Horned Larks in Prairie Dog Town, Grasslands National Park

Horned Larks and Long-billed Curlews saunter through Black-tailed Prairie Dog towns in the early morning, even before the Prairie Dogs are up and playing. (What attracts these birds? Bugs? Droppings, which lead to bugs?)

First, a clear shot of a Horned Lark on a fence post, taken along a southern Saskatchewan road last summer.

Fence post sentinel, a male Horned Lark along a rural Saskatchewan road. © SB

And, second, a shot of a Horned Lark in Grasslands National Park, perched on the entry to... Yes, a Black-tailed Prairie Dog burrow.

Standing guard - Horned Lark in the Prairie Dog town. © SB

Burrowing Owls are also among the birds drawn to these towns — they borrow old burrows as nests. 

What are these birds? Horned Larks

Location: Saskatchewan, Canada (In Grasslands National Park, and along a rural road.)

Photo date: June 29, 2012, and June 25, 2013.   Prairie Passages Tour

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Western Willet in Grasslands National Park

This Western Willet chose a roadside slough as its nesting place in Grasslands National Park, and each time we turned that corner, we watched for it — or its fledging offspring — on the gravel.

This mottled shorebird breeds mainly in inland areas in the Prairies and Mid West, then winters along the coasts of North and South America. Though fairly dull on land, in flight, Western Willets have a stunningly bold black and white wing pattern, which (I hope) one day I will (I hope) capture... (And yes! Click the link!)  But birds in flight can be little trickier than one standing on a rock...

Western Willet watching us, and watching its young fledgling. © SB 

Fledgling Western Willet, hiding in the grass. Gotta love camouflage. © SB 

What are these birds? An adult and a young Western Willet - Chevalier semipalmé

Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada Prairie Passages Tour

Photo date: June 26, 2013. 

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Baird's Sparrow in Grasslands National Park

Far off in bushes at the edge of the grasses, a rare and elusive Baird's Sparrow...

Towards the left, the Baird's Sparrow © SB

What is this bird? A Baird's Sparrow 
Location: Grasslands National Park, near Val Marie, Saskatchewan. Prairie Passages Tour

Photo date:  June 26, 2013.

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Bobolinks: Songbirds From Saskatchewan to Paraguay

Bobolink on a stalk of dock... 
How much farther away could it be? © SB

I've been looking for Bobolinks for a couple of years — clear, up-close, well-lit, easy-to-photograph-with-feather-detail Bobolinks, not just checklist Saskatchewan grasslands birds.

But so far, they've eluded me, and I see them only when I'm a passenger in a fast car, or they are far off in twilight marshes or deep into atmospherically distorted distant reeds.

A recent trip to Grasslands National Park continued that pattern: When Bobolinks landed, they landed far from me.

I become more interested in Bobolinks on that trip when I learned that these songbirds are among those that migrate annually between North and South America... (Yes, the same population, the exact same birds, share the ribbons of grasses that stretch along our hemisphere.)

And while we see them in Saskatchewan as fairly solitary birds in dramatic black, white and yellow breeding plumage, in Paraguay, Bobolinks appear in massive flocks of brown-sparrow-striped birds in drab winter camouflage.

Crop of the Bobolink picture   © SB

"The Bobolink is amazing because of the colour — it is completely different here," says Dr. Alberto Yanosky, the biologist who heads Guyra Paraguay, that country’s leading organization for biodiversity research and conservation. (It's also a Birdlife International affiliate.) "You may very easily say that they are different species, but they are the same."

Yanosky, recently named the 2013 Latin American winner of the National Geographic Society/Buffett Award for Leadership in Conservation, was in Saskatchewan for the June Prairie Passages Tour of our publicly owned grasslands. 

"We say that they decided to breed here, but they are our birds, that we lend them to you," he says. "And you think that it is on the other side, that they are your birds, and they go south to avoid winter here."  

I'm happy to share the Bobolinks and our other grassland birds including Swainson's Hawks, Upland Sandpipers, Common Nighthawks and Wilson's Phalaropes ... I only wish they would land closer to my camera! 

