species, including 29 lifers. One person played a huge role in making that possible—Keith Miles. I first met Keith during my 2019 visit, and we quickly became friends. When he heard I was returning to Calgary, he promised to take me birding. True to his word, he took me out not once, but three times.  Thanks to Keith, I was able to see several of my target birds, including the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) and the Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus). He also surprised me with lifers I hadn’t expected, such as the Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) and the Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis). In all, he helped me secure 14 of my 29 lifers. Beyond the birds, as we travel to various hotspots, he allowed me to see Alberta’s stunning landscapes, from Brown-Lowery Provincial Park to Frank Lake.  Thank you, my friend, for spending your time with me and helping make my vacation wonderful. Another friend I must acknowledge is John MacGillivray. Despite not being in the best of health, John still joined us for birding outings. His effort and companionship meant a lot, and I am truly grateful.

We faced challenges with canceled flights, both from Calgary to Toronto and from Toronto to Barbados, on our way back home - thanks Air Canada. One young lady, Sarah Al-ajele, at Calgary International Airport went above and beyond. Though she had already clocked out for the day, seeing how we were being turn around by the Air Canada checking staff, she returned to help us. She worked tirelessly on the phone for what felt like hours, eventually securing a way home for us and arranging accommodation near the airport. Her dedication turned a stressful situation into a manageable one, and we all owe her a big thank you.

These are just a few of the many people—named and unnamed—who helped us along the way. To all of them, I extend my deepest gratitude.

This won’t be my last visit to Calgary. In fact, I’m already thinking about returning in winter to try for some of those iconic cold-weather birds, including the Snowy Owl but I am not sure if I can handle the cold, but I am thinking about it.

Alberta 2024 - Bonus Days (September 11 - 14)

I should have been back home in Barbados on September 11. Instead, thanks to Air Canada canceling our flights from Alberta to Toronto and then onward to Barbados, our vacation stretched by four extra days. The detour took us through Grenada—yes, Grenada in the Caribbean—because that was the only available routing.

White-throated Sparrow

We were hosted at a hotel near the Calgary airport. The weather was miserable—rainy and freezing—but I managed to squeeze in a few minutes of birding during breaks in the showers. At the pond close to the hotel, a Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) put on a nice show, while a resident pair of White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) kept me company both days at the hotel. From my room window, I also spotted a pair of Wilson’s Warblers (Cardellina pusilla) flitting through the shrubs. That was the extent of it; the rain kept me from exploring further. 

Our next stop was the Marriott Airport Hotel in Toronto where I saw my first Maple Leaf. After the issues we faced at the Calgary hotel—including missing items—we arrived skeptical. But the Marriott quickly erased those worries with excellent service and food. I was excited to spend a little extra time in Toronto, hoping to finally see the iconic Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), a bird I’d been told was common there. Despite my efforts around the city, the cardinal remained elusive. On the morning of September 14, we boarded a five-hour Air Canada flight to Grenada. 

Stepping off the plane at Maurice Bishop International Airport, the Caribbean heat hit me like a wall—a stark reminder that the vacation was truly ending. After weeks away, I hadn’t felt temperatures like that in over a month. With four hours to spare before our connecting flight, I wandered around the airport and was rewarded with my final lifer of the trip: a Yellow-bellied Seedeater (Sporophila nigricollis). That sighting was a fitting finale to the journey.
Eventually, we boarded our last flight—a short 45-minute hop on Caribbean Airways—and finally touched down in Barbados. Bring an end to and eventful and rewarding trip to Alberta, Canada.

Week 4 |Home | Acknowledgements

Alberta 2024 - Week 4 -Days 23 - 29 (September 4th - 10th)

Palm Warbler, one of my three lifers during the week

My final week in Alberta was nothing short of spectacular. Each morning from September 6th to the 10th, I followed a familiar routine: starting at Fish Creek – Burnmead, winding my way down to Sikome Lake, and then looping back.  By the end of the week, I had added eleven more species to my 2024 trip list. Even better, four of those were new records for my Canada list—and three were lifers.  

The lifers were especially memorable:  

• Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina)  
• Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  
• Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)  

There were standout moments beyond the lifers too. One morning, a Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) landed on my hand, curious and searching for food. That close encounter was pure magic, a beautiful moment but also a reminder of why it is encouraged not to feed wild birds, animal in general, it desensitizes the animal and causes to associate humans with handouts, which can be dangerous for the animal and the human. (getting off my soapbox) Hull Woods itself was a warbler haven, and as you might know, warblers are my favorite family of birds—so every flutter in the branches was of interest to me even it turned out to be a ubiquitous Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata). 

Pileated Woodpecker feeding

At Sikome Lake, I had one of the trip’s true highlights: a prolonged encounter with a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus). For more than ten minutes, I watched it hammer into a tree, then use its astonishingly long tongue to probe deep into the wood for insects. It was raw, powerful, and mesmerizing—a perfect display of this species unique feed technique.  

Not every target bird showed itself, though. I had hoped to reconnect with the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), a star bird of the area that I first saw in Calgary back in 2019. Reports placed it between Sikome and the Boat Launch, but despite my efforts, it remained elusive. That’s birding for you—sometimes the chase is as memorable as the find.  

