Tuesday 31 July 2012

To Banff – the Icefield Parkway


The Icefield Parkway is known as one of the most beautiful drives in the world, following the Rockies between the iconic parks of Banff and Jasper and this was the route we drove on the 16 July 2012. I had been looking forward to this drive almost as much as I was looking forward to saying a farewell to the mosquitoes of Jasper. 

Part of the Promenade
The Icefield Parkway has several other names. The bureaucrat knows it as Highway 93. This name has never really caught on it touristic circles. Given that this is Canada one should mention the French name – “Promenade des Glaciers » - a name that I actually prefer.

So we left travelling south  along the Promenade des Glaciers. The weather was a little cloudy but the views still clearly on the amazing side of the spectrum.
The shrinking Athabasca Glacier

We visited Athabasca Falls. We visited Athabasca Glacier.

Remember we rafted down part of the Athabasca River.

There is not a lot of business along this little road and one place where we stopped we reneged on lunching by virtue of the extreme prices - $6 for a three buck packet of crisps was all we could afford to try to keep hunger at bay.




Clarks Nutcracker


Some guy by the Promenade des Glaciers


Tom with Jasper souvenir

Water under the influence of gravity

Like - a lake
Eventually we arrived at the Ramada at Canmore where we bathed. Ate and slept – in that order. Motels are particularly nice after several days camping........

Jasper


Today we left for the famous Jasper National Park where we had three nights booked at the Wapiti Campground.

The drive had us go via the town of Hinton . It had a very nice board walk around a Beaver dam and lodge. 
Me and my mate Matt

Dragonfly spp - Leucorrhinia spp?

Beaver Lodge at Hinton

Soon after crossing the border into Jasper proper we saw our first African style safari traffic jam which we were to take a brief part. Two large antlered Elk were the cause and they were quite the sight! Many idiots decided that it was worth the photo to walk closely to the elk, some with children in arms presumably to use as a shield should the large animal and said antlers approached. Perhaps the risk was small however it can only be a negative thing to acclimatize these animals with close- approaching-on-foot-humans as the park’s border wasn’t too far away. The scenery of the mountains and lakes were worthy of a mention as they will be again and again and again.


Jasper scenery as we entered

Elk buck



Smaller Stag




Arriving at Wapiti camp ground three things were immediately apparent. First the heat – 31 degrees Celsius – unexpected  among the mountains of the Rockies. Second – the mosquitoes – they descended upon us and all like a cloud and forced them selves into the tent through the smallest gaps left in the poorly functioning zip on our tent. And third the mosquitoes, who attacked relentlessly every uncovered square centimeter of skin and had the audacity to pierce their proboscis through thin clothing as well. People we met gave up discussing the weather in favour of comparing bites and welts and describing in new numbers the insect pests. I spoke to one guy who had been coming to Jasper for over twenty years he concluded that they were the worst that he had ever seen. Travelling around the town you could identify campers through the raised red spots on the narrow gaps on their necks between the cover of hair and  the collars of their clothes.
On our first full day at Jasper we arose reasonably early and drove to Maligne Lake and took a short walk around part of the lake’s edge and adjacent forest. It was beautiful and the mosquitoes kept us company here too. 
Maligne Lake


Maligne Lake
Maligne Lake walk

Elk again

Road to Maligne Lake


We visited Maligne Canyon and enjoyed the short walk there before visiting Annette Lake where we went – wait for it – swimming. WE learned that only the most dedicated mosquito launches an underwater attack and much of the swarms don’t follow you too far from the bank.
Maligne Canyon

We went for a stroll around the Jasper township itself and particularly enjoyed the ‘Our Native Land’ store which had a good collection of prints, sculptures, clothing etc. We should have spent a little more money on some small prints etc but carrying them and / or transporting them is difficult.

I took the boys to the latest Spiderman film and quite enjoyed the new adventure. Megan and Millie had girl time and, in Millie’s words, ‘hit the shops’. 

They returned to the Native Land store and scored a guided interpretation of sculptures etc.

Finally a dusk drive close to Wapiti scored great views of a black Bear mother and her two cubs. She was a brown Black – a Cinnamon – but both her cubs were black in colour. Sadly it was too dark for convincing pics.

