In July 2007 we did the same drive from Banff along Bow Valley Parkway, and despite being the middle of the day and very hot we saw several Elk, a young Black Bear and a pair of Coyotes with pups. During that time we also paid a short visit to the town of Waterton, where Columbia Ground Squirrels and Golden-mantled Squirrels were common and relatively tame. Mule Deer were plentiful everywhere, and females with young could be quite aggressive, especially toward dogs.

Black Bear

Alberta is best known for its mountain national parks and wildlife areas, but the seemingly endless prairie that lies to the south and east of the province can be equally interesting. We looked for and found Pronghorn Antelope by driving Highway 1 along the grasslands between the towns of Brooks and Medicine Hat. They proved very shy and difficult to approach, despite living in a heavily humanized area.

Mule Deer, Waterton

The breeding season for birds was long over, but I managed to find some interesting grassland species: Horned Larks and recently fledged Western Meadowlarks could be seen on roadside fence posts, and I saw a pair of Chestnut-collared Longspurs feeding on spilled grain by a farmhouse. Swainson’s Hawks were very common in the plains.

Dinosaur Provincial Parkis situated about 2 hours east of Calgary, near the town of Brooks. Its name comes from the rich fossil deposits that have produced more than 150 complete dinosaur skeletons.

Many of the exhibits at the renowned Royal Tyrell Museum of paleontology in Drumheller come from this park. The landscape is mostly comprised of the largest sandstone badlands in Canada, together with extensive cottonwood forest along the Red Deer River.

The park is excellent for birds in Spring and Fall, being a major migration stop for many species. There are also some nesting species that are rare elsewhere in Canada. By mid July it was very hot and full of mosquitoes, and birds were not very abundant. My main reason for visiting, apart from the spectacular scenery, was finding my first Lark Sparrow, one of my favorite North American birds.

Lark Sparrow

I saw one by the parking area above the valley and a second bird perched on a signing post along a trail. Other interesting species seeen in the park were Western Meadowlark, Northern Flicker, and Common Nighthawk.

July is the month when the famous Stampede annual festival takes place in Calgary. The whole town lives under a cowboy atmosphere and everyone (and I mean everyone; from bank clerks to business executives to TV news anchors) dresses in cowboy attire. A huge fairground is devoted to everything celebrating Alberta’s cowboy and livestock tradition

There are daily shows that include the most prestigious Rodeo competition in North America, together with horse and Chuckwagon races. I only regret not taking a better camera with me, something I hope to correct in the future.


Maargi and a domestic Bison