What is this bird? A male Bobolink, in breeding plumage.

Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada Prairie Passages Tour

Photo date: June 25, 2013. 

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Loggerhead Shrike on Teepee Pole, Saskatchewan

High on a teepee pole, a Loggerhead Shrike.

At first, this small bird was on a fence post beside the road. And then (as soon as cars stopped and camera came out), it flew to the far side of the new campground in Grasslands National Park. Finally, it landed on the top of a pole, and sang.

Loggerhead Shrike on a teepee pole in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada

What is this bird? A Loggerhead Shrike 
Location: Grasslands National Park, near Val Marie, Saskatchewan. Prairie Passages Tour

Photo date:  July 26, 2013.

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Lark Bunting in breeding plumage

One of my favourite Saskatchewan grassland birds is the Lark Bunting — perhaps because the males look so formally attired in their crisp black and white breeding plumage.

The female Lark Buntings are also lovely, with an intricate brown feather pattern.

These small songbirds were fairly common in the Val Marie, Saskatchewan, area during our recent Prairie Passages Tour of pastures and grasslands. Especially lovely to see, knowing that come winter, they'll change from this bright plumage to more drab brown feathers again. (And leave Saskatchewan to fly south to Mexico for the winter.)

Male Lark Bunting in breeding plumage   © SB

What are these birds? Lark Buntings  —  male in breeding plumage.
Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan. 

Photo date:  June 26, 2013.

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Burrowing Owls: Sentries in Fields and Prairie Dog Towns

Study the eyes of this Burrowing Owl. So watchful and attentive. © SB

Okay, maybe I do have a true favourite among grasslands birds: The Burrowing Owl.

We saw at least three pairs of Burrowing Owls — two nesting in Grasslands National Park, and one not far from the park on the Prairie Passages Tour of Saskatchewan pastures and grasslands earlier this summer.

I love the way they stand guard over the area around their burrows, whether in the middle of a Black-tailed Prairie Dog town, or on fence posts in the park and along nearby roads.

So small. So serious. And, in Saskatchewan, so endangered.

Once again, the habitat they need is being lost, along with vital companion species, including the gophers and prairie dogs that dig the burrows they use.

(I recently finished Rock Creek, a beautiful memoir based in Southern Saskatchewan. In it, poet Thelma Poirier says: "Burrowing owls. A misnomer. More fittingly they could be called borrowing owls'. They borrow the burrows of ground squirrels." Indeed.)

Close-up of a Burrowing Owl,
standing guard over its nearby burrow. © SB

As an example of their declining numbers, the website for the Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre in Moose Jaw, SK, says that the population trend for Burrowing Owls around Regina, SK, in the last ten years "points straight down." The site continues:

Agricultural crops don't provide the habitat that burrowing owls require, so the owls are restricted to the small fragments of prairie that remain as cattle pastures. In much of southern Saskatchewan, these small cattle pastures are the last remaining refuge for burrowing owls. The horses and cattle are beneficial to the owls, as they keep the grass short by grazing and provide nest-lining material (manure!) for the owls.

So what a treat, to see these owls near Val Marie!

Wider shot:  Burrowing Owls are another Prairie Dog town resident.
The nesting burrow must have been nearby, 
as we saw a pair of owls here. © SB

What are these birds? Burrowing Owls.
Location: In and near Grasslands National Park, Val Marie, Saskatchewan. 

Photo date:  July 25, 2013.

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Long-billed Curlews: A Species of Concern in Saskatchewan

Long-billed Curlew.   © SB

Early morning, and a Long-billed Curlew landed right behind our van on the EcoTour Road through Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan.

This graceful bird with the long, down-curving bill was lovely to see, especially as Long-billed Curlews — Canada's largest shorebird — are a Species of Special Concern in Canada, and their global population is also in decline.

The reasons for the decline of Long-billed Curlews are linked to land-use, and the increasing presence of agriculture; pesticides may also play a role.