On Sunday the 15th we decided to take a picnic breakfast and go directly to the tramway to get up above the treeline on Mt Whistler. 

Young Grizzly

Same grizzled Grizzly Bear
Before getting there we saw a Grizzly. It was feeding between the town and our campsite adjacent to a bike path. We  got some great views and some poor photos.
View from Tramway

Flowers - Mountain Avens [Dryas octopatella]?

High Elevation Flora - Moss Campion [Silene acautis]

Common Harebell?

Tom and Matt at the Mount

Summit surrounds


Golden mantled Ground Squirrel


Another shot of said sqirrel
Despite getting to the tramway early we could only get up after a wait of an hour or so. The ride was definitely worth it. It was cold at the top and breezy and the clothes I chose were only just suitable and the cloud came over and through – frequently compromising the views. Mammals were good and we got great views of Pica and my first Golden mantled Ground Squirrel. Could not find any Hoary Marmot though despite that is where the Whistler Mountain got its name – from their frequent high pitched call. Perhaps best of all, Matthew and I braved the cold walk to the near-summit where I got quite reasonable views of Ptarmigan -  another lifer!! Also worth mentioning were the displays of high altitude flowers that flourished despite the careless attitude of some tourists who fail to be able to read symbols warning them to stick to the path and to avoid trampling the sensitive flora. I actually asked one woman to return to the path as she seemed to be deliberately trampling plants. She replied in a French accent that hse didn’t like paths – that they scared her. Its nice that ignorant people are still trying to develop a sense of humour. I thought it was sad that she was raised without siblings.

We drove to Pyramid Lake before enjoying a rating family float down the icy Athabasca River. It was not exciting however there were a few opportunities to get wet and our guide took them on our behalf.

Maligne Lake
Upon our return to our camp we dined in the tent away from the mozziess.      

Monday 30 July 2012

The Peace



The Peace River
I had wanted to head up into north eastern BC soon after the American authorities had closed the door on a summer excursion into the US by virtue of their visa regulations.

The Peace River region in north east BC held some birding Holy Grail – at least for BC and visiting birders;  A considerable number of eastern species extended their breeding range eastward  across almost the entire top of North America until the Rockies trapped them and their forests on the eastern side. 

Gary though had warned me that the season would be all but finished by the time of my arrival as the northern birds start singing and breeding early and then shutup! Mark Phinney, a very helpful local biologist and birder, upon meeting me said calmly, “You should have been here three weeks ago as now the birds will be difficult to find.”
Peace River - eroding down through the surrounding plateau

Their advice and observations  soon were shown to be pretty much spot on. To add to the problems the temperature was some 6 or 7 degrees higher than average and the heat seemed to stop the birds and my activity.

The family, perhaps not surprisingly also put quite major stops on my exploring and birding by myself when it was hot, tiring and difficult soon lost some of its appeal. And the Sloughs were obscenely infested with mozzies. And I didn’t use tapes, cds or ipods!!

So as a bad trade man blames his tools and as a poor sportsman gets his excuses out early so the above paragraphs  mentions many of my excuses for failing to see a lot of new birds.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

So in the several days that we were located in or near the Peace country – Fort St John and Dawson Creek – I saw new birds such as Sora, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Rose-breasted Grosbeak alas only females seen well], Eastern Phoebe, Ovenbird, Black and White Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Canada Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, White-bellied Nuthatch, Blue-headed Vireo, Swamp Sparrow and perhaps some others that memory failure is concealing. Dipped on Nelsons Sparrow [ mozzies too fierce and the birds completely quiet and or invisible], Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo, Cape May Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Pine Warbler etc

Also I experienced something that I will describe as a major bloody tragedy. After a morning’s birding I stopped at a service station on the way back and went in to get a coke and use the atm. I thought I had locked the vehicle – apparently not. My binoculars have not been seen since. I can only hope that  the person who stole them has an incredibly tragic life and experiences much and many hardships due to the curse that I have placed on him. Apparently the insurance will not be covering the loss as the vehicle was not locked but we shall see.
Curved Bridge

I wrote a letter to the local newspaper and have had it published on their website – it reads;
“I will never forget my recent visit to Dawson Creek.
Sadly though it is for all of the wrong reasons.
I'm a birder from Australia and recently I began a trip-of-a-lifetime to B.C. and Alberta to experience your fauna and fantastic parks. Less than a week into this vacation my binoculars [valued at over $2,000] were stolen from my car when I went into a fuel station.
My trip has been practically ruined, as I cannot afford to replace them nor will insurance cover the entire value.
Thanks for the memories Dawson Creek!!”