Swamp Sparrow, a lifier

My Alberta farewell was filled with lifers, rare encounters, and unforgettable moments. Even without the owl, the week was deeply rewarding and only strengthened my love for Calgary and Fish Creek Provincial Park. It has truly become one of my favorite places on earth, and I know I’ll return again.

But the adventure didn’t end there. Thanks to Air Canada, I was gifted a few unexpected bonus days of birding—not just back in Calgary, but also in Toronto and Grenada. Those surprise outings added a whole new layer - both positive and negative - to the journey, and I’ll share all the birding details in my next post.

Trip Stats:  New Birds for the Trip: 10 | Lifers: 3| Total Trip Count: 144 | Total Lifers: 28 | Trip Report

September 04: Red-eyed Vireo, Lincoln's Sparrow, Blackpoll Warbler; September 06: Ring-necked Pheasant, Gadwall; September 07: Palm Warbler, Pileated Woodpecker; September 08: Red-tailed Hawk; September 09: Solitary Sandpiper; September 10: Evening Grosbeak, Swamp Sparrow.

Week 3 |Home | Bonus Days

Images From September 4th - 10th

The Warblers

Palm Warbler

Unidentified Warbler - Orange-crowned, 

The ubiquitous Yellow-rumped Warbler 

Yellow-rumped Warbler 

Yellow-rumped Warbler 

Common Yellowthroat

Wood Duck (M)

Wood Duck

American Wigeon

Common Merganser

Alberta 2024 - Week 3 -Days 15 - 22 (August 28th - September 3rd)

One of week three's Lifers Greater White-fronted Goose

Week three in Calgary unfolded with a quieter rhythm, at least from a birding perspective. Most of my outings centered around Fish Creek Provincial Park, particularly the southeastern stretches—Hull Woods, the Boat Launch, Lafarge Meadows, and, of course, multiple pilgrimages to Mallard Point in search of warblers.  It was during one of those warbler quests through Hull Woods that I finally locked eyes on a long-standing nemesis: a Cooper’s Hawk (Astur cooperii). This bird kept alluding me during my first trip in 2019 and for most of this one but is now my first lifer of the week.  The second lifer came on a trip to Frank's Lake with John MacGillivray and Keith Miles. Rather than heading straight to the main lake by the lookout, we paused at a roadside pond, just opposite an intersection and there it was among hundreds of ducks a Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons). This medium to large in size goose, brownish-gray plumage, a bright orange bill, and a bold white undertail— stood out with quiet eleganc 

The targeted bird for the locals, John and Keith, was a Great Egret (Ardea alba), which we quickly found.  An additional bonus for them was a s Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) feeding among the many Long billed ones, two birds quite common here at home but causes a stir in Alberta. It’s a reminder of how perspective shapes our appreciation, and how birding connects us across geographies.

On August 30th, while scanning the edges of Lafarge Meadows, I flushed two small birds from separate spots along the water’s edge. The second bird darted off with a strong, direct flight—warbler-like in motion, round-bodied, and short-tailed. Despite my best efforts, it remained unidentified, a mystery that still lingers. this is the one that got away.  Week three though not moving the lifer needle much was still a good week of birding. Other than the two lifers, I was able to photograph a few new species and improve the image quality of some I already had in my library.  On to week four, our last week in beautiful Calgary.

Trip Stats:  New Birds for the Trip: 12 | Lifers f: 2| Total Trip Count: 125 | Total Lifers: 26 | Trip Report

August 29: Orange-crowned Warbler, Cooper's Hawk; August 30: Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Horned Grebe; August 31: Greater White-fronted Goose, Green-winged Teal, Short-billed Dowitcher, Stilt Sandpiper, Forster's Tern, White-faced Ibis, Great Egret.

Week 2 |Home | Week 4 

Pied-billed Grebe

American Coot

Canvasback

Alberta 2024 - Days 10 - 14 (August 24 -27th)

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.

Trip Stats:  New Trip Species:  17 | Lifers for the Day: 7| Total Trip Species: 122 | 
Total Trip Lifers: 23 | World: 395 | Trip Report

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

Banff Day 3 |Home | Week 3

Adult Bald Eagle

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Merlin

Swainson's Hawk

Mountain Bluebird - lifer

American Kestrel

Boreal Chickadee - lifer

Wilson's Warbler

Cedar Waxwing

White-tailed Deer 

Banff Day 3 |Home |

Travel Day - A Grueling 20 Plus Hours of Traveling

"Now my bags are packed, and I am ready to go" 

Today marks the start of a long-awaited return to Calgary, Alberta.  the trip will be grueling, after a five-hour flight from Barbados to Toronto on Air Canada Rouge AC 1841, I'm facing a taxing 10-hour night layover at Pearson International Airport then an early morning flight (AC131) and should be in beautiful Calgary by 9 am tomorrow, Thursday morning, fingers crossed for no unexpected delays!

My hope for the first day is to catch a glimpse of the bird that have been causing wave at this moment, Whooping Crane (Grus Americana). It has recently been joined by a pair of Sandhill Cranes (Antigone canadensis). If everything goes according to plan, these magnificent birds will be my first lifers in Calgary.

Stay tuned for updates as I embark on this exciting birding journey. I'll be sharing photos, stories, and hopefully, some incredible bird sightings here. 

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