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

Join a guided birdwatching tour to Pike Lake

ALL BIRDING TOURS

Pike Lake Birding Tour

Self-Drive Birding and Walking Tour

Estimated Return Driving Distance: 90 km

Private Tours

Private Tours: January through mid September
plus November – December

Public Tours

Public Group Tours:

From $140 per vehicle with 1 – 3 persons
Advance Registration Required

3-hour Pike Lake Birding Tours

• Thu. January 9, 2025 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

5-hour Fall Sandhill Crane Tour

From $240 per vehicle with 1 – 3 persons.

• Tue. September 17, 2024 1:30 PM – 6:30 PM
  This extended group tour will look for songbirds and water birds at Pike Lake Park and then view the late afternoon roost of migrating Sandhill Cranes in the nearby region.

Where to find birds at Pike Lake?

Pike Lake Birding Tour Description

• Let our experienced birding guide show you the best bird-rich locations between Saskatoon and Pike Lake Provincial Park.  During this 3-hour Pike Lake birding tour, we will walk some trails and visit a variety of bird habitats inside and outside of the park.
• 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.
• Pike Lake was originally part of the South Saskatchewan River but became a lake when the river carved a shorter course creating this oxbow lake.
• Pike lake is home to nesting ducks, grebes, herons and other water birds.
• Marshes along the original river channel provide habitat for nesting Sora and Virginia Rails, Marsh and Sedge Wrens, Nelson’s Sparrows plus Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. A fen next to Pike lake often attracts LeConte’s Sparrows, American Bitterns plus rare Yellow Rails which are heard during late evenings.
• Sandy grasslands near Pike lake attract Sprague’s Pipit, Savannah and Baird’s Sparrows plus Western Kingbirds and Upland Sandpipers.
• Humid woodlands along the old river valley provide habitat for nesting Veeries, American Redstarts, hummingbirds, owls, flycatchers and other songbirds.
• Possible birds to be seen in all seasons during hikes include Ruffed Grouse, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Horned Owl, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven.
• Some additional possible birds to be found in summer include Red-necked Grebe, Wilson’s Snipe,  Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos,  Baltimore Oriole, Spotted Towhee and Common Yellowthroat.
• During songbird migration during May and late August – mid September, we may also find Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Cape May, Bay-breasted, Palm, Wilson’s and Yellow-rumped Warblers and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
• Good opportunities for bird photography.
• This tour between April and September may be suitable for low-mobility clients if they can use a wheel-chair over level trails and grass fields with some bumps.

Pike Lake Birding Tour Times

HALF-DAY TOURS

November – March Tours
Morning Tours: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Afternoon Tours: 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM

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 Private tours

Morning Tours: 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Afternoon-Evening Tours: 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Evening tours are recommended only in early June to listen for Yellow Rails and other marsh birds.
The 6-hour tours allow me to show a greater variety of bird habitats in the Pike Lake region.

Public Washrooms located in campground during summer months.

Transportation

Participants on these tours need to drive their own personal or rented vehicle. RVs and vehicles pulling trailers are permitted on private tours Owners of trailers should park their trailer at the park campground before joining tour. Owners of full electric vehicles should have sufficient range for this tour if they charge up at Saskatoon.

Pike Lake Birding Tour Fee

Private Half Day (4-hour) Pike Lake Birding Tour Fee:
CAD $290 per vehicle with a party of 1 – 4 persons(about US $215, £185). 
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 residence or you can join at Pike Lake park.
Masks to be worn during tour when outside vehicle.
SAVE $50 if you have room in your vehicle to transport leader during tour from Saskatoon and back.

Private 6-hour Pike Lake Birding Tour Fee:
CAD $390 per vehicle with a party of 1 – 4 persons (US $290, £250) .
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 residence or you can join tour at Pike Lake Park.
SAVE $50 if you have room in your vehicle to transport leader during tour from Saskatoon and back.

Public 3-hour Group Pike Lake Birding Tour Fee: CAD $190 per vehicle with a party of 1 – 4 persons (about US $140, £110).
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 residence or you can join at Pike Lake park.
SAVE $50 if you have room in your vehicle to transport leader during tour from Saskatoon and back.

Public Extended 5-hour Group Pike Lake Birding Tour Fee: CAD $290 per vehicle with a party of 1 – 4 persons (about US $210, £160).
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 residence or you can join at Pike Lake park.
SAVE $50 if you have room in your vehicle to transport leader 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 provided payment is made by e-transfer to LSWR@sasktel.net.

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.

Pike Lake Birding Tour Reservation

RESERVATIONS: Fill in the following form or send us 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.

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

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 Pike Lake Park Birding and Walking 4-hour Tour
• Private Pike Lake Park Birding and Walking 6-hour Tour
• hu. January 9, 2025 Pike Lake Park Group Birding and Walking 3-hour Tour starting at 9:00 AM
• Thu. September 17, 2025 Pike Lake Park Group Fall Sandhill Crane 5-hour Tour starting at 1:30 PM
• I have room to transport leader from Saskatoon and back. (SAVE $50)

Select all that apply.

I prefer the following date for this private tour:

Alternative dates for this private tour could be:

I prefer

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

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.

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.

PIKE 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.