In Transit

Today I travelled from Vancouver to Nakusp, a journey of some 8 hours. I was very kindly picked up by my good friends Gary and Marie Davidson. Although if I was taking the trip I could have spent much longer as I own a camera. The trip went through, to coin a phrase, a winter wonderland. Majestic snow covered peaks, snow covered pines looking like giant xmas trees [of course they are…], snow covered landscapes and lakes. Okay you’ve probably picked up on the snow covered pattern by now but to Australian eyes the landscapes were magnetic. Everywhere was a post card in the making. It was difficult to focus on birds – probably impossible.

We enjoyed many stereotypical Canadian scenes. For instance we passed Canadians skating on an ice covered lake – they were Canadians for sure because they had large sticks in their hands.

Buse Lake - a purple lake

Some good birds were enjoyed enroute including Trumpeter Swans, Red-railed and Rough legged Hawks, Bald Eagles and my first Townsend’s Solitaire for this trip.

Anyway enjoy the pictures as I’m off to bed.

Second Days Birding in Canada

Birding Vancouver 30/12/114

Brian Self and Chickadee

I’ve just got back from a tremendous day’s birding with Vancouver Birdingpal Brian Self who was excellent company, very knowledgeable and eager to share his patch, his birds and experience. I'm keen to share time with him in the field again.

Our first stop after an 8-30am rendezvous was at an undisclosed residence in Vancouver. The reason for its secrecy would soon become apparent. Even Brian had not dared to whisper the ‘secret’ resident for fear of creating too much expectation…..

The Secret Garden

At any rate the garden was excellent and very, very birdy and the star bird did a star turn. The bird in question? Wait for it… a Costa’s Hummingbird. [If you are not impressed check out your North American field guide and observe the range map for this specie.]

Male Costa's Hummingbird

Female Anna's Hummingbird

Now this bird is better than it sounds. In my opinion all hummingbirds are great but this one [as hopefully even my bad photo will attest] is something special.  It’s beautiful and spirited. It is only a small bird but it staked out its patch in this garden and guarded it furiously against the larger [and stunning] Anna’s Hummingbirds. Talk about small guy’s syndrome. So for about an hour we watched the Hummer Show starring these two species; one male Costa’s and a variety of the Anna’s. The show had some other special guests; on the floor there danced the back-kicking Fox Sparrows and the smaller Songs. Fluttering through the mid story was a variety of Chickadees – Black capped and Chestnut backed. [Sadly the Americans for reasons that I’m sure were purely puritanical refused to call them tits and thus avoided a shallow stream of birding adult humour.] Spotted Towhees were spotted and Downy woodpeckers showed up. Juncos and Bewick’s wren were also active around the feeders.

Black-capped Chickadee

Next stop was the fields around the greater delta area. The idea was twofold; first to try to turn up a Rough-legged Hawk and secondly to try to turn a Trumpeter Swan into a Tundra. The short of it was we failed in both plans. However we did see some lovely Red-tailed Hawks and we turned up a rare wintering Kestrel female. Also on the raptor front many Bald Eagles plus Northern Harriers. The fields did supply Trumpeter Swans, their necks and heads stained from the iron rich soil which makes iron rich mud [“just add water”] In front of the swans [and in front of the grazing mallards were a small flock of Grey Plovers or Black-bellied as they call them here, plus a large flock of agreeably fat yet energetic Dunlin  –  all lacking their ‘normal’ black breeding bellies.

Next was a visit to Reiffel Reserve. A word to the wise – if you are interested in birds [and by this stage if you’re still reading you are] and you visit Vancouver you must visit Reiffel! At any season it is fantastic for variety, numbers and views of birds. Mallards are so abundant here that you must kick them out of your way – that statement is not hyperbole – they’re everywhere. It’s because people feed them. The wigeons have spent too much time with Mallards and they have begun to learn the same bad wicked ways of sloth and dependence that the mallards have. Welfare dependence issues are everywhere it seems.

Anyway there are waterfowl everywhere here and there are many paths that wind between the canals, channels, small ponds and lakes. The trees and scrubs are filled with small passerines; sparrows and chickadees mostly – the latter too have felt the feeding craze and will land on your hand for seed. For me Reiffel delivered not only variety but a lifer – Pileated Woodpecker – the largest spp in North America. We searched for owls but were unsuccessful.