A wealthy oil baron who is deeply concerned about the reputation damage to the Dawson Creek brand is yet to approach me to make appropriate compensations…………

If you have not yet worked it out I am [still] pissed off about this and was [quietly and not-so-quietly] angry and depressed to the cost of my family around me.

The one slight positive is that I could use Megan’s binoculars which are a hell of a lot better than nothing.
I would love to return to the Peace to do some birding in the season and to see some of the species that I missed and some of the others better. Hopefully it may happen one day.

Day 4 –
Drove from Fort St John via Hudson’s Hope where we picnicked in the town and explored the little museum there and its pioneer homes. Also enjoyed some good views of the Peace River and its valley. Visited a few parks enroute and got some of the first specialties. Our first choice of camping at Fort St John was Beatton however it was full. Typical. WE camped instead at Charlie Lake. Here in the plantation Chickadees, Yellow Warblers and Least Flycatchers dominated. The kids were extremely excited about their first night under canvas and it took too much time to settle them such that sleep was possible.
Cowbird being fed by White throated Sparrow
Day 5
 
Up quite early and dragged the family to Beatton Provincial Park where Megan entertained the kids and took them swimming in the cloudy algae laden waters of Charlie Lake. Saw the first of a few lifers here; bh vireo, Tennessee warbler and ovenbird in a heady 25 seconds. Also saw many sparrows; Clay coloured, Lincolns, White throated one with cowbird young in attendance], Savannahs etc.
The heat drove us to a cleaner swim at the Aquatic centre – the beginning of a theme for our trip. After we went for a too-long-drive to Boundary Lake which sits firmly on the border between BC and Alberta. It’s a nice little area although [again] the time to visit was poor. The sun was high and the heat was legitimite and with Megan and the kids refusing to leave the car pressure of time was real. Black terns were the first obvious species and then my Sora lifer appeared. A few waders and waterfowl , blackbirds and a Grackle completed the glary picture. This is another location for Nelson’s Sparrow.    Another location to revisit!! Drove west back to Fort St John in a vehicle that was stoney and silent.

Day 6 – Saturday July 7
Up at 4-30 am to return to Beatton’s. Re-saw the lifers from the day before. Great views of many Ovenbird. Bay breasted Warbler – a well coloured male - was the clear highlight among the many yellow, yellow-rumped [Myrtle] and American Redstarts. Saw Rose breasted Grosbeaks however the view of the male could only be described as fleeting. All in all a reasonable morning’s tramp through the sodden forest understory before returning to the fam.
By 10 am we departed south for Dawson Creek speeding past too many promising sites. Sped past a dead moose – the first of two we would encounter.
Pow Wowing
Listen to the drumming....
We arrived in Dawson Creek for a burger [today – Dairyqueen!]. And as we looked for public toilets we saw advertised at the local hall a POW WOW. We went in and watched for an hour or so. First Nation people from ‘all-over’ had descended to Dawson Creek for a dance competition. We arrived in time for the grand entrance. An opening chant and drumming from Mountain Cree was amazing and the variety of costume, colour and ages of the performing people was astonishing. Superficially at least the generation gap in the sport of POW WOW is non existent .  The lack of light and the speed of the performers explains, in part, my poor pics. Anyway we felt lucky to be able to see, albeit briefly, some indigenous people displaying aspects of their culture.
The Grand Entrance to the Pow Wow
In the afternoon we visited Swan Lake Provincial Park which was packed as it was Saturday. There was a small swimming area that was green with algae. Undeterred, as were many other people, the kids went in. They only suffered minor rashes!
Boardwalk at McQeen's Slough
Finally a quick visit too McQueens Slough  [pronounce slew], a wetland, where there were a variety of waterfowl  etc. Saw Soras easily, actually squeaked, an aggressive individual out. Again the family’s wishes precluded too lengthy a visit.
McQueen's Slough
The kids have colds, and are miserable in the hot weather. Their conversation, infuriating enough, seems to concentrate on planning parties; birthdays and especially the ‘welcome home to Australia’ variety’. Perhaps not the best advertisement for where we are and what we are doing. Pets, Pokemon and Star Wars seem also to capture my kids’ imaginings rather than the Peace…………      









Day 7 – Sunday
Sunday the day of rest and even for me the religiously lacking. Slept in until 8am!
Mark Phinney, a local birder, biologist and a nice guy into the bargain, arrived at about 9am to show me some biridng sites and a few new birds -   Black and White Warbler, Eastern Phoebe, Swamp Sparrow to name a few. SAw a Black Bear briefly and Mark claimed that they were not worth worrying about...
Got back to camp about 1am and took Megs and the kids into Dawson Creek for subway, a visit to the Art Gallery complete with an interesting photographic display of images form the days of constructing the Alaskan highway [which Dawson Creek is famously 'Mile Zero'].

We then visited Rotary Lake - an outside man made lake which is a large swimming, wading complex. All enjoyed the cool off.

Did some birding at one of the sites near Swan Lake recommended by Mark. Walked for quite a while and saw mostly common species including possibly an armchair bird - the eastern sub spp of Warbling Vireo, a quite easy bird to distinguish. Saw Mourning Warbler near the car as i returned. The Canada warbler and the Black and White remained invisible.............. 

Visited the Heritage Railway bridge near Pouce Coupe, where we had camped. And won a soccer ball in an all too dramatic soccer game with a trash-talking-truck-driving Canadian who spent much of his down time drinking and much of the game on the verge of a heart attack. He was extremely theatrical and shared his enthusiasm for the sport and, sadly his perspiration. Canada versus Australia. The game decided by a penalty shoot out. Thank the makers we triumphed. [I had been on a little local excursion and came home with the game in full swing. Millie yelled out, "You've got to own him Dad!". Clearly she overestimated my soccer abilities.]
Heritage Railway Bridge at Pouce Coupe

Day 8 - Monday
Up at 4-30 for a morning's birding. Tried McQueens Slough first - eaten alive and no squeak from the Nelsons Sparrows. Tried the wind farm but managed to get a little lost so lost too much time as the heat quickly returned.
Wetland near Pouce Coupe
Pissed off I returned home and visited the servo. Locked the car but didn't - the key lock button sometimes sticks - and the bins were lifted.
Got back to the camp site and heard warnings of a 'possible severe thunderstorm that evening so we decied to move to a motel for the night to be on the safe side. Upon arriving at the hotel the bins were discovered missing. 
Spent the day before missing the bins at the Rotary Lake where the kids started using Water Pistols purchased from Walmart. Also visited the adjacent Heritage village which was really quite good.

Day 9 - Monday
Explored every option regarding bins until realised the truth of theft. Retraced every step from the day before and searched everything in our belongings several times over.

Moved south to Swan :Lake Provincial Park as camping spaces were now available after the weekend. Swimming was off as the algae had worsened.
Had a walk near the lake and was rewarded with great views of two beavers who hung around long enough to drag the fam down for views as well.

Day 10
Swimming complex at Grande Cache
Grande Cache Swimming Complex
Still very much pissed off i decided to leave the ironically named Peace enroute to Grand Prairie. Visited a giant Beaver enroute as you do. At Grande Prairie visited a huge swimming complex. Complex is the right word as they have water slides, wave pools, river rapids etc as well as a pool for laps. The kids loved it and the Dinosaur surrounds. Arrived at the little foothill town of Grande Cache where we set up camp for two days.
Now that's a big beaver........

Amateur rodent impersonators


Sulphur River near Grande Cache


By virtue of camping in the local municipal campground for two nights we were rewarded with a family pass to the swimming complex, which again, for the size of the town, was huge.  
 
Grande Cache
At Grande Cache we walked the Sulphur Rim Canyon and saw the confluence of two rivers – namely the Smoky and the Sulphur. The kids swam at Grande Cache Lake while I wallowed in self pity. WE had the family swim at the pool complex and enjoyed the camp site. My first decent view of Snowshoe Hare and lots of great views of Red Squirrel around our camp site.