Banff

Pretty much a non birding day as we owed Michelle some time from the white water rafting. She wanted to go to Lake Louse and Moraine Lake so avoided the Route 1 roadworks and instead drove the 1A that runs parallel and is supposed to be very good for wildlife. We didn’t see an awful lot but did get poor views of a pair of Hooded Merganser which were new.

 

After Lake Louse we headed to Lake Moraine. We started a walk around part of the lake but it was freezing and started first snowing and then hailing. We decided to head to Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park over the border in British Columbia. A beautiful setting and the skies cleared for the rest of the day. A pair of Goosanders were added to the list and I glimpsed a large bird that must surely have been a Pileated Woodpecker (or Ivory-billed if you’re from Cornell?)

Finally, back in Banff whilst Michelle went shopping I went with the boys to the Cave and Basin hot springs until dusk were there was a wildlife boardwalk. A reasonable birding site that held birds such as Common Yellowthroat and Wilson’s Warbler. We also saw a Long-tailed Vole.

Finally, at the RV site, I heard what I think was Barred Owl.