Here's what Environment Canada has to say about Long-billed Curlews:

Habitat loss, both on the breeding and the wintering grounds, remains the largest current threat to the species' populations as native grasslands in Canada are lost to agriculture, development, and invasive species, and the wetlands and grasslands used by wintering birds face similar threats.  

These birds, which breed in short-grass prairie and other grasslands, have already been extirpated from Manitoba, our neighbouring province to the east.

On this early summer day, the first of the Prairie Passages Tour of grasslands and pastures around Val Marie, Saskatchewan, we saw three Long-billed Curlews — the one on the road, and two others that made forays through the park's Black-tailed Prairie Dog towns, foraging for food.

Grace in action: A post-sunrise treat to see their heads gracefully bobbing across their small island of protected grass.

Long-billed Curlew forages in the Prairie Dog town. © SB

What are these? Long-billed Curlews 

Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan.
Photo date: June 25, 2013

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Common Nighthawks: Birds Disguised as Bark

Common Nighthawk: Feathers mimic bark  © SB

Now this bird is amazing: The Common Nighthawk has such intricate camouflage feather markings that once it lands, it almost disappears.

(We first saw it — but almost didn't — perched and sleeping on a fence post in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan.)

The camouflage works so well that All About Birds says that the insect-eating Nighthawks make no nest; with these markings, even the young are hard to find.

On our recent Prairie Passages Tour of grasslands and pastures in SW Saskatchewan, several people commented that it seemed the Val Marie, Saskatchewan, area was like a Common Nighthawk sanctuary.

They talked about seeing large groups resting on trees (which I missed...), and we saw several buzzing the early morning skies for bugs.

I was so happy when this Nighthawk was found roosting in plain view at the new GNP campground!

Easy to see in a close-up shot... Trickier in person, at a distance.   © SB

What is this? A Common Nighthawk

Location: Campground, Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan.
Photo date: June 26, 2013.

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Chestnut-collared Longspurs on Pasture Rocks in Saskatchewan

Chestnut-collared Longspur, singing in early morning. © SB

Early morning, and Chestnut-collared Longspurs are singing from rocks and sagebrush in a pasture near Grasslands National Park, in southern Saskatchewan.

These small songbirds seem to like a very specific habitat... I only saw them in this one small area, with sagebrush and these rocks.

Their limited habitat — and land-use competition for it — may explain why Chestnut-collared Longspurs are now entered as "threatened" on the Canadian federal government's Species At Risk lists.

In general, they prefer native pastures, followed by other grazed grasses and hayland, and in Saskatchewan, Chestnut-collared Longspurs are more often found on pastures than on hay or cropland.

That's significant, as their breeding territory and distribution is very limited, from southern Alberta to southern Manitoba, south to westcentral Colorado, and east through North Dakota and South Dakota to western Minnesota. (Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Chestnut-collared Longspur, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.)

From a distance or in flight, these prairie birds look, well, brown. Just like so many other little birds. But in breeding season, the males sport crisp black vests and vibrant chestnut collars. And start the morning, singing.

Chestnut-collared Longspur, displaying its chestnut collar.  © SB

Sagebrush: Another singing spot for Chestnut-collared Longspurs. © SB

Closer view of the Chestnut-collared Longspur on sage.© SB 

Seen on the Public Pastures-Public Interest 2013 grasslands/pastures Prairie Passages Tour with Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson. For more on the tour and updates on the work of PPPI and the future of the PFRA pastures, see Trevor Herriot's Grass Notes, and Pasture Posts.

What are these? Chestnut-collared Longspurs.
Location: Near Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan.
Photo date: June 25, 2013.

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Bison in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan

Bison at Grasslands National Park. 
Grazing is important to this fragile grassland ecosytem, 
whether done by bison or cattle, as the animals contribute
nutrients and create varied bird habitats. © SB

I saw dozens of bison in Grasslands National Park, Southwest Saskatchewan, on a recent visit to the area.

While some herds were only distant hillside specks, several bison bulls loitered on the native prairie along the park's main Ecotour Road, watching — or ignoring us — from a distance.