We finished our day as the clouds dramatically rolled in from the Pacific with Barn Owls – neatly packed in the rafters of a barn- and, as darkness descended we scooped and scoped a Rough Legged Hawk. As any birder would tell you it’s good to finish the day with a lifer!

Below today’s birds;

*** - lifer                   * - new Canadian bird for me

A – secret garden

Delta Fields

B – Delta fields

C – Reiffel REserve

Pied-billed Grebe - C

Double-crested Cormorant - C

Great Blue Heron  - BC

Black-crowned Night-Heron - C

Trumpeter Swan - B

Canada Goose - C

[Lesser] Snow Goose *** - C

Pied billed Grebe

Wood Duck - C

Green-winged Teal - C

Mallard - BC

Northern Pintail – BC

Northern Shoveler - C

American Wigeon - BC

Eurasian Wigeon * - C

Ring-necked Duck - C

Lesser Scaup - C

Common Goldeneye - C

Bufflehead - C

Hooded Merganser - C

Common Merganser - C

Northern Pintail

Bald Eagle - ABC

Northern Harrier - BC

Sharp-shinned Hawk *** - C

Rough-legged Hawk *** - B

Red-tailed Hawk - ABC

American Kestrel - B

Merlin- C [enroute]

Peregrine Falcon - B

Ring-necked Pheasant - C

American Coot - C

Sandhill Crane - C

Black-bellied Plover - B

Dunlin -B

Mew Gull - C

Glaucous-winged Gull - ABC

Rock Pigeon - A

Eurasian Collared-Dove - A

Anna's Hummingbird - A

Costa’s Hummingbird *** - A

Downy Woodpecker  - A

Northern Flicker - ABC

Pileated Woodpecker  *** - C

Barn Owl * - C [enroute from Reiffel’s]

Steller's Jay – C [enroute]

Northwestern Crow - ABC

Black-capped Chickadee - AC

Pileated Woodpecker

Chestnut-backed Chickadee - A

Bewick's Wren - A

Marsh Wren - C

Golden-crowned Kinglet - C

American Robin - ABC

European Starling - BC

Cedar Waxwing - C

Spotted Towhee - AC

Fox Sparrow - AC

Song Sparrow - AC

White-crowned Sparrow - B

Golden-crowned Sparrow - BC

Dark-eyed Junco - AC

Red-winged Blackbird - BC

Western Meadowlark – B [enroute]

Pine Siskin - A

House Sparrow - enroute

Buffleheads

Ring-necked Duck - female

American Coot

 Mammals – Grey Squirrel

First Days Birding in Canada 2011

One of many Bald Eagles

My first Snowy Owl!

I’ve been staying at the Super 8 Hotel near Vancouver Airport – a reasonable budget type motel closer to the Vancouver birding action as it is on the south of the city. I spent today - the 29 December with John Vooys [birdingpal.com] around the greater Boundary Bay – Tsawwassen area and it was, predictably enough, great. John was excellent company and knew both the birds and the geography very well.

Russ, Count 'em!!

We started the day near the Boundary Bay Airport and surrounds – reacquainting myself with large numbers of Bald Eagles. Soon however we found the main quarry; Snowy Owls – more than 15 birds had moved from their normal habitat a way north and had found a home among the bay side vegetation and the photographers that gathered there in even greater numbers! There were several recently erected signs advising people not to disturb the wildlife and while the majority obediently stayed their distance a few photographers got too close seeking the perfect shot. It was fantastic to see such a species and I count myself fortunate indeed to be here with the Snowies as they only make it down every five years or so. It was great too, to see so many people – clearly dudes – enjoying the rare spectacle of the owls. One of the odd features of birding around the bay was the occasional ‘boom’ of hunters’ guns bringing down one of the many ducks flocking in the bay’s waters. The swarms of ducks featured Mallard, Wigeon, Pintail, Lesser Scaup and Brant with Pintail being a major target spp judging from a hunter’s bag sighted on the way out.

Dark-eyed Junco

Golden crowned Sparrow

Small passerines included Purple and House Finches, Golden-crowned, White-crowned, Song and Fox Sparrows. Juncos and Spotted Towhees rounded out the smaller birds. Northern Flickers -  a flock of four – put in an appearance.

