Alberta birding is only second to Arizona. I have birded most of the places mentioned by Charlie, but would like directions to the wet areas west of Cold Lake where they had Yellow Rails, Sedge Wrens, etc. A 5- 7 day trip is a must with great driving distances. I like hitting the same places pretty much each time because they produce. I spent a year in college near Red Deer which is between Edmonton and Calgary. And of course I birded pretty heavy up there that year. And have been back to Alberta 6 more times just on birding trips.

Here's my recommending where to go for a super trip.

Day 1 --- drive to Waterton Lakes National Park.

Day 2 --- get many western birds at Waterton. There are two main roads in the park each dead ends which are good. Both roads head north into different valleys-lots of wildlife too. Head west to Writing-on-Stone Prov. Park with it's very interesting rock formations. Hit Pakowki Lake for Ibis, herons, shorebirds. Spend night in Medicine Hat.

Day 3 --- Bird Police Point Park Eastern Screech-Owls breed here and good for vagrants mainly eastern. Drop south to Cypress Hills for Eastern Bluebirds, and Turkeys in the town of Elkwater. These Hills were spared getting carved up during the ice age period. On top it's like you were at Cold Lake and green while all around the park is sage.

Day 4 --- head north and bird the prairies Baird's, Clay-colored, LeConte's and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows. The rarer the sparrow the better they hide. I've sat in my car at times with thousands of Longspurs (McCown's, Chestnut-collared, and Lapland) mixed in with Snow Buntings and and Horned Larks swirling around my tires. Sprague's Pipits are fairly common here too. Spots to hit are Dinosaur Prov Park, Drumheller, Buffalo Lake and Beaverhill which can be good in shorebird migration. End up at Cold Lake that night.

Day 5 --- Cold Lake Prov. Park and English Bay. End up at Lac la Biche.

Day 6 --- Bird Sir Winston Churchill Prov. Park. Best spot for Bay-breasted Warbler. If time hit Calling Lake which is north of Edmonton. Watch for Palm Warblers and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers in the swampy spruce bogs.

Day 7 --- Either head for the Canadian Rockies and/or home and you'll notice that the number of birds seen (200+) will impress you with all the eastern species that are found there.

I highly recommend everyone try this loop for an enjoyable trip.


Ken Knittle
Washington Birder newsletter
2604 NE 80th Street
Vancouver, WA 98665
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