Carrot River Birding Tour – Exciting quest for Whip-poor-wills, Chimney Swifts & Golden-winged Warblers 2024

Carrot River Birding Quest Tour

Carrot River Birding Tour

Quest Birds

This tour to the Pasquia Hills forest plus Carrot and Saskatchewan River valleys will focus on searching for many species of eastern forest warblers, vireos and other songbirds.

Some special birds endemic to this part of Saskatchewan that we hope to find include:

  • Eastern Whip-poor-will
  • Chimney Swift
  • Golden-winged Warbler

Eastern Whip-poor-will and Chimney have been known to exist in this region of Saskatchewan for many decades. Golden-winged Warblers were discovered near 3 different creeks in this region in 2023. Experienced Saskatchewan birders consider the Pasquia Hills to be the best part of Saskatchewan for eastern Warbler species.

Private Birding Tours

PRIVATE TOURS: Available June – July

Public Group Birding Tours

NEXT GROUP TOUR: June 29 – July 1, 2024

Escorted self-driving tour

Estimated Return Driving Distance from Saskatoon: 1200 km

IDEAL BIRDING TOUR FOR RESIDENTS OR VISITORS TO

  • SASKATOON
  • PRINCE ALBERT (1 h to Melfort)
  • REGINA (3 h to Melfort)
  • MOOSE JAW (3 h 30 m to Melfort)
  • YORKTON (2 h 40 m to Tisdale)
  • NORTH BATTLEFORD (1 h 25 m to Saskatoon)

SASKATOON starting point: 9:00 AM
WAKAW starting point: 10:15 AM
MELFORT starting point:  11:30 AM
TISDALE starting point: 1:00 PM

Where to see Birds in Carrot River district?

Carrot River Birding Tour Description

Join a private tour or a public group tour with a small group of birders on a special 3-day / 2-night Carrot River Birding Tour on a quest to find Eastern Whip-poor-wills.

We will visit the best birding hotspots in this forested part of NE Saskatchewan. One evening, we will search for Eastern Whip-Poor-Wills, Chimney Swifts and owls along the Saskatchewan River Valley downstream of E.B. Campbell dam The next day will drive along the north side of the Pasquia Hills in search of warblers, flycatchers and other songbirds and forest birds. Your leader will be Stan Shadick with Saskatoon Custom Bird Tours. All proceeds support Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation charity.

Both novice and experienced bird watchers are welcome. A loaner pair of binoculars may be available if requested. The leader will bring a spotting scope to allow you to view the birds under high magnification.

Some of the special unique birds in the Carrot River region include Eastern Whip-poor-will, Chimney Swift, Spruce Grouse,  Osprey, Bald Eagle, Canada Jay and many species of warblers.

See sidebar for a list of potential Carrot River bird species. A checklist of Saskatchewan birds may be downloaded HERE.

Transportation: All participants will travel in their own personal or rented vehicle. Masks will be worn at birding stops, if requested by leader.

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

Accommodation Options. Both camping and hotel accommodation options are available.
We tentatively plan to stay at Carrot River Inn. Because rooms are limited, please book as soon as possible.
There is a minimum number and maximum number of parties for the group tour.

Carrot River Birding Tour Itinerary

Weather conditions may result in changes to this planned itinerary.

Day 1

Tour departs Saskatoon at 9 am.
Participants may choose to join the tour at either Wakaw,  Melfort,  or Tisdale.

Some of our planned birding stops include the following sites.

  • Overnight at a motel in Carrot River. Campers may wish to stay in a campground.
  • Late afternoon and evening outing to search for whip-poor-wills, chimney swifts and owls and other birds along the Saskatchewan River below E.B. Campbell dam.

Day 2

  • We plan a day driving the wilderness road along the north side of the Pasquia Hills
  • Overnight at a motel in Carrot River. Campers may wish to stay in a campground.

Day 3

  • Early morning birding near Carrot River.
  • The tour ends at 11 am when we check out of motel.
  • You may drive home or continue with the leader onto a Duck Mountain Park Birding Tour.