Fields in the area also held wildfowl; chief for me among them were Trumpeter Swan. Also great numbers of Northwestern Crow and Glaucous-winged Gulls and the occasional Herring.

The next stop was the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal. It is here that people make their way to Vancouver Island. Birding here was wonderful; again waterfowl dominated but this time featuring all three species of Scoter and Bufflehead and grebes [Horned and Western] plus Common Loons in their winter plumage. [Speaking of winter plumage, for me relatively little was needed as the temperature stayed in the positives all day. Having said that, it was still cool with a maximum of about 8 degrees Celcius.] The rock wall leading to the Terminal had a few pair of Black Turnstone – a major target for the day and another lifer!

Lunch was authentic American - McDonalds and it was here i encountered a clumsy Canadian who unintentionally shared his coffee with me and my jeans and then completed the picture with an equally clumsy attempt at my accent. An elderly gent, on hearing my accent, turned and revealed himself to be wearing a tucked in St George Rugby League jersey and claimed to have played with them many years previously. He bid me fair well by saying,"seeya Banana bender."

After a lunch we got a tip off of a recently sighted Gyrfalcon which we searched for in vain before calling it a day. All in all a tremendous day.

*** - lifers

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Western Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Brant

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Northern Shoveler

American Wigeon

Lesser Scaup

Black Scoter***

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Common Goldeneye

Bufflehead

Red-breasted Merganser

Trumpeter Swan***

Bald Eagle

Northern Harrier

Red-tailed Hawk

Peregrine Falcon

Black Turnstone

Ring-necked Pheasant

Black Oystercatcher

Dunlin

Black Turnstone***

Mew Gull

Herring Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared-Dove

Short-eared Owl

Snowy Owl***

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Marsh Wren

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

John Vooys and very large kelp

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer's Blackbird

Purple Finch

House Finch

48 SPP

*** - lifers

Korean Stopover

 Stage 1 - the arrival

my motel

I’m writing a brief note from the Hyatt regency in Seoul. Not a bad little place. Full stopover is part of the deal – the room is mine until 3pm tomorrow when I have to return to the airport for my flight.

All meals are also included and I’ve just enjoyed a nice little three course buffet even if I was sitting by myself like a loser. [there were quite a few other losers however.]  You’ll expect me to detail the food; first course - salads including anti pasta plus smoked salmon. The mozzarella and tomato salad was particularly good. Second course a mixed bag of bean ragout, chicken stew, tomato pasta, pork ribs and fried veges. Third – fresh fruit plus sweet Korean rice cakes. Yum.

Poor photo of Brown eared Bulbul

Seoul airport was cool. I mean cold rather than a 'groovy' airport. Zero degrees outside and the ground is covered with snow. Our hotel still has Christmas decorations everywhere including a huge silver lit tree in the lobby. 

Stage 2 – the morning

Woke up at 6am local time and that was it. Dawn came at about 7-45 and a good breakfast buffet filled the time between dark and light. Went for a brief walk outside with only ‘light’ clothes to experience the minus two degrees cold. It was ok – I kept to the street and avoided the snow. No birds. Soon I returned to the hotel and then my room and watched as a small trickle of tourists did what I did; nervously walking the road across to the snow covered field opposite and stood at its edges just for the experience. One couple stood taking pictures of each other until a Korean man offered to take their photo together. [I could tell he was Korean only by the length and depth of the bows after the event..] When the sun rose a little more one could see footprints crossing the snow like ants in the sugar.

There are no parks around here; “only airport” the Concierge informed me so I’ve signed up for a 5 hour Seoul City tour for forty bucks. It will get me back to the hotel one hour before check out. Did not really pay any attention to what was on the tour but noticed that lunch was included..

Stage 3 – now at the airport two hours before Vancouver flight.

Eurasian Magpie

The day tour was a little bit mickey but ok . The Gyeongbokgung Palace we saw was interesting and the Korean food [Bibinbob] for lunch was good and quite spicy. And saw some birds. First near the hotel and then on the tour. I could identify Large-billed Crow?, Eurasian Magpie, Great [actually Japanese Tit according to a checklist] and Varied Tit [plus a probable Willow Tit - seen only briefly], Tree Sparrow, plus a Yellow- throated Bunting, a Daurian Redstart, plus a Brown-eared Bulbul. 

