Buffalo Pound Park 2024 – Great Birding Day Tour from Moose Jaw, Regina, Swift Current or Saskatoon

Buffalo Pound Park Birdwatching Tour

Buffalo Park Birding Tour

Escorted Self-Drive Birding Tour with 2 Options

Private Tours

Private Buffalo Pound Park Birding Day Tours: mid-May – August
10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
From $590 per vehicle with 1 – 4 persons

Public Group Tours

Buffalo Pound Park Group Tours:

$490 per vehicle with 1 – 4 persons

  • Saturday,  August 17, 2024 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Note: no tour on August 11.

Ideal Day Tour for Residents or Visitors to:

  • MOOSE JAW (25 m to Buffalo Pound)
  • REGINA (1 h  to Buffalo Pound)
  • SWIFT CURRENT (2 h to Buffalo Pound)
  • SASKATOON (2h 15m to Buffalo Pound)

Buffalo Pound Park Entry Gate starting point:  10:30 AM

Buffalo Pound Park Entrance Gate, Moose Jaw No. 161, SK S6H 6V2, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Where is a Great Place to find Western Grebes in Saskatchewan?

Situated in the beautiful Qu’Appelle River valley north of Moose Jaw, Buffalo Pound Lake is one of Saskatchewan’s birding hotspots for water birds and songbirds. From May through September, the lake and marshes are home to Western, Red-necked, Eared and Pied-billed Grebes plus many ducks, pelicans, cormorants, gulls (Ring-billed and Franklin’s) and Terns (Forster’s and Black).

During our walk along the marsh boardwalk, we should find Marsh Wrens, Sedge Wrens, Yellowthroats plus Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. The deciduous woodlands in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park provides habitat for many nesting and migratory songbirds including both Eastern and Western Kingbirds.

Tour Description – Buffalo Pound Park Birding Tour

We will make our first stop at the park’s Buffalo Paddock. From here we will walk the boardwalk looking and listening for herons, bitterns, rails, wrens, sparrows and yellowthroats. We will then take a leisurely hike along the south side of Nicolle Flats Marsh to the point where we reach the wooded Moose Jaw River flows into the Qu’Appelle River.  We will have our lunch here near an old stone homestead in which a pair of Rock Wrens is sometimes found.

After returning to our vehicles, we will explore other lake viewpoints and wooded picnic and campgrounds. and coulees within Buffalo Pound Provincial Park. The is a great area for Brown Thrashers, Gray Catbirds and several vireos. Many kinds of warblers may be seen during migration in May and late August.

During the final portion of the tour, we will make stops in grassland areas to look for prairie songbirds. We will then drive to stop on the causeway over Buffalo Pound Lake where other lake birds may be seen. Finally, we will make stops along a road that traverses the grassy slope of the north riverbank to look for Mountain Bluebirds and other songbirds.

  • Budget 1-day group tours offered on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 and Monday, July 8, 2024  Please book as early as possible.  Group Tour is limited to 5 vehicles plus leader.
  • Novice and experienced bird watchers are welcome to join this tour.
    If available, you may borrow a pair of binoculars during this tour.
  • A spotting scope will be available for viewing the birds from the roadside at high magnification.
  • Ideal birthday, anniversary, retirement, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or graduation gift for the birder in your family.

Suggested items to Bring:

  • Clothes suitable for the weather (rain jacket, sun hat, etc.)
  • Water bottle
  • Binoculars and camera (optional)

PUBLIC WASHROOMS: Located at several locations within Buffalo Pound Provincial Park.

Marsh Wren

Transportation

Participants on these tours need to drive their own personal or rented vehicle. RVs and vehicles pulling trailers are permitted on private tours but are not recommended. Owners of full electric vehicles should have sufficient range for this tour if they charge up at Moose Jaw.

Carpooling

If you would like to share the costs of a tour with other interested birders, then complete the Carpooling Section of the Registration Request Form below or email the tour name, your name, phone number and email address to birdtours@sasktel.net

Tour Fee – Buffalo Pound Tour

Private Day Tour Fee: CA$690 (about US$500, £410) for a party of 1 – 4 persons Taxes included.
Fee includes guiding services only for the tour.  Note fee is total fee for your party (not a per person fee). Client supplies their own transportation in personal or rented vehicle. Meals, transportation, park entrance fee and accommodation are NOT included.
SAVE $100 if you can provide transportation for leader from Saskatoon and back.

 Public Group Tour Fee: CA$490 (about US$350, £290) per vehicle for a party of 1 – 4 persons Taxes included.
Fee includes guiding services only for the tour.  Note fee is total fee for your party (not a per person fee). Client supplies their own transportation in personal or rented vehicle. Meals, transportation, park entrance fee and accommodation are NOT included

TAX RECEIPT: A tax receipt for 50% of the tour fee will be issued to the person paying for the tour.

Tax Receipts

CANCELLATION POLICY: Refunds less a $50 administration fee will be given if cancellation notice received 30 days before date of tour.
No refunds if cancellation notice received less than 60 days before date of tour unless another client takes your place.

All proceeds support the work of Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation charity. https://livingskywildliferehabilitation.org/

Tour Reservations

RESERVATIONS: Please complete and submit the form below or email your full name(s), mailing address, email address and requested tour dates. Full payment due at time of booking. Payment instruction will be emailed to you after registration form is received. You may also phone Stan Shadick at 306-652-5975.

E-mail: birdtours@sasktel.net
Phone: 306-652-5975

Use landline if you don’t have a cell phone.
Mailing address needed for tax receipt.
Select all that applies.
Smoking is allowed only inside your own personal vehicle. No smoking is permitted outside during birding stops or hikes.

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

Monthly Newsletter

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CLICK HERE to sign up for the monthly electronic Newsletter from Saskatoon Custom Bird Tours.

Buffalo Pound Park Scenic View

 

 

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 usually 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.

Can I bring my pet dog on this tour?

Dogs are permitted on private tours provided they are kept on a leash and not let outside of your vehicle at birding stops. Dogs are not permitted on group tours.

Gift Certificates

This Chaplin Shorebirds Tour makes an excellent birthday gift, anniversary gift, graduation gift, retirement gift, Father’s Day Gift or special gift for a birder, birdwatcher or anyone interested in nature.

GIFT CERTIFICATES: Click here for information about purchasing a gift certificate for this tour or any of our other tours.

Bird Tours Gift Certificate
CLICK PICTURE for details.

Other Tours

Chaplin Shorebirds Tour may be combined with:

Other Tours and Workshops: Click here to see a complete list of our upcoming tours and workshops.

Multiple Tours Discount

Can’t decide which tour to take?

Check out our multiple tours discount described here.

 

Cypress Hills Tour

SE Saskatchewan Birding Tour

TOP QUALITY BINOCULAR OFFER

Do you want a better pair of binoculars for birdwatching?

Great for viewing water birds or songbirds at tree top level.

CLICK HERE for information about the
Kite Optics 16X42 Image Stabilized Binoculars