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

Observe the white grouse of winter

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ALL BIRDING TOURS

Ptarmigan Tour

PRIVATE PTARMIGAN TOURS: Available December – March

NEXT PUBLIC GROUP PTARMIGAN TOUR: TBA

Escorted self-driving tour

Estimated Return Driving Distance from Saskatoon: 1200 km

IDEAL BIRDING TOUR FOR RESIDENTS OR VISITORS TO

• SASKATOON
• PRINCE ALBERT 
• REGINA (3 h 50 m to Prince Albert)
• MOOSE JAW (3 h 40 m to Prince Albert)
• NORTH BATTLEFORD (2 h 15 m to Prince Albert)

SASKATOON starting point: 8:30 AM
PRINCE ALBERT starting point: 10:30 AM

Where to see Willow Ptarmigan in Saskatchewan?

Ptarmigan Tour Description

Join a private tour or a public group tour with a small group of birders on a special 2-day / 1-night Ptarmigan Tour on a quest to find Willow Ptarmigan.

We will drive for several hours along the Hanson Lake Road to visit the best winter birding hotspots in this forested part of NE Saskatchewan near Creighton. 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.

See sidebar for a list of potential bird species on this ptarmigan tour. A checklist of Saskatchewan birds may be downloaded HERE.

This ptarmigan tour will be cancelled or postponed if ptarmigan have not been reported in the region during the month before the tour date.

Transportation: All participants will travel in their own personal or rented vehicle. Vehicles must have snow tires and good clearance. This tour is not suitable for full electric vehicles due to the large distances travelled away from charging stations. Masks will be worn at birding stops, if requested by leader.

Carpooling

If you would like to share the costs of a group ptarmigan 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. Motel accommodation options is available.
We tentatively plan to stay at Prospector Inn in Creighton.

Ptarmigan Tour Itinerary

Weather conditions may result in changes to this planned itinerary. If extreme cold temperatures (high temperatures below -25C) or winter storm conditions are forecast, it will be postponed or cancelled.

Day 1

Tour departs Saskatoon at 8:30 am.
Participants may choose to join the ptarmigan tour at Prince Albert at 10:30 am.

Some of our planned birding stops include the following sites.

• Narrow Hills Park
• Sturgeon-weir River crossing
• Overnight at a motel in Creighton
• Late afternoon outing to search for ptarmigan.

Day 2

We plan to bird the Creighton District in the morning and then drive back home in the afternoon.

Ptarmigan Tour Fee

Public Ptarmigan 2-day Group Birding Tour Fee: CAD $1390 (about US $1040, £820) 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 8:30 am on February 13 and returns about 7 pm on February 14. Your vehicle will be part of a small convoy of vehicles on this tour.
**SAVE $400** 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.

Private Ptarmigan Birding 2-Day Tour Fee: CAD $2190 (about US $1550, £1290) 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 2nd day about 7 pm.
**SAVE $400** 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: Ptarmigan 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.

My Name *

First

Last

Names of additional persons travelling in my vehicle during tour

My Email *

My 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 Ptarmigan Tour – 2 days
• I have room to transport leader in my vehicle during tour from Saskatoon and back.

Select all that apply. Payment instructions will be emailed to you after form is submitted.

I prefer the following date for a private tour: *

Alternative dates for a private tour could be:

Carpooling on 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) 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.

Check best response.

Binoculars

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

On the night before tour, I plan to stay in *

• Saskatoon
• Regina
• Moose Jaw
• Prince Albert
• Other location noted in comments.

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.

Tour Guide: Ptarmigan Tour

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

Some Possible Birds to be seen during Ptarmigan Tour

• Willow Ptarmigan
• Ruffed Grouse
• Spruce Grouse
• Bald Eagle
• Northern Hawk Owl
• Great Gray Owl
• American Three-toed Woodpecker
• Black-backed Woodpecker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Canada Jay
• Boreal Chickadee
• Bohemian Waxwing
• Evening Grosbeak
• Pine Grosbeak
• Common Redpoll
• Hoary Redpoll

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 Ptarmigan Tour or any of our other birding tours.

How to get to Saskatoon

Air: Saskatoon International Airport (YXE) is served by 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 Bird Photography Sessions

• Dancing Grouse Photography Sessions
  April – May
• Great Gray Owl and Northern Hawk Owl Photography Sessions
  January – early March
• Goose Lake Photography Tour
• Pelican Photography and Viewing Tour
  Special Group Tour: TBA
• Sandhill Crane Photography Sessions
• Sandhill Crane Photography Workshop
  October 12 – 14, 2024
• Snowy Owl Photography Sessions
  January – March

Other Tours

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

• Northern Owl Adventure Series
• Snowy Owl Tour (November- February)
• Forest Winter Birding Private Tour (Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Spruce Grouse, songbirds)
  January – February
• Chickadee Feeding Tour
• Saskatoon Winter Birdwatching Tour 
• Weir Birding Tour (November – August)
• Beaver Creek Birding and Hiking Tour – 3 hours from $195

Multiple Tours Discount

Can’t decide which tour to take?

Check out our multiple tours discount described here.

Monthly Newsletter

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

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