Tag Archives: Whooping Crane

Upcoming Bird Tours and Workshops

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Black Friday Week Discount.

Email birdtours@sasktel.net with the code “RAVEN” to be eligible for a 10% discount on any birding tour within the next year when booked before midnight on November 28, 2020. This offer may not be combined with any other discount. Hurry this offer only applies to the next 2 new bookings for any tour..

Saskatoon is located where two major North American bird flyways meet. During the breeding season in June and July about 150 bird species occur within grassland, wetland and woodland habitats. This list is augmented during the migration months of May, August and September when boreal and arctic nesting warblers, flycatchers, vireos and shorebirds are plentiful.

American Avocet by Nick Saunders

Spectacular Sharp-tailed Grouse courtship displays are best seen in April and May. Their displays are the basis for indigenous Plains Cree dances. Our summer tours feature birds of prairie grasslands and wetlands. Elegant and endangered Whooping Cranes, North America’s tallest bird, are regularly seen from late September through mid-October.

Snowy Owl by Nick Saunders

The world’s highest concentration of Snowy Owls occurs here in winter. At this time, we also offer special tours where chickadees will land on your hand to feed on seeds.

We offer many Half-day, Full-day and Multi-day Guided Birding Tours throughout the year starting in Saskatoon.

TESTIMONIAL: CLICK to listen to Calgary Naturalist Brian Keating on CBC Calgary Radio giving an on-air review of a tour he booked with us.

CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING TOURS.
Click the tour title for more information.

 

GIFT CERTIFICATE OPTION.

  • Want to give a tour as a gift but not sure which tour the recipient would prefer?
  • Consider purchasing a gift certificate valid for any of our birding tours offered in 2021.
  • Certificates are available in the amounts of $200, $300, $500 or $800 or you may request a certificate for the total amount of any of our currently listed tours.
  • All tours will follow Saskatchewan Covid regulations. It may be possible that some tours may need to be postponed due to these regulations.
  • We recommend that the recipient email birdtours@saskatel.net as quickly as possible to book their preferred tour so that they can have the best selection of available dates. Some tours may fill up.
  • The purchaser of the gift certificate will receive a tax credit issued by the charity for 50% of the value of the certificate.

Please email birdtours@sasktel.net if you have any questions about the following rules..

Gift Certificate Rules. The value of the certificate will be honoured as a credit towards the total cost of the guiding fee for any of our birding tours offered in 2021. The credit cannot be applied to accommodation, transportation, meals or any other costs associated with the tours. Because the tours are offered for fundraising purposes by the Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation registered charity, these gift certificates cannot be refunded and will expire if not used for a tour before the end of 2021. If a tour needs to be cancelled, the credit may be applied to a different tour.

EMAIL birdtours@sasktel.net to book a tour or to order a gift certificate or with any questions.
Please include your name and a contact phone number and other pertinent information.

All proceeds support work of our local wildlife charity – Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation.

Our expert birding tour leader, Stan Shadick, has over 30 years experience as a bird guide for nature tours around Saskatchewan. He is an author and editor of a variety of birding publications and serves on the board of several birding and nature conservation organisations. He currently holds the e-bird record for the most bird species seen in Saskatchewan.

Stan Shadick – Tour Leader

 

Whooping and Sandhill Crane Viewing Tours

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MID SEPTEMBER - LATE OCTOBER 2021

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In recent years, the grain fields near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada have become the best dependable viewing location in the world to view rare Whooping Cranes, the tallest bird in North America. For many years we have found groups of 10 - 30 birds feeding during fall migration. In 2018, we found a single flock in excess of 150 whoopers! In 2019, there were several flocks totaling over 100 individuals. As local birders, we know the best historical places to search for these spectacular birds.

The population recovery of the endangered Whooping Crane has become a tremendous success story for wildlife conservation. The Canadian population of these birds once dipped as low as 21 individuals but now exceeds 500 birds.

In 2020, we are planning both 1-day and 2-day custom tours from late September through mid October to look for Whooping Cranes and/or Sandhill Cranes. These 2 species are usually found in different locations. We often find Sandhills in flocks of 500 - several thousand. We will also be on the lookout for large flocks of Canada, Cackling, Snow, Ross's and Greater White-fronted Geese as well as ducks, swans and songbirds.

  1. Clients must drive themselves in their own personal or rented vehicle. The leader will drive in a separate vehicle. We will use cell phones or radios to communicate between each other during the tour.
  2. Tour will be rescheduled at no additional cost or refunded  if either the leader or any of the clients show any signs of illness (coughing, sneezing, sore throat, etc.).
  3. At birding stops and trail hikes, the leader will follow safe physical distancing practices by maintaining a minimum distance of 2 meters from the clients.

What to Wear. In case of an early snowfall or cool wet weather, bring a winter coat, raincoat, hat, gloves and long underwear. Bring your binoculars and a scope (optional).

TESTIMONIAL: Click to hear Calgary Naturalist Brian Keating on CBC Calgary giving his review of a recent Whooping Crane tour he booked with us.

TOUR FEE for 2-day