Carrot River Birding Tour Fee

June 29 – July 1, 2024 Carrot River 3-day Group Birding Tour Fee: CAD $1590 (about US $1170, £925) for a party of 1 – 4 persons travelling in a single vehicle.
Fee includes guiding services. Meals and accommodation and transportation are NOT included.
Trip begins in Saskatoon at 9 am on June 29 and ends in Carrot River about 11 am on July 1. Your vehicle will be part of a small convoy of vehicles on this tour.
SAVE $300 if you have room to transport leader in your vehicle during tour from Saskatoon and back.

Please book your tour as soon as possible. Accommodation options are very limited in the remote areas visited on this tour. A minimum number of parties is required for the group tour to proceed.

Private Carrot River Birding 3-Day Tour Fee: CAD $2490 (about US $1840, £1450) for a party of 1 – 4 persons travelling in a single vehicle .
Fee includes guiding services. Meals and accommodation and transportation are NOT included.
Trip begins in Saskatoon at 9 am on the date of your choice and returns on 3rd day about 6 pm.
SAVE $300 if you have room to transport leader in your vehicle during tour from Saskatoon and back.

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

CANCELLATION POLICY: Refunds less a $50 administration fee will be given if cancellation notice received 60 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.

Registration Form: Carrot River Birding Tour

Complete the form below or email: birdtours@sasktel.net and provide names of clients, their addresses and requested type of tour and tour date.
Full payment due at time of booking.

The number of participants accepted on this group tour is limited. Payment instruction will be emailed to you after registration form is received.

Questions: please email birdtours@sasktel.net or phone 306-652-5975 during evenings.

If you don’t have a cell phone, enter your landline number.
Smoking is allowed only inside your own personal vehicle. No smoking is permitted during meals, anywhere in shared accommodations or outside during birding stops or hikes.
Information for booking your own accommodation will be sent to you.

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

TOUR GUIDE: Carrot River Birding Tour

Tour Guide: Stan Shadick. Click for more information about your 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.

Whip-poor-will painting
Whip-poor-will by Robert Havell 1830
after John James Audubon

“Loud and sudden and near the notes of a whippoorwill sounded
Like a flute in the woods; and anon, through the neighboring thickets,
Farther and farther away it floated and dropped into silence.”

Henry Longfellow, Evangeline

 

Carrot River Birding Tour
Blackburnian Warbler by Nick Saunders

Potential Birds of Interest during Carrot River Birding Tour

  • Eastern Whip-poor-will
  • Chimney Swift
  • Spruce Grouse
  • Common Loon
  • American White Pelican
  • Osprey
  • Bald Eagle
  • Barred Owl
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • American Three-toed Woodpecker
  • Black-backed Woodpecker
  • Pileated Woodpecker
  • Blue-headed Vireo
  • Canada Jay
  • Boreal Chickadee
  • Winter Wren
  • Swainson’s Thrush
  • Chestnut-sided Warbler
  • Magnolia Warbler
  • Cape May Warbler
  • Black-throated Green Warbler
  • Blackburnian Warbler
  • Bay-breasted Warbler
  • Ovenbird
  • Mourning Warbler
  • Wilson’s Warbler
  • Le Conte’s Sparrow
  • Evening Grosbeak

Can I bring my pet dog on this tour?

Dogs are permitted on private tours provided they are kept on a leash. Dogs are not permitted on group tours.

Gift Certificates

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

How to get to Saskatoon

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.

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 normally 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.

Other Tours

This Carrot River Group Birding Tour may be taken in conjunction with any of the following summer birding tours.

Last Mountain Lake Tour

Chaplin Shorebirds Tour

Multiple Tours Discount

Can’t decide which tour to take?

Check out our multiple tours discount described here.

TOP QUALITY BINOCULAR OFFER

Do you want a better pair of binoculars for birdwatching?

Great for viewing birds at tree top level.

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