Email: birdtours {at} sasktel.net
Phone: 306 then 652 then 5975 (landline)

Hope you enjoy our Great Saskatchewan Bird Photography Gallery.

 

All of the following images were taken by clients who have participated in our Dancing Grouse Photography Tours during the past few years. These photos were taken from our professional bird photography blind at our site near Saskatoon, Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above 2 images were taken by Mark Langner on February 9, 2024 during a private Snowy Owl Photography Tour with Saskatoon Custom Bird Tours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above image by Harish Rengarajan was taken during our first Snowy Owl Photography Workshop in December 2023 led by Boyd Coburn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above images were taken by Mark Langner during a private Forest Winter Birding Tour in February 2024.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above image by Harish Rengarajan was taken during our first Owl Photography Workshop in December 2023 led by Boyd Coburn.

 

All of the following Great Gray Owl images were taken by clients who joined our Forest Winter Owl Photography Tours in previous years.

The following images were obtained by participants in our Meadow Lake Park Bird Photography Tours.

 

 

 

 

 

Select Your Saskatchewan, Canada Bird Photography Tour

Which Birds do you wish to Photograph?

• Snowy Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• Northern Hawk Owl
• Sandhill Cranes
• Sharp-tailed Grouse
  dancing
• ducks, grebes & marsh birds
• shorebirds

ALL BIRDING TOURS
BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS
HALF-DAY PRIVATE BIRDING TOURS
FULL-DAY PRIVATE BIRDING TOURS
MULTI-DAY GROUP BIRDING TOURS
LOW MOBILITY BIRDING TOURS
BLIND / LOW VISION BIRDING TOURS
BIRDING BY EAR ONLINE WORKSHOPS
WARBLER ID ONLINE WORKSHOPS

 

 

 

Where are Best Places to Photograph Birds near Saskatoon, Canada?

Canada Bird Photography Tours

We offer private bird photography tours out of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Saskatoon is situated where two major North American bird flyways meet making it ideal for bird photography tours. During the breeding season in June and July about 150 bird species occur within grassland, wetland and woodland habitats. This list is augmented during the migration months of May, August and September when boreal and arctic nesting warblers, flycatchers, vireos and shorebirds are plentiful.

NEW. One person in your group  may choose to use our special professional bird photography blind (tent). This TRAGOPAN Hokki V3 blind is ideal for obtaining images of shorebirds, water birds or dancing grouse at birds eye level for a unique perspective. The low profile of our blind means the birds ignore you and there is minimal shadow cast by the blind. Click Here to view a review video about this bird photography blind.

Our bird photography tours are excellent Mother’s Day gifts; Father’s Day gifts; birthday gifts, graduation gifts, anniversary gifts and special gifts for photographers, birders, birdwatchers or anyone interested in birds and nature.

Tour Guide

Tour Guide: Stan Shadick. Click for more information about your bird photography tour guide.

Monthly Newsletter

Learn about special offers and new tours.
CLICK HERE to sign up for the monthly electronic Newsletter from Saskatoon Custom Bird Tours.

Bird Photography Tour Options

Here is a list of bird photography group tours.
Private tours may also be arranged.

• Northern Hawk Owl Photography Tour (January – March)
  Feb. 24 – 25, 2024
• Snowy Owl Bird Photography Tours (December – March)
  Private Tours: December – early March
  February 21 & 27, 2024: Full Day Snowy Owl Group Tour
  February 19, 26 & 28, 2024: Half Day Snowy Owl Group Tour
• Snowy Owl Photography Workshops
  TBA
• Great Gray Owl & Northern Hawk Owl Photography Workshops
  February 20 – 22, 2024
• Great Gray Owl & Northern Hawk Owl Photography Tours
  Feb 23 & 24 – 25, 2024
• Ptarmigan Photography Ptour
  TBA
• Dancing Grouse Bird Photography Tour
  April – early May
• Blackstrap Lake Bird Photography Tour
  May – September
• Custom Bird Photography Tour
  May – early September
• Goose Lake Bird Photography Tours
  April – early September
• Pelican Photography Tour (August – September)

Testimonials about our Bird Photography Tours

CLICK to listen to Calgary Naturalist Brian Keating on CBC Calgary Radio giving an on-air review of a tour he booked with us.

