One Life Bird: Cost $11,000

Alberta is a province with a vast range of habitats: boreal forest, the Rocky Mountains, aspen parkland, grasslands and short-grass prairie.

For our vacation this summer, we decided to head for the grasslands. In particular, we wanted to visit a geological wonder tucked into the prairie – Dinosaur Provincial Park – and we arrived in the campground Sunday evening.

The region is a gently rolling plain with a few major hill systems, punctuated by exposed bedrock, carved sandstone cliffs, ancient boulders and other reminders of the last ice age. Where wind and water have carved the bedrock, unique landscapes known as badlands exist. This is the warmest and driest region of the province.

The park is made up of three distinct habitats; the moist banks of the Red Deer river are home to cottonwood trees, willows and shrubs; the hot dry badlands produce cacti, greasewood and sage; and prairie grasses dominate the rim of the valley. The bird life in the park is equally varied.

Our campsite was tucked alongside a tributary of the river, nestled in cottonwood trees and thick shrubs. Predominant species here were the insect eaters, and we saw yellow & magnolia warblers, least flycatchers, willow flycatchers, tree swallows, cliff swallows, American robins, cedar waxwings, western kingbirds and American goldfinch. Hairy woodpeckers and northern flickers announced their presence on a regular basis, and a blue heron and several gulls shared the river. Soaring continually overhead were many common nighthawks, a bird now on the Canadian Species of Concern list.

Mule deer and white-tailed prairie hare were abundant in the campground, and totally unconcerned about the human trespassers.

Moving into the grassy areas, we were surrounded by vesper and grasshopper sparrows, brown- headed cowbirds, common grackles, Brewer’s blackbirds, ring-necked pheasants, black-billed magpies, western meadowlarks and mourning doves. And my new lifer – rock wrens. I’ve been seeking these little chatterers for years, so it was wonderful to finally see them flitting about in the sage.

Soaring overhead we saw American kestrel, northern harrier, Swainson’s and red-tailed hawks.

And we got all of that in about two hours on the evening we arrived.

The next day we took a drive through the surrounding short grass prairie, and picked up a whole new set of birds in the fields and at the various marshes – black tern, double crested cormorant, prairie falcon, white pelican, pied-billed grebe, and a young golden eagle to name just a few.

We returned to our campsite around 4:00 pm, and were looking forward to the next day’s bird watching. Mother nature, however, had other plans.

It started to rain just as we returned, and it rained and thundered and lightening-ed like I have never seen. It was dark, windy, and very, very loud with the rain just hammering down. I was boiling water for tea and I had to watch for it to boil as I couldn’t hear it over the rain pounding on the trailer roof.

Just when we were beginning to wonder if we should be getting nervous, we were informed they were evacuating the campground. The river was very near to cresting its banks, and we had to leave immediately.

I grabbed by binoculars, my bird book (with my sightings notes) and my hiking boots. Also my purse which held my blackberry and digital camera. My husband grabbed the dog leash and the dog, and we waded through ankle deep water to the truck. My god, that water came up in a hurry!

A slow drive through the pounding rain, thunder and lightening to the nearest town, and our dog got to spend her first night in a hotel – which she didn’t like.

The next morning, thankful for the sunshine, we drove back out to the campground. The river had damaged the only bridge into the campsite, so we had to walk into our trailer. Upon arrival, we discovered it had been about 3 feet deep in water, and everything below that depth was soaked.

The park had received about 6 inches of water in 4 hours, and the river just couldn’t handle the deluge. All the bridges were destroyed, and the river increased its size by taking down much of the bank on both sides. As of this writing, we still haven’t retrieved our trailer as we can’t get over the bridge. The insurance appraiser has gallantly slogged through the mud to check it though, and has confirmed it is a total write-off.

So our week of exceptional birding was forced to an abrupt halt by a flash flood, which was a first for the park. I can’t help but wonder how many species we might have seen if the heavens hadn’t opened up. Our tent trailer cost us $11,000 and is now worthless, but hey – I finally got my rock wrens! You know you’re a birder when…

More photos of Dinosaur Provincial Park on my Flickr stream

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