2022 Expedition in Review

On February 27, I left San Diego on what turned out to be a 16,000 mile tour of western North America that lasted 7½ months. I began with a slow crawl north up the Pacific Coast, with my first stop in San Luis Obispo, and followed it to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.  During the … Read more

2022-07-16 Adieu Canada

The following saga spans the final five nights and six days I spent in Canada and focuses on southern Saskatchewan’s Grasslands National Park. It includes the four photo-safaris I embarked on while I was there. Rather than break up the story into four sections, I’ve bundled them together, and assembled the images into a single … Read more

2022-07-09,10,11 A long Drive To South Saskatchewan

Rain caught up with me on my drive away from Slave Lake, and I found an out-of-the-way place to park in Lac La Biche, further east in Alberta. There were times through the night when the storm’s intensity became ferocious, with thunder and lightning firing like bombs overhead. The next morning I found a downtown … Read more

2022-07-06 Revisiting Lesser Slave Lake

I spent Tuesday night at the Slave Lake Walmart, and I broke my fast at the Sawridge Travel Center, where I’ve enjoyed dining on my earlier visits. I explored the southeastern shoreline Tuesday after arriving here from Lake Kimiwan. I’ve been on a mission to meet Common Terns before I leave Canada, The terns I’ve … Read more

2022-07-05 Kimiwan Lake

My long drive from Grande Prairie ended Monday at Lake Kimiwan near the Town of McLennan in the province of Alberta. There is a boardwalk over the marsh at the southern shore of the lake that the locals promote as “The Bird Capital of Canada”; a lofty claim probably not universally accepted. The boardwalk direly … Read more

2022-07-03 Return to Grande Prairie

When I arrived in Grande Prairie, I drove straight to Crystal Lake and spent a few hours there (read about my earlier visit Here!). There weren’t many new actors on stage, but the Trumpeter Swans were now towing cygnets with them. In fact, like the proud parents they were, they showed them off from much … Read more

2022-07-02 Piper Pond

I spent time north of Dawson Creek at a location called Piper Pond. I’d heard there were Rusty Blackbirds there, and I hoped to gather some images. When I arrived, before I could get my camera gear ready, I watched a Gray Wolf trotting along the brush line at the lake. I regret I wasn’t … Read more

2022-06-29 McQueen Slough

I explored three locations around Dawson Creek in my quest to find photographic birds. Two were very productive locations. I spent most of my time at a place called McQueen Slough. There are two small lakes surrounded by cattails. Some of the birds, especially the waterfowl are difficult to photograph because the open water, where … Read more

2022-06-28 Taylor Landing Once More

It’s only a 20 minute drive south from Fort Saint John to Taylor Landing, on the banks of the Peace River. I discovered this place white driving north on the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek in British Columbia (see that story <HERE>). I met some lovely birds on that visit, but finding my first Black-and-White … Read more

2022-06-27 Return To Charlie Lake

Early Monday morning I drove north to Beatton Provincial Park on Charlie Lake from Fort Saint John for what would be my third visit. My first experience there was in 2005, while I headed to Alaska. My second tour was June-3, while headed to Whitehorse nearly a month ago, on this current trip. I split … Read more