Northern Alberta Birding Hotline

Ed Mah-lim hit the jackpot at the NW corner of Beaverhill L. by the corrals several days past.  While birding there a constant stream of Snow Buntings kept coming & landing in the fields around his location.  His estimate was 300,000 birds along with approx. 2000 Lapland Lonspurs.  Ed went back the next day & only found 30 birds!  I along with several other birders witnessed such an event at the weir on the southeast side of the lake on 20 April 1986.  The Snow Buntings formed a solid line from the weir to the west end of the Natural Area.  The estimate recorded was 500,000 & I can tell you it is quite an experience. 
   Other highlights this week are Eurasian Wigeon at Dodds, Twp.490 & Rge. Rd. 192, Ken Hansen April 4, Ring-neck Duck (2m) in the Redwater/Opal area Ted Hindmarch April 4.  The Edmonton Nature Club trip April 3 to Misty Ridge had 8 participants but the raptors failed to make much of an appearance.  3 adult Bald Eagle & a single Redtail Hawk were the only ones seen.  Several small flights of Tundra Swans flew over in the morning.  The highlight of the April 4 Beaverhill L. Hawk Survey was a Townsend's Solitaire seen by the railway tracks at Hwy 14 & Rge. Rd 182 (Black Nugget Lake road) & a Great Horned Owl on the nest at Twp 504 between Rge Rd 190/191.  After the survey Fred Whiley did some scouting for the Snow Goose Chase to seen where there might be water!  Travelled #626 east from Beaverhill to Rge 161 north of Holden before heading south across Hwy14 at Holden & then zig-zag roads heading south & west towards Dusty Lake & Black Nugget.  Our search yielded several Redtails & an adult Bald Eagle but no water of any size other than puddles!  Black Nugget has water & should be a good birding spot for waterfowl in the next couple weeks.  The Quarry just south of Tofield has some water in the north end for shorebirds & waterfowl while the south end has more.  * Due to a home being constructed on the west side of the quarry, I recommend birders park north of the gate into the property so as to not cause problems for trucks accessing this project.
  Osprey have been reported in the nests at the entrance to Wabamun along side Hwy 16.  Bluebirds are being seen at Francis Point & near the Amisk Cr. bridge just east of Tofield.  Their is some water in the Beaverhill Nature Centre marsh so watch for Blackbirds there in the coming weeks.

                             Enjoy the Good Spring Birding