Elk Island NP
Holy Heron
53.6076° N, 112.8619° W
Bird nerds notes
In our field guide (Birds of Alberta) it lists Beaverhill Lake as the best spot to see about 20 different sandpipers. The book was right! We camped about 60 kilometers away in Elk Island National Park on Astotin Lake. The area was beautiful and packed with songbirds. While birding near our campsite we observed the concept of bird pockets -- basically we'd see almost nothing and then come across 20+ birds hanging out in the same grove of trees. During this trip we ended up spotting 4 different species of heron which turned into the theme for this expedition.
QUESTION: Can you name the 4 different species of heron in the pictures? (answer below).
Bird Photos
Conditions
- August
- storm
- celsius
First sightings (lifers) 16x
- American Bittern
- Black-and-white warbler
- Black-bellied plover
- Black tern
- Bonaparte's gull
- Cooper's hawk
- Great egret
- Least sandpiper
- Long-billed dowitcher
- Pectoral sandpiper
- Pie-billed grebe
- Purple martin
- Red-eyed vireo
- Rose-breasted grosbeak
- Semipalmated plover
- Short-billed dowitcher
- White-throated sparrow
More adventures
The eastern phoebe's head shape and earthy colours make them look like miniature flying bison.
Sandra spotted a night heron from the truck so we pulled over and walked back -- luckily it was still there.
Even though we were hoping to get a good shot of the male, female rose-breasted grosbeak are cool too
We were on a path around Beaverhill Lake when this bittern jumped out and told us off. We quickly left but it scared us pretty good.
In winter, yellow warblers mainly hang out in the mangrove forests of Central and South America.
Short-billed dowitcher, lesser yellowlegs, pectoral sandpiper, least sandpiper, Wilson's phalarope.