Global TV News Report: Click Here.

“I drove to Saskatoon and met Stan Shadick who arranged for me to observe lekking Sharp-tailed Grouse. Stan set up a blind for me, enabling me to take photos in the early morning hours (04:10 to 08:00, Wednesday, May 5). It was a birding thrill for the year. ” (L. C.)

“This morning is fantastic and I am looking forward to another fruitful morning tomorrow. ” (J.D.)

That was such a great trip!  Thanks so much for the use of the blind and sharing your general knowledge and expertise. (J. Lee

Atul, Margaret and I wanted to thank you for a wonderful 2 day tour. We saw many many sandhill cranes in the field. Both photographers were very happy; you had so many great suggestions about where to see birds. (C.R.)

Gift Certificates Available Now for Bird Photography Tours

These half-day bird photography tours makes an excellent birthday gift, anniversary gift, graduation gift or special gift for a birder, birdwatcher or anyone interested in nature.

Click here for information about gift certificates for any of our 2024 birding and bird photography tours.

Multiple Tours Discount

Can’t decide which half-day tour to take?

Check out our multiple tours discount described here.

Questions?

EMAIL birdtours@sasktel.net to book a birdwatching half-day tour, to order a gift certificate or with any questions.
Please include your name and a contact phone number and other pertinent information.

How to get to Saskatoon, Canada

Air: Saskatoon International Airport (YXE) is served by Flair, Air Canada, Westjet and their U.S. partners United and Delta.

Air Canada Star Alliance partners also include Aegean, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels, Copa, Croatia, EgyptAir, Ethiopian, EVA, Lot, Lufthansa, SAS, Shenzhen, Singapore, South African, Swiss, TAP, Thai, Turkish, United.

Westjet international partners include AeroMexico, Air France, Air Transat, Azores, Cathay Pacific, China, China Eastern, China Southern, Delta, Emirates, Hainan, Hong Kong, Japan, KLM, Korean, LATAM, Philippine, Quantas, Virgin Atlantic, Xiamen.

Train: Saskatoon’s  Train Station is served by Via Rail’s Canadian train serving Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper and Vancouver.

Bus: Saskatoon – Edmonton and Saskatoon – Regina bus service

Car: Saskatoon is located on Canada’s Yellowhead cross-country highway plus 6 other major highways connecting with all cities in Canada and USA. If you drive, you do not need to rent a car for our tours.

Entering Canada

CLICK HERE for government regulations for entering Canada.
My recent fully vaccinated international clients tell me there are no significant delays at the border provided they have fully completed the ArriveCan app in advance.

Covid Safety Policy on Tours

1. Your tour leader is fully vaccinated.
2. Clients must normally drive themselves in their own personal or rented vehicle. The leader will often drive in a separate vehicle. We will use cell phones to communicate between each other during the tour.
3. This policy may change when public health orders change or when Covid case numbers decrease.
4. Please contact us before booking tour if you have any special requests with regard to this policy. In certain cases, if requested, leader may be willing to ride in client’s vehicle or drive client’s vehicle.

Complete List of Birding Tours

A complete list of all our tours is found here.
All proceeds support the work of Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation.

TOUR SUGGESTIONS REQUEST FORM

Send us your possible tour dates and we will get back to you with the best tour suggestions for that time period.

If you do not hear back from us within 24 hours, then please email: birdtours@sasktel.net or phone 306-652-5975.

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Snowy Owl Tour

See the white ghosts of winter!

Join our experienced local birding guide for a drive through a rural farming district reputed by owl experts to have the highest concentration of wintering Snowy Owls in the world!

We may also choose to visit the best hangout for wintering ducks and geese and Bald Eagles in the province.

