As my time on South Padre draws near its end, I wish I could stay for months, instead of the weeks available in my time-budget. It is especially hard to think about leaving when a fresh supply of warbler species starts showing up. Like most days here on the island, I began my morning at … Read more
September days on South Padre Island can be hot as hell, with enough humidity to keep me dripping in sweat from dawn to dusk, and through the night. It can wear me down, and if not for the amazing birds I get to meet, I’d sooner stay under cover and in an air-conditioned space. But … Read more
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
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
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
At Dawson Creek, I stayed the night in the Walmart parking lot. The nights are short at these latitudes, and they don’t get very dark. Even at midnight, the sky remains in twilight. I arrived about noon and settled in to work on my blog about Lesser Slave Lake. There was an accumulation of three … Read more
I took two days to drive from Jasper to Slave Lake, a town at the southeastern end of Lesser Slave Lake. I camped overnight in Whitecourt along the way. When I arrived at my desired destination, I booked a two-night stay north of town at the Marten River Campground at Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park … Read more
This is a three day post. With my 2021 visit in south Texas drawing to a close, I’ve been pushing my limits to maximize my opportunities to meet migrating birds. This story is about Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on South Padre Island. Besides the Convention Centre, I spent most of Thursday at the SPI Birding … Read more
I spent Sunday at South Padre Island (Texas) and couldn’t resist shooting flycatchers. For most of us interested in learning to identify birds, small flycatchers are among the most difficult groups of birds to identify in the field by sight alone. I enjoy the entire flycatcher family, but as we meet more of them, we … Read more
Thursday morning started off slow, and stayed that way most of the day, but ended with a flurry of activity, when a new batch of warblers fell from the sky. I arrived at the Convention Centre early, but I didn’t take very many pictures. The birds I met were lovely, and other visiting birders were … Read more
