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Songbird festival
Last year at the annual Songbird Festival a welcome, but unusual, guest made a visit to the nets.
We caught and banded a Mockingbird, they are from Carolina and this is the first time we’ve had one this far north, says Steve Lane, Big Lake Country Tourism. Last year some of the guys said they thought they saw one, but we thought it was impossible because those birds don’t come this far north.”
The festival is held every year at the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory and along with learning about various bird species visitors have a chance to get up close and personal.
This year will be our fifth year and our visitors really love it because they get so close. We string up mist nets, invisible in the air, along the forest edge and we catch and band various birds, says Lane.
With the information gathered from the bands, observers have a chance to follow the migratory path of the birds in the area. It also allows for up close photos and a good look at birds up close.
We get between two hundred and three hundred people here a year. We usually end up looking at close to 220 species of birds. It’s a good place to come and look for some of the most rare bird species.
Some of the most sought after species of bird for bird watchers are the Canada Warbler, Bald Eagle, Pelican, Great Grey Owl, various forms of hawks, warblers and thrushes.
Word is getting out and we are getting a lot more visitors than we used to, says Lane.
Some of the more rare species of birds the group have found are a Bay Breasted Warbler and a Lapland Longspur. Another species visitors come for is the yellow-billed loon, different from the more common black-billed loon.
There is no charge but donations are accepted. For those visitors who wish to spend more time at the observatory a banquet featuring Canadian Naturalists as guest speakers are put on. Cost of the banquet is $25 a head.
It’s a great opportunity for photos and just to get close to the birds and learn more about them. We live in one of the most diverse areas for bird species and people should take advantage of it, says Lane.
It is preferred if people book ahead for the festival and bring binoculars. Books are available at the centre. For more information contact Big Lake Country Tourism at (780)780-849-2377.
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