Some mammal photos from 2009

Least Chipmunk

Black Bear

Ground Squirrel

Elk or Wapiti

Yellow bellied Marmot

Steller's Sea Lion

Richardson's Ground Squirrel

Pronghorn

Some Bird Photos from 2009

Common Murres

Barrow's Goldeneye - pair

Calliope Hummingbird

Dipper

Song Sparrow

Marsh Wren

American Tree Swallow

Wood Duck - drake

Savannah Sparrow

Cedar Waxwing

Background - First Canadian Experiences

Flowers - what kind?

Some Vancouver Island Scenery, eh?

My first Canadian birding experiences - therefore my first North American birding experiences - were in 2009 when I organised [with my good Canadian birding mate, Gary Davidson] a three week trip through BC and Alberta.

The trip was fantastic and I have no doubt that if I can have the same nature experiences that i enjoyed within those three weeks over the course of my 12 months teaching it will be time well spent indeed.

Below I've reproduced my itinerary from 2009 plus some quotes from the travel blog at the time plus some pictures from that trip.

CANADA ITINERARY 2009 -
DETAILED ITINERARY
May 17 - Depart Brisbane and arrive Taipei
May 18 and 19 - Birding around Taipei
May 20 - Vancouver - Iona Island Water Treatment Plant and Reifel Waterfowl Refuge
To the delight of non-birders our tour begins with a visit to the Iona Island Sewage Water Treatment plant. During the height of migration, these ponds are excellent for waders. Our visit will be at the end of the migratory season, so numbers will have already declined from the peak in early May. However, we can still hope to see some waders. Possibilities include Western and Least Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Dunlin and Semipalmated Plover plus waterfowl species. [It is estimated that 90 % of the world's population of Western Sandpipers stop over in the Vancouver area during migration.] Depending on the tides and the weather, we may also take a walk out the jetty. The nearby Reifel Waterfowl Refuge, consisting of nearly 300 hectares of managed wetlands, natural marshes and low dikes in the heart of the Fraser River Estuary. This can also be good for waders and waterfowl, but it will also provide our first woodland birding opportunity. Species will include Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, plus several sparrow and warbler species. The high bird density in the refuge often attracts raptors such as Peregrine Falcon and Cooper's Hawk. Other raptors may include Bald Eagle and Northern Harrier. Spend night in Vancouver.

May 21 - Vancouver - White Rock and Blackie Spit - to Vancouver Island
We continue our tour of the waterfront and the Fraser River estuary with visits to White Rock and Blackie Spit. Waterbirds will remain the focus. At the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal we will look for Black Turnstone, Black Oystercatcher and Caspian Tern before boarding the ferry for Victoria. The 90 minute crossing of Georgia Straight should produce Brandt's Cormorant, Pigeon Guillemot and Marbled Murrelet and perhaps our first cetaceans. Spend night in Victoria.

May 22 - Victoria Area
This day will be spent in and around Victoria. Visits to Clover Point and Witty's Lagoon will provide yet another opportunity to find water birds we had previously missed. This will include several gull species that occur regularly in south western BC. Witty's Lagoon has recorded over 160 species, including Belted Kingfishers, Orange-crowned Warblers and Dark-eyed Juncos. A visit to Beacon Hill Park will produce a few of the more common woodland birds of the region, such as Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Bushtit. Spend night in Victoria.

May 23 - Victoria to Tofino
Today we will slowly make our way north along the scenic Island Highway to Parksville and then west to Tofino. Incidental birding stops will be made along the way. Afternoon birding will depend on arrival time in Tofino. Spend night in Tofino.

May 24 - Boat trip with Justbirding and Tofino area birding

Tofino Forests

This morning we board a boat and spend a couple of hours on the water. While this is not a true pelagic trip, we can hope for some good birds, including Pelagic and Double-crested Cormorants, Common Murre, Rhinoceros Auklet, Pigeon Guillemot and Pacific Loon. During the remainder of the day we will begin our exploration of the west coast habitat. (Don't be surprised if we have some rain, this is temperate rain forest habitat.) Spend night in Tofino.

