Email: birdtours [at] sasktel.net
Phone: 306 [then] 652 [then] 5975

Observe and photograph the birds at Goose Lake

NEWS FLASH: Our August 26 tour found about 100 White-faced Ibis on this tour.

ALL BIRDING TOURS
BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS

Goose Lake Birding and Bird Photography Tours

Private Tours

Private Tours: Late April through early September

For a quote, email birdtours [at] sasktel.net with your proposed date.

Public Group Tours

Upcoming Group Tours

From $140 per vehicle with 1 – 3 persons

• Tue. September 10, 2024 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Where is a Great Place for Bird Photography in Saskatchewan, Canada?

Goose Lake Birding and Bird Photography Tours

Self-Drive Guided Driving Tour

Estimated Return Driving Distance: 150 km

Situated about 70 km from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada, Goose Lake is a bird oasis that attracts large numbers of water birds including many species of ducks, geese, grebes, shorebirds, herons.  Immense nesting colonies of Franklin’s Gulls and Eared Grebes nest here regularly. Prairie nesting shorebirds such as willets, American Avocets, Killdeer and Wilson’s Phalaropes are found throughout the spring and summer. Arctic-nesting plovers and sandpipers often appear in large numbers during May, July and August.

The surrounding pastures attract grassland birds including Western Meadowlarks, Sprague’s Pipit,  Baird’s Sparrow.  Sometimes,  lucky birders might find Long-billed Curlew or Black-necked Stilts or White-faced Ibis or egrets or a Peregrine Falcon.

Goose Lake Birding Tour Description

• Let our experienced birding guide show you the best bird-rich locations between Saskatoon, Canada and Goose Lake  During this 4-hour Goose Lake birding tour, we will visit a variety of locations where wetland and grassland bird species may be found..
• Goose lake is home to nesting ducks, grebes, herons and other water birds.
• Marshes at Goose Lake provide habitat for nesting Sora and Virginia Rails, Marsh and Sedge Wrens, Nelson’s Sparrows plus Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds.  Black-crowned Night Herons are often seen here.
• Grasslands near Goose lake attract Sprague’s Pipit, Savannah and Baird’s Sparrows plus Western Kingbirds, Western Meadowlarks and Upland Sandpipers. Uncommon Long-billed Curlews are sometimes found here.
• Some additional possible birds that might be found in summer include Ferruginous Hawk, Red-necked Grebe, Wilson’s Snipe,  Belted Kingfisher, Say’s Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird,  Baltimore Oriole, Spotted Towhee and Common Yellowthroat.
• 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.
• This Goose Lake Birding Tour is ideal for low-mobility clients because they may remain in their vehicle during this driving tour.
• BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY. Good opportunities for bird photography exist along the shore of Goose Lake. 

Goose Lake Bird Photography Tour Description

During our Goose Lake Bird Photography tour, we will drive directly to accessible sections of the shoreline where large numbers of ducks, geese, shorebirds and other water birds often congregate providing good opportunities for photographing birds.  Few people use these roads, so you should not need to worry about disturbance by other persons.

Participants on the 6-hour Goose Lake Bird Photography Tour may request to use our low profile Tragopan  Hokki V3 professional bird blind along suitable accessible locations of the lake shore. There is no extra cost for use of this blind during our 6-hour tours. CLICK HERE for a video review about this excellent blind.

Your guide will set up the blind for you at a suitable location of your choice. If time permits, you can try using the blind at a few other locations as well.

Alternatively, you can simply choose to take photographs from your vehicle parked next to wetland areas.

THINGS TO BRING:

• Camera equipment
• low profile tripod or bean bags for use in low blind
• Rubber boots
• Sheet, blanket and/or sleeping bag for use inside blind

Goose Lake Birding / Bird Photography Tour Times

HALF-DAY BIRDING TOURS

April – September Tours:
Morning Tours: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM;
Afternoon Tours 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM.
Evening Tours (June only): 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

6-HOUR BIRDING OR BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS

Morning Tours: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Afternoon-Evening Tours: 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Transportation

Participants on these tours need to drive their own personal or rented vehicle. RVs and vehicles pulling trailers are permitted on this private tour but are not recommended. This tour may be suitable for owners of full electric vehicles. Several Saskatoon hotels have EV charging stations.

