Southern Alberta 31 May - 8 June 2006

Matti Koivula

This was a "semi-family" trip to the Albertan southern prairies and Rockies. Weather was mostly fine, although we had some rainy afternoons. Temperatures roughly +20...25 C.

Some trip statistics: 146 bird species observed, including Mountain plover; several tens of Pronghorns seen, and a possible/probable Fisher at Highway 22 (crossed the road) on 8 June. Most of the nights were spent in motels (prices varied 60-120 CAD/night), tenting at Cypress hills for two nights (20 CAD/night).

Abbreviations used in the table: sexes separated with slash, e.g. 2/1 = 2 males 1 female, ad = adult, 2-cy = second-summer bird, 10+ = over 10 individuals observed, a = flock (e.g. a5 = a flock of 5 birds).

Route & schedule

Dates	Activity & route
31.5.	Edmonton - Camrose - Stettler
1.6.	Stettler - Drumheller (Dinosaur Trail & RD 576)
2.6.	Drumheller - Brooks - Medicine Hat - Cypress Hills (Elkwater)
3.6.	Wildhorse - Manyberries - Pakowki Lake - Cypress Hills
4.6.	Cypress Hills - Manyberries - Road 501 - Pakowki Lake - Lethbridge
5.6.	Lethbridge - Buffalo Jump - Oldman River - Pincher Creek - Waterton townsite
6.6.	Waterton Park (Cameron Lake - townsite - ponds along the main road)
7.6.	Waterton - Pincher Creek - minor roads through Kananaskis - Canmore
8.6.	Canmore - Banff - Icefields Highway - Rocky Mountain House - Hway 22 - Edmnonton