May 25 - Tofino - Pacific Rim NP - to Nanaimo
Today we will continue exploring the coastal rain forest. Wandering world famous Long Beach could yield Sanderling, Surfbird and Black Oystercatcher. (The sighting of the occasional hardy surfer may also make you feel a little homesick!) The Rainforest Trail in Pacific Rim National Park may produce Hermit Thrush, Fox Sparrow and a number of other lowland species. In the afternoon we will drive back to Nanaimo. Along the way we will stop at Cathedral Grove. This is a stand of Western Red Cedar and Sitka Spruce that has been spared from the loggers' saws and set aside as a refuge. Here visitors can marvel at the magnificence of these majestic trees. Spend night in Nanaimo.

Telegraph Cove

May 26 - Nanaimo - to Telegraph Cove
Today we will drive to the northern end of Vancouver Island. Along the way we will look for any lingering Brant in the Parksville-Qualicum area. Other stops will be made along the way before arriving in Telegraph Cove. Spend night in Telegraph Cove.


May 27 - Grizzly Bear Boat Trip

Tofino Reflections

Grizzly mum and cub

Today we plan to join Rip Tide tours for a tour specially designed to see Grizzly Bears in the wild. We travel in a covered aluminum boat which has a washroom and seats for 12 passengers from Telegraph Cove to Knight Inlet, which is actually part of the BC mainland, (there are no Grizzlies on Vancouver Island). Along the way we often see black bears on the low tide beaches, Bald Eagles, harbour porpoises and seals, Dall's porpoises, sometimes dolphins and river otters and maybe Orcas! Seabirds we encounter include Marbled Murrelets, Common Murres, Pigeon Guillemots and Rhinoceros Auklets. Late May to mid June is the mating season with lots of interesting interaction. The big bears chase the not-too-interested females, displacing other bears along the beach. Certainly this is great time of the year for viewing bears! Spend night in Telegraph Cove.

May 28 - Telegraph Cove via Nanaimo to North Vancouver
Today we retrace our steps back to Nanaimo where we visit Buttertubs Marsh. Here we should see species such as Great Blue Heron, American Coot, Golden-crowned Sparrow and Spotted Towhee. With luck we might hear a Virginia Rail. And then it's back across the Georgia Straight to Horseshoe Bay. This is a different ferry crossing than the one we took to Victoria. Spend night in Horseshoe Bay.

May 29 - North Vancouver to Hope via the Cheam Wetlands
A morning visit to Lighthouse Park may produce Red-breasted Sapsucker, Black-throated Gray Warbler and Hutton's Vireo. A quick visit to Maplewood Flats may offer a look at Purple Martins, rare birds in BC. Then the drive continues east up the Fraser Valley. An afternoon stop at the Cheam Wetlands is sure to be profitable. A good variety of woodland and wetland species are always present. Hope is located at the confluence of the mighty Fraser River and the smaller Coquihalla River and is nestled between the mountains of the Cascade and Coastal Mountain range. Spend night in Hope.

Coquihalla Canyon

May 30 - Hope to Kamloops
This morning we will drive east and up into Manning Provincial Park. The upper elevation will provide our first chance as those species that prefer the higher regions, such as: Pine Grosbeak, Sooty Grouse, Spruce Grouse and Clark's Nutcracker. Then it's back toward Hope and then north toward Kamloops. After we cross the Coquihalla Summit on this highway and begin to descend back down into the valleys, you will see a marked habitat transition. Here we will enter the interior grasslands; cattle country. Closer to Kamloops it becomes even drier. The climate here is quite desert-like Upon arrival we will visit Tranquille, one of the area's birding hot spots. Spend night in Kamloops.

May 31 - Kamloops to Vernon
This morning we bird along Paul Lake Rd. In addition to a good variety of woodland birds, including Lazuli Bunting, we may also see Long-billed Curlew here. From here we make our way south to Quilchena and then through the historic Douglas Lake Ranch. Many small ponds and lakes will provide opportunities to see ducks and other waterbirds previously missed. We also hope for Golden Eagle and Horned Lark today. Spend night in Vernon.

June 1 - Vernon to Kelowna - Okanagan Birding
Today we hope to take advantage of a local expert. Chris Siddle will show us the local hot spots and we will search for species not yet seen. Today's targets will include Swainson's Hawk, Grasshopper Sparrow and Clay-coloured Sparrow. Spend night in Kelowna.

