Northern Alberta Birding Hotline

Doug Faulder was at Beaverhill L. on the weekend to look for the Eastern Bluebirds just south of the lake.  He found them spending some time around nest box B3 at the junction of Rge. Rd 183 (west side of Kallal Meadows) & Twp 505 (Amisk Cr. bridge).  He indicated they are very skittish and best observed with a scope from 200-300 meters away.  There are Mountain Bluebirds along Twp 505 just west of here for comparison!
  The Weather Network data for Tofield shows 80mm of rain fell between July1-15, 2010 so on this past Sat. morning I drove to the area & then out to Holden retracing the Snow Goose Bus tours.  The Holden area looks a little soggy just off the highway & the ponds just south of town have lots of water, just not birds!   Might be good this fall for Snow Geese.  As for the Beaverhill area I also drove the Hawk Survey route past the Quarry & out past Amisk Cr.  The water in the north half of the quarry is up from early June with a long, long way to go.  Ryley Pond (Hwy14 & Rge.Rd. 180 now has water for the first time with several Mallards & approx. 10-12 Greater Yellowlegs seen.  The only other evidence of all that rain is at the Amisk Cr. bridge where the channel is now full.  Still now water in the surrounding marsh.  All other areas of Amisk Cr. & wetlands are still looking just as dry as before.  This really shows what the moisture level is at for ths region.
  Yesterday, June 19, Janet Watkinson & I made a leisurly trip to Cross L.  We strolled to the French Cr. bridge & return as well as the viewing deck off the north end of the beach.  We were treated to a great view of an adult Bald Eagle soaring high over the lake as well as numerous Osprey.  After a mid-afternoon rain shower there were 18 Common Loons visible from the beach as well as 2 Least Sandpipers on the shore.  At the viewing deck we were treated to close looks at several Swamp Sparrows.  Upon returning to the boat launch where we parked the trees where alive with Yellow-rump Warblers (mostly imm.) Red-breasted Nuthatches, Eastern Phoebe, Hairy Woodpecker & Red-eyed Vireo.  A Blue-headed Viireo was heard in the distance.  We totalled 36 species & our birding time was not very strenous or lengthy, just a good time!  For most of the day the lake was calm which for Cross Lake does not happen often.