Observations

Nr	Species	Scientific	Notes
1	Western grebe	Aechmophorus occidentalis	3.-4.6. Pakowki Lake 2 (+ Aechmophorus sp 4)
2	Red-necked grebe	Podiceps grisegena	Total ca10
3	Black-necked (Eared) grebe	Podiceps nigricollis	Total ca20
4	American white pelican	Pelecanus erythrorhynchos	Total 100+
5	Double-crested cormorant	Phalacrocorax auritus	3.6. Pakowki Lake 1, 7.6. Bar U Ranch a3
6	Great blue heron	Ardea herodias	Total 3
7	American bittern	Botaurus lentiginosus	3.-4.6. Pakowki Lake 1
8	Night heron	Nycticorax nycticorax	3.6. Pakowki Lake 1 ad
9	Canada goose	Branta canadensis	Common
10	Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	Common
11	Shoveler	Anas clypeata	Common
12	Gadwall	Anas strepera	Common
13	Pintail	Anas acuta	Common (total 100+)
14	American wigeon	Anas americana	Common
15	Green-winged teal	Anas carolinensis	Common
16	Blue-winged teal	Anas discors	Common
17	Cinnamon teal	Anas cyanoptera	1.6. Drumheller (RD-576) 1/-, 3.-4.6. Pakowki Lake at least 8/2, 8.6. Banff, Cave & Basin 1/1
18	Lesser scaup	Aythya affinis	Common
19	Ring-necked duck	Aythya collaris	Common (total 20+)
20	Canvasback	Aythya valisineria	Common
21	Redhead	Aythya americana	Common
22	Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	2.6. Hussar Lake 4, 7.-8.6. Kananaskis-Banff common
23	Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	4.6. Cypress Hills-Lethbridge 5
24	Barrow's goldeneye	Bucephala islandica	7.6. Bar U Ranch 1/- (+ islandica/clangula -/1)
25	Ruddy duck	Oxyura jamaicensis	Common
26	White-winged scoter	Melanitta fusca	3.6. Cypress Hills, Elkwater lake 7
27	Goosander (Common merg.)	Mergus merganser	7.6. Kananaskis, Sibbald Trail 3/-
28	Hooded merganser	Mergus cucullatus	3.6. RD-501 (a few km west from Bain) 1/1
29	Turkey vulture	Cathartes aura	1.6. Drumheller 3
30	Northern harrier	Circus hudsonicus	Common (total ca20)
31	Goshawk	Accipiter gentilis	2.6. Cypress Hills -/1 ad
32	Red-tailed hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	Common
33	Swainson's hawk	Buteo swainsoni	Common
34	Ferruginous hawk	Buteo regalis	2.6. Bassano 1, 3.6. Wildhorse-Manyberries area 7 (+ 2 nests), 4.6. Manyberries area 3 (+ 1 new nest)
35	Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	6.-7.6. Waterton Park (gate ponds) 2 (+ nest)
36	Merlin	Falco columbarius	3.6. Onefour -/1
37	American kestrel	Falco sparverius	Total ca5
38	Prairie falcon	Falco mexicanus	5.6. Head-smashed-in Buffalo Jump 2 (+ nest)
39	American coot	Fulica americana	Common
40	Sora	Porzana carolina	3.-4.6. Pakowki Lake ca5
41	American avocet	Recurvirostra americana	Common
42	Willet	Catoptrophorus semipalmatus	Common
43	Grey (Black-bellied) plover	Pluvialis squatarola	4.6. "Michelsons' Marsh" (near Stirling) 1 ad
44	Killdeer	Charadrius vociferus	Common
45	Mountain plover	Charadrius montanus	3.6. SE Alberta 2
46	Wilson's snipe	Gallinago delicata	Common
47	Wilson's phalarope	Phalaropus tricolor	Common
48	Baird's sandpiper	Calidris bairdii	1.6. Drumheller, RD-576 1 at a flooded field
49	Upland sandpiper	Bartramia longicauda	3.6. Wildhorse 7
50	Long-billed curlew	Numenius americanus	Total ca10
51	Marbled godwit	Limosa fedoa	Common
52	California gull	Larus californicus	Common
53	Ring-billed gull	Larus delawarensis	Common
54	Bonaparte's gull	Larus philadelphia	4.6. "Michelsons' Marsh" (near Stirling) 1 2-cy
55	Franklin's gull	Larus pipixcan	Common
56	Forster's tern	Sterna forsteri	4.6. Pakowki Lake 2 ad (+ Sterna sp ca5)
57	Black tern	Chlidonias niger	Common
58	Grey partridge	Perdix perdix	2.6. Hussar Lake 2, 3.6. Wildhorse 1
59	Ring-necked pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	1.-2.6. Drumheller area total 6
60	Blue grouse	Dendragapus obscurus	7.6. Waterton townsite 1/-
61	Sharp-tailed grouse	Tympanuchus phasianellus	3.6. Onefour area 1, 4.6. Cypress Hills (Elkwater) 1
62	Wild turkey	Meleagris gallopavo	3.6. Cypress Hills (Elkwater campground) 1
63	Great horned owl	Bubo virginianus	4.6. RD-81 1 (ca20 km south from Lethbridge), 6.6. Waterton townsite 1
64	Rock dove	Columba livia	Common
65	Mourning dove	Zenaida macroura	Common (especially in SE corner of Alberta; trip total 100+)
66	Common nighthawk	Chordeiles minor	3.6. Cypress Hills (Elkwater campground) 1
67	Rufous hummingbird	Selasphorus rufus	6.-7.6. Waterton townsite 3/- (+ 4 hummingbird sp)
68	Barn swallow	Hirundo rustica	Common
69	Cliff swallow	Petrochelidon pyrrhonota	Common (large colonies at several places; largest at Buffalo Jump/Oldman River concrete bridge ca500)
70	Tree swallow	Tachycineta bicolor	Common
71	Violet-green swallow	Tachycineta thalassina	6.-7.6. Waterton townsite 3
72	Bank swallow	Riparia riparia	Total ca50 (at ca5 places)
73	Hairy woodpecker	Picoides villosus	6.6. Waterton townsite 1/-
74	Downy woodpecker	Picoides pubescens	Total ca5
75	Red-naped sapsucker	Sphyrapicus nuchalis	3.6. Cypress Hills (Elkwater campground) 1/-, 6.6. Waterton townsite 1/- (+ 7.6. Waterton sapsucker sp 1, Kananaskis sapsucker sp 1)
76	Northern flicker	Colaptes auratus	Total 5-10
77	Pileated woodpecker	Dryocopus pileatus	7.6. Waterton townsite 1
78	Eastern kingbird	Tyrannus tyrannus	Common