June 2 - Kelowna to Oliver - Okanagan Birding

Okanagan Sage Lands

Mission Creek Park, The Kelowna Landfill and Maude Roxbury Park will be some of the places visited today. Target species will include American Avocet and gulls. In the afternoon we will drive south to the southern end of the Okanagan Valley. Spend night in Osoyoos.

June 3 - Oliver - Okanagan Birding

Vaseaux Lake

Today we will remain in the South Okanagan and explore three main areas: Venner Meadows, Vaseux Lake and White Lake. Some of today's target birds include: Canyon Wren, Rock Wren, Brewer's Sparrow, Sage Thrasher and four species of hummingbird, (Rufous, Black-chinned, Anna's and Calliope). With luck, we may be able to find the resident Western Screech-Owl which nests in the area. Spend night in Osoyoos.

June 4 - Okanagan Birding - Oliver to Nakusp
Toady we continue our tour of the very productive South Okanagan. We will begin our day with a visit to River Road, Road 22 and Camp McKinney Road in search of some more of the region's local specialties: Bobolink, Yellow-breasted Chat and Gray Flycatcher. By noon we must leave the area and drive north back up the Okanagan Valley and then east to the Arrow Lakes Valley and Nakusp. This will be about a five hour drive. Spend night in Nakusp.

June 5 - Nakusp to Banff National Park
We will enjoy a "lazy morning" today. We will have had several early mornings recently and it will be time for a little lie-in! By mid-morning we will depart Nakusp and drive to Banff National Park. En route we will make two birding stops. A drive up Mount Revelstoke may produce some of the upper elevation species such as Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee and Dusky Grouse. A walk along the Skunk Cabbage Trail in Mount Revelstoke National Park is always productive. Scenery will be spectacular today if the weather cooperates. Further birding today will depend on our arrival time in Banff. Spend night in Banff.

June 6 - Banff National Park - Rocky Mountains
We will visit two sites here in the Rocky Mountains today. An early morning walk to Vermillion Lakes may produce Common Loons giving their eerie yodeling call as well as a good chance of seeing Elk. We will then take a walk along the Cave and Basin Trail; target birds here include Tennessee Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler and American Three-toed Woodpecker. From the mountains, we will continue eastward and onto the wide open Canadian Prairie. Spend night at High River.

June 7 - Frank Lake
The main birding site today will be Frank Lake. Since we are now east of the Rocky Mountains, the bird fauna will be quite different for the next couple of days. Target birds at Frank Lake include White-faced Ibis, Franklin's Gull, American White Pelican, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Black-necked Stilt, Ferruginous Hawk, Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow and Le Conte's Sparrow. In the late afternoon, for a complete change of pace, we will visit the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump before traveling to Lethbridge. Spend night in Lethbridge.

Looking towards Montana

June 8 - Prairie birding, Purple Springs, Pakowki Lake and Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park
Southern Alberta is a birder's delight. It is here where the Great Plains of the Midwest end almost abruptly with the Rockies. The focus today will be grassland species including Sprague's Pipits, Chestnut-collared Longspur, McCown's Longspur and Upland Sandpiper. Spend night in Lethbridge.

June 9 - Lethbridge to Drumheller
Today is a day to try and fill in some gaps. We will drive from Lethbridge to Drumheller with a couple of stops along the way. There is a chance of seeing the rare Snowy Plover along the way. A drive through some of the scenic badlands of the region will provide many photo opportunities. Spend night in Drumheller.

June 10 - Drumheller to Calgary for flight to Vancouver
No trip to Drumheller would be complete without a visit to the world famous Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology. And finally, it's on to Calgary airport for the flight to Vancouver.


Note on mammals
There is very little mention of mammals in the itinerary. This is not because I don't expect to see any, but rather that it's difficult to predict where and when we will see them. I fully expect to see: White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Coyote, Red Squirrel, Grey Squirrel, Columbia Ground-squirrel, Richardson's Ground-squirrel, Pronghorn and Grizzly Bear. In addition we should see at least some of the following: Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Black Bear, Raccoon, River Otter, Striped Skunk, sea lion, Harbour Seal, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Thirteen-lined Ground-squirrel, Yellow Pine Chipmunk, Least Chipmunk, Douglas Squirrel, Muskrat, Beaver, dolphins, and perhaps Orcas.