(Bison are powerful, fast and agile, and can quickly change directions, so best to keep your distance. Cute as some of these photos may be, bison are neither tame nor cuddly animals. And yes, I had a long lens for these photographs.)

Also wonderful:

A chance to hear bison expert Wes Olson talk about the herds and animals he has managed in the park for many years.

(Not so wonderful: On Wes's retirement, his position apparently is not to be filled, thus leading to a significant loss of knowledge. Seriously — Wes is an amazing guy; check out his website.)

Bison, on a distant hill.
At this time of year, most groups near the Ecotour Road
through Grasslands park are comprised of bulls, mainly young ones. © SB 

Experts says to stay clear of bison if their tails are elevated
- they are ready to charge, or discharge. -
This bison had the latter in progress;
I was some distance away, in a truck.  © SB

One Bison bison bison, three cowbirds. © SB

Bison expert Wes Olson described birds' nests made of strands
 - and shed clumps - of bison hair.
It's great insulation and the smell repels predators. © SB

Bison with Brown-headed Cowbird (formerly Buffalo Bird) on its back.
Bison expert Wes Olson explained that the bison's weight is evenly balanced,
front to back, with the centre at the point of its hump/front legs.
Hence its ability to quickly pivot and change directions. © SB

Bison expert Wes Olson telling stories
to our group about the bison he knows so well. © SB

Seen on the Prairie Passages tour of PFRA and other publicly owned grasslands, with conservationists, authors, and photographers, including Margaret Atwood, Graeme Gibson, Alberto Yanosky (Executive Director of BirdLife affiliate Guyra Paraguay), and Ian Davidson (Exec. Dir., Nature Canada). Organized by Public Pastures - Public Interest. For more on the tour, see Pasture Posts and Trevor Herriot's Grass Notes.

What are these? Bison and a bison expert.
Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan.
Photo date: June 25, 2013.

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Spotted Towhees in Grasslands: I have a message for you

To all Spotted Towhees in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan:

There is no need for you, or any other birds, to hide behind bare shrubby branches when I drive by.

This is the only picture I have of you large sparrows, and it barely captures your brilliant rust, white and black colouring.

Spotted Towhee beside the Frenchman River   © SB

That said, my thanks for waiting on this bush, beside a bridge over the Frenchman River, until I was able to take this single shot.

And yes, I love your bright red eyes.

Seen on the Prairie Passages tour of PFRA and other publicly owned grasslands, with conservationists, authors, and photographers, including Margaret Atwood, Graeme Gibson, Alberto Yanosky (Executive Director of BirdLife affiliate Guyra Paraguay), and  Ian Davidson (Exec. Dir., Nature Canada). Organized by Public Pastures - Public Interest. For more on the tour, see Pasture Posts and Trevor Herriot's Grass Notes.

What is this? A Spotted Towhee.
Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan.
Photo date: June 25, 2013.

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Rock Wren on a grasslands rock, southwest Saskatchewan

A Rock Wren — a small Western songbird  —  on southwestern Saskatchewan prairie grasslands, high above the Frenchman River.

Pale grey-brown songbird, the Rock Wren.   © SB

We listened to bison expert Wes Olson, counted wild flower species (new to me: Indian Breadroot and Clustered Broomrape), and enjoyed the dry prairie wind and sunshine.

And then birder extraordinaire Trevor Herriot spotted this Rock Wren.

On a rock, of course, with prairie grasses at the base and buttes beyond the river in the distant background.

The wind blows through the grasses above the valley,
below the rock of the Rock Wren. © SB

Seen on the Prairie Passages tour of PFRA and other publicly owned grasslands, with conservationists, authors, and photographers, including Margaret Atwood, Graeme Gibson, Alberto Yanosky (Executive Director of BirdLife affiliate Guyra Paraguay), and  Ian Davidson (Exec. Dir., Nature Canada). Organized by Public Pastures - Public Interest. For more on the tour, see Pasture Posts and Trevor Herriot's Grass Notes.

What is this?  A Rock Wren. 

Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: June 25, 2013.  

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