79	Western kingbird	Tyrannus verticalis	1.6. Drumheller 1, 2.-4.6. common more south, the westernmost birds near Lethbridge
80	Least flycatcher	Empidonax minimus	3.-4.6. Cypress Hills 5+, 6.6. Buffalo Jump/Oldman River 4, 7.-8.6. Kananaskis-Banff total ca5
81	Dusky flycatcher	Empidonax oberholseri	4.6. Cypress Hills (Elkwater campground) 1
82	Willow flycatcher	Empidonax traillii	7.-8.6. Kananaskis-Banff 5
83	Alder flycatcher	Empidonax alnorum	7.-8.6. Kananaskis-Banff 5
84	Eastern phoebe	Sayornis phoebe	Total ca5
85	Say's phoebe	Sayornis saya	6.6. Head-smashed-in Buffalo Jump 2
86	Horned lark	Eremophila alpestris	Common (especially in SE corner of Alberta; trip total 200+)
87	Sprague's pipit	Anthus spragueii	Common at Medicine Hat, Cypress Hills and Manyberries-Wildhorse-Pakowki area (total 30+)
88	House wren	Troglodytes aedon	Total ca5
89	Marsh wren	Cistothorus palustris	3.-4.6. Pakowki Lake 5+
90	Rock wren	Salpinctes obsoletus	2.6. Drumheller area 5+
91	Golden-crowned kinglet	Regulus satrapa	6.6. Waterton Park, Cameron Lake 15+
92	Ruby-crowned kinglet	Regulus calendula	Total 5+
93	Mountain bluebird	Sialia currucoides	Total ca10
94	Cedar waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum	Total ca30
95	Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	Common
96	Loggerhead shrike	Lanius ludovicianus	3.6. Wildhorse 1, 4.6. RD-501 2
97	American crow	Corvus brachyrhynchus	Common
98	Raven	Corvus corax	Total ca20 (common especially at Rockies)
99	Gray jay	Perisoreus canadensis	6.6. Waterton Park, Cameron Lake 2 ad 1 juv (ad-sized)
100	Steller's jay	Cyanocitta stelleri	6.6. Waterton Park, Cameron Lake 4-5, 7.6. Waterton townsite 1-2
101	Blue jay	Cyanocitta cristata	1.-2.6. Drumheller ca5
102	Clark's nutcracker	Nucifraga columbiana	8.6. Icefields Highway 2
103	Black-billed magpie	Pica hudsonica	Common
104	Black-capped chickadee	Parus atricapillus	Total only ca5
105	Red-breasted nuthatch	Sitta canadensis	7.6. Waterton townsite 2, Kananaskis 1
106	White-breasted nuthatch	Sitta carolinensis	Total ca5
107	American robin	Turdus migratorius	Common
108	Varied thrush	Ixoreus naevius	6.6. Waterton Park, Cameron Lake 3 singing, 7.6. Kananaskis (Sibbald Trail) 2 singing
109	Gray catbird	Dumetella carolinensis	Common (total ca15)
110	Brown thrasher	Toxostoma rufum	6.6. Head-smashed-in Buffalo Jump 1
111	Warbling vireo	Vireo gilvus	6.6. Waterton Park, Red Rock Canyon road 8 singing, 7.6. Waterton townsite 2 singing, 8.6. Banff, Cave & Basin 2 singing
112	Red-eyed vireo	Vireo olivaceus	Total ca5 at Rockies
113	Yellow-rumped warbler	Dendroica coronata	Total 10+
114	Townsend's warbler	Dendroica townsendi	6.6. Waterton Park, Cameron Lake 2 singing, 7.6. Kananaskis 1 singing, 8.6. Banff, Cave & Basin 1-2
115	Orange-crowned warbler	Vermivora celata	8.6. Banff, Cave & Basin 1-2
116	Wilson's warbler	Wilsonia pusilla	7.6. Kananaskis ca5, 8.6. Banff, Cave & Basin 2 (+ elsewhere 3)
117	Macgillivray's warbler	Oporornis tolmiei	3.6. Cypress Hills (Elkwater campground) 1/-
118	American redstart	Setophaga ruticilla	8.6. Banff, Cave & Basin 1/-
119	Ovenbird	Seiurus aurocapillus	3.6. Cypress Hills 1 singing
120	Common yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas	Common
121	Red-winged blackbird	Agelaius phoeniceus	Common
122	Yellow-headed blackbird	Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus	Common
123	Brewer's blackbird	Euphagus cyanocephalus	Common
124	Common grackle	Quiscalus quiscula	Common (total 10+)
125	Brown-headed cowbird	Molothrus ater	Common
126	Baltimore oriole	Icterus galbula	1.6. Drumheller, Dinosaur Trail 1/-, 2.6. Medicine Hat 1/-
127	Western meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta	Common (total in hundreds)
128	Western tanager	Piranga ludoviciana	3.6. Cypress Hills (Elkwater campground) 2/-
129	White-crowned sparrow	Zonotrichia leucophrys	3.-4.6. Cypress Hills 5 singing, 7.-8.6. Kananaskis-Banff 3 singing
130	Song sparrow	Melospiza melodia	Common
131	Savannah sparrow	Melospiza sandwichensis	Common
132	Dark-eyed junco	Junco hyemalis	3.6. Cypress Hills 1, 7.-8.6. Kananaskis-Banff 5-10
133	Chipping sparrow	Spizella passerina	Common
134	Clay-colored sparrow	Spizella pallida	Common
135	Lark bunting	Calamospiza melanocorys	2.-4.6. common at southern prairies (wetter spots; not at agricultural land)
136	Vesper sparrow	Pooecetes gramineus	Common
137	Lark sparrow	Chondestes grammacus	1.6. Drumheller area 4, 2.6. Drumheller 2, Medicine Hat 2, 3.6. Wildhorse 2
138	Baird's sparrow	Ammodramus bairdii	2.6. Medicine Hat 1 (showed well on a barb wire, singing!)
139	Grasshopper sparrow	Ammodramus savannarum	Total 3, all south from Medicine Hat
140	Spotted towhee	Pipilo maculatus	1.-2.6. Drumheller area ca5
141	House finch	Carpodacus mexicanus	7.6. Pincher Creek 4
142	Pine siskin	Carduelis pinus	6.6. Waterton townsite 1
143	American goldfinch	Carduelis tristis	Common in SE corner of Alberta (total 20+)
144	Chestnut-collared longspur	Calcarius ornatus	2.-4.6. very common at southern prairies (total ca100)
145	McCown's longspur	Calcarius maccownii	2.-4.6. very common at southern prairies (total ca100)
146	House sparrow	Passer domesticus	Common