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Birders' Classic Adventure Tour

ITINERARY:

Orientation to meet group and discuss our birding plans for the coming days. Check lists of the possible bird species will be distributed so you can keep track of the species we have spotted. The evening meeting will be a part of each day.

As you are reading the itinerary you will see these symbols * and ** which mean:
* Denotes a Globally Significant Site as designated by Bird Studies Canada.
** Denotes a Continentally Significant Site as designated by Bird Studies Canada.

Day 1: Today, after an early departure, we will travel east from Calgary. Our first stop will be the Eagle, Namaka and Stobart Lakes*. Our target species are a host of waterfowl including the Western Grebe and Tundra Swan. We will then proceed on to Little Fish Lake* and Hand Hills Lake** within the Hand Hills Ecological Reserve with opportunities to try for special sightings of the very rare Piping Plover.

Arriving in Drumheller in the early afternoon we will check into our hotel and, after a few minutes to freshen up, we will proceed to the world famous Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology. Opportunity will be provided for additional birding in the lingering evening light or for exploring an old tipple or just enjoying an evening walk in the fantastic geological structures of the badlands.

Day 2: We leave the Grasslands today for the Aspen Parkland but, before we do, we will visit the Farrell*, Dowling** and Chain Lakes* areas. In these areas we may again try for the piping plover or American white pelicans as well as a host of other waterfowl species. Shortly after leaving we move into the Aspen Parkland where we will visit the Rumsey Ecological Reserve, Ewing Lake*, Buffalo Lake and Miquelon Lake* Provincial Park on our way to our lodgings adjacent to Ministik Lake Bird Sanctuary*. Beaverhill Lake* Heritage Range Land is roughly twenty kilometres to the east. We will spend the next two nights here in our Bed and Breakfast accommodations. After supper will take a first exploratory visit to Ministik Lake Bird Sanctuary.

Day 3 :The entire morning will be spent in the Beaverhill Lake* Area. At this time of year, we can expect to find 160 different species of resident and migratory birds. Included in the species we will be looking for are: the greater white-fronted goose, snow goose, pectoral sandpiper, black bellied plover, American avocet and both the long and short billed dowitchers. On auspicious occasions birders here have been treated to American bitterns and the sora rail! The afternoon will find us in search of bison and elk in Elk Island National Park.

Day 4: After one last early morning outing, completing our visit to Beaverhill Lake, we will move from Aspen Parkland through the Mixedwood Foothills Boreal Forest and into the Montane zone of the Front Ranges of the Rocky Mountains at Kootenay Plains. Along the way we stop at the Clifford E. Lee Wildlife Sanctuary. Here we will see red winged and yellow headed blackbirds and possibly view Canada geese with goslings, mergansers, teals, grebes, black terns, coots, the nests of marsh wrens and many species of ducks. The Aspen forest will yield black capped chickadees and tree swallows and holds the potential for ruffed grouse, downy and hairy woodpeckers, and even ring necked pheasants.

Our next stop will be the Spruce Hill Farm, not far from Gull Lake where John and Judy will host a lunch for us. Their farm is located just west of Gull Lake in an area of sand hills that has interesting terrain with a wide diversity of flora and fauna. On leaving the farm we will travel, more of less post haste, to Aurum Lodge, located just east of Banff National Park, in Rocky Mountain montane forest.

Day 5 : After a comfortable night at the eco-friendly Aurum Lodge, an early walk and breakfast, we will drive to the Columbia Icefields along the Icefields Parkway. Weather permitting, we will take a glacier walk and visit the Icefields Interpretive Centre. Depending on trail conditions Wilcox Pass offers the opportunity to search for both the willow and white tailed ptarmigan and other alpine species such as the golden-crowned sparrow. It may be necessary for us all to don snowshoes for these explorations, as it will be early 'springtime in the Rockies'.

We then travel south down the Icefields Parkway to Peyto Lake, Bow Lake and Lake Louise and on to the Kootenay Parkway and our accommodations at Radium Resort. This will be our headquarters for the next two evenings.

Day 6: Yesterday we not only crossed the Continental divide but technically left the Rocky Mountains as we travelled south and west to the Rocky Mountain Trench or the Columbia River Valley, this wide river meanders back and forth as it flows to the north. The result, is a birders' paradise as the many ox-bows and flood plains are a haven for the multitude of birds such as the wood duck and great blue heron. The north-south orientation of this valley makes it one of the great migration flyways in the world. This day will bring us many opportunities for spectacular scenery and great birding. Species such as barrow's goldeneye and steller's jay will be added to our sightings. Time permitting, we may be able to travel to a nearby burn and view the rare lewis woodpecker. As we will be spending a the night in Radium this could be a day full of birding. A trip to the Radium Hotsprings will prepare us for an evening river float through wetlands avian paradise where our trip will be presided over by osprey and bald eagles.

Day 7: Given the Columbia Valley is one of the most extensive wetland ecosystems in Canada, we will spend another full day exploring this habitat in search of birding opportunities. Our final night's accomodations are at the Radium Resort.

Day 8: We will return to Calgary, completing our loop, and seven days of birding and wildlife viewing in some of the worlds most beautiful scenery.

Please Note:

Changes in this itinerary may be necessary due to snow or weather conditions, trail safety or closures.

2005 TRIP DETAILS

Images © Flying Geese & Clarks Nutcracker - Peter Duck. Common Merganser & Kildeer- John Marriot. All others : Travel Alberta

What is included in this price:

* All transportation: From Calgary and return to Calgary.
* All Park Fees.
* All meals at the lodges and trail snacks from breakfast on the first day on trail to lunch on the last day on trail.
* 2 Guide/naturalists per party of 10, *pre-trip planning and information available.
* All accommodation - in Calgary before we start and in lodges and inns while on the road
* Accommodation and restaurant gratuities.

Prices do NOT include:

* Personal equipment - i.e. Clothing, boots, toiletries, binoculars, spotting scopes.
* Alcoholic beverages and extras * Canadian Goods and Services Tax of 7%.
* Gratuities for the guides.

Terms:

* Deposit 50% due on booking. * Balance due 45 days before departure date.
* Cancellation: $100.00 processing fee .
* Written notice required 45 days prior to departure; full refund less processing fee.
* No refund on notice less than 45 days unless space can be resold.
* Cancellation insurance is available and advisable.

Travel Note:

We would suggest that you would book your flight to Calgary on the first day of the tour, and your return flight from Calgary no earlier than the afternoon of the last day of the tour. This will give us time to travel from Radium to Calgary.

Please Note:

Changes in this itinerary may be necessary due to snow or weather conditions, trail safety or closures and availability of accommodations.

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