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

Goose Lake Birding and Bird Photography Tour Fees

Private Half Day (4-hour) Birding Tour Fee:
CAD $290 (about US $215, £185) for a party of 1 – 4 persons. 
Fee includes guiding services only..
The person paying for the tour will receive a tax receipt for 50% of the tour fee.
Meals, transportation and accommodation are NOT included.
Trip begins at your Saskatoon hotel or at the west edge of Saskatoon or you can join tour at Delisle.
SAVE $50 if you can transport leader in your vehicle between Saskatoon and back.

Private 6-hour Birding or Bird Photography Tour Fee:
CAD $390 (about US $290, £250) for a party of 1 – 4 persons.
Fee includes guiding services only.
The person paying for the tour will receive a tax receipt for 50% of the tour fee.
Meals, transportation and accommodation are NOT included.
Trip begins at your Saskatoon hotel or at the west edge of Saskatoon or you can join tour at Delisle.
SAVE $50 if you can transport leader in your vehicle between Saskatoon and back.

Public Half Day (4-hour) Birding Group Tour Fee: CAD $190 (about US $140, £110) per vehicle with a party of 1 – 4 persons. 
Fee includes guiding services only. Your vehicle will be part of a small convoy of vehicles joining this group tour.
The person paying for the tour will receive a tax receipt for 50% of the tour fee.
Meals, transportation and accommodation are NOT included.
Trip begins at 1:30 PM in the parking lot for the Esso gas station, 4402 11th St W, Saskatoon near highway 7 at the west edge of Saskatoon. Tour returns to Saskatoon about 5:30 PM.
SAVE $50 if you can transport leader in your vehicle between 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 after that date.
No refunds if cancellation notice received less than 60 days before date of tour unless another client takes your place.

Goose Lake Birding Tour and Bird Photography Tour Reservations

RESERVATIONS: Fill in the following form or send us your full name(s), mailing address, email address and requested tour dates.

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

Full payment due at time of booking. Payment instruction will be emailed to you after registration form is received.

My Name *

First

Last

Names of additional persons travelling in my vehicle during tour

My Email *

Cell Phone *

Use landline if you don’t have a cell phone.

My Mailing Address *

Mailing address needed for tax receipt.

I (We) would like to register for the following tour *

• Private Goose Lake 4-hour Birding Tour
• Private Goose Lake 6-hour Birding Tour
• Private Goose Lake 6-hour Bird Photography Tour
• Tue. September 10, 2024 Public Goose Lake 4-hour Birding Group Tour

I prefer the following date for this private tour:

Alternative dates for this private tour could be:

For the private tour, I prefer

• Morning Tour
• Afternoon Tour
• Evening Tour (June only)

Leader Transportation

• I have room in my vehicle to transport leader from Saskatoon and back. (SAVE $50)

Carpooling during group tour.

• I (We) have space in our vehicle to transport 1 person willing to share costs.
• I (We) have space in our vehicle to transport 2 persons willing to share costs.
• I (We) can drive but prefer to ride in another person’s vehicle and will share costs.
• I (We) cannot drive and need to ride in another person’s vehicle and will share costs.
• I (We) do NOT wish to carpool.

BINOCULARS

• I would like to borrow a pair of binoculars during tour.

WHEELCHAIR

• I will use a wheelchair during this tour.

I would like to use the Hokki V3 professional bird blind during the Private 6-hour Goose Lake Bird Photography Tour at no extra charge.

• YES
• NO

Smoking Restrictions *

• At least 1 member of my party is a smoker.
• All members of my party are non-smokers.

Smoking is allowed only inside your own personal vehicle. No smoking is permitted outside during birding stops or hikes.

Comment or Message

Submit

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

GOOSE LAKE BIRDING TOUR GUIDE

TOUR GUIDE: Your guide has many years of experience finding and observing birds throughout Saskatchewan. For over 30 years, Stan Shadick has been a birding guide for nature tours around Saskatchewan and other parts of the country that have been organized by Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation, Nature Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan Extension Division.

Stan is past president of Nature Saskatchewan as well as past president and current field trip chairman for the Saskatoon Nature Society. He is a co-editor of the reference publication “Birds of the Saskatoon Area” and contributed significantly to the recently published “Birds of Saskatchewan”. He is currently a regional coordinator for the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas project and helps with their bird identification workshops.

Stan regularly contributes sightings to e-bird and currently holds the e-bird record for the most bird species seen in Saskatchewan.

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

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