Other possible birds to be seen during our birdwatching tour include Golden Eagle, Gyrfalcon, Prairie Falcon, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Gray Partridge, Snow Bunting, Common Redpoll, Common Raven, Bohemian Waxwing, Black-billed Magpie.

Half-Day Private Tours
Total Driving Distance: 150 km
Fees: $390 for a party of 1 – 4 persons.
Group Tour Fee: $290 for a party of 1 – 4 persons.

Full-Day Private Tours
Total Driving Distance: 400 km
Fees: $690 for a party of 1 – 4 persons

 

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December, January, February and March.

Half-Day Tours

Full-Day Tours

See our Snowy Owl Tour page for booking and tour details.

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Forest Winter Owl Photography Tour: Great Gray Owl Quest

See the Great Gray Owl – Phantom of the Northern Forest!

Join our experienced local birding guide for a drive along roads through and near the boreal forest in search of Northern Hawk Owls and Great Gray Owls.

Some other possible birds to be seen during this winter bird photography tour include Ruffed Grouse, Spruce Grouse, Snow Bunting, Common Redpoll, Common Raven, Bohemian Waxwing, Black-billed Magpie, Pine Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, Boreal Chickadee.

Half-Day Private Tours
Total Driving Distance: 150 km
Fees: $390 for a party of 1 – 4 persons.
Group Tour Fee: $290 for a party of 1 – 4 persons.

Full-Day Private Tours
Total Driving Distance: 400 km
Fees: $690 for a party of 1 – 4 persons

 

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December, January, February and March.

Half-Day Tours

Full-Day Tours

See our Forest Owl Photography Tour page for booking and tour details.

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Dancing Grouse Photography Tours

Join our experienced local birding guide for a  3 or 4-hour early morning or late evening self-driving birdwatching tour to view the spectacle of dancing Sharp-tailed Grouse near Saskatoon. Listen to the excitement of the sounds and dance moves of Saskatchewan’s original dancers. Many of the traditional indigenous dances were inspired by this display. The birds are more active near sunrise than near sunset.

During the early morning photography half-day tour, you will drive onto a private pasture for a close-up view of the birds dancing near sunrise. You may view and photograph the performance from your high-clearance vehicle. One member of your group has the option of using our professional photography blind on site to obtain images of the dancing birds from a birds-eye level near the ground.
Total Driving Distance: 15 km from north end of Saskatoon.
Private Sunrise Bird Photography Tour Fee: $390 for your party of 1 – 4 persons in a single vehicle.

The evening driving tour will visit a location on a public road near sunset where you may view the birds as they arrive at their lek roughly 200 meters from the road. Binoculars recommended.
Total Driving Distance: 120 km from Saskatoon.
Private Sunset Bird Viewing Tour Fee: $290 for your party of 1 – 4 persons in a single vehicle.

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April and May

Half-Day Tours

See our Dancing Grouse Tour page for booking and tour details.

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Prairie Lakes Birding Half-Day Tour

Ducks galore! Watch the mating antics of male ducks in spring or cute families of ducklings later in summer. Join our experienced local birding guide for a 4 hour self-driving birdwatching tour to visit some of the best bird-rich lakes in the Saskatoon region. Visit deep lakes for diving ducks and pelicans. Also visit shallow ponds for viewing dabbling ducks and grebes. Listen to the varied musical offerings of wetland sparrows, rails and other marsh songbirds. Your may photograph the birds from the roadside.

Driving Distance: 200 km
Fees: $290 for your party of 1 – 4 persons in a single vehicle.

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Mid-April to October

Half-Day Tours

See our Prairie Lakes Tour page for booking and tour details.

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Custom Bird Photography Half-Day Tours

Use our special 1-person professional Tragopan Hokki Version 3 photographic blind to obtain close up images and videos of birds at a wetland near Saskatoon.

3-hour custom tour from Saskatoon.

Driving Distance: 100 km
Fee: $190

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May to September

Half-Day Tours

See our Custom Bird Photography Tour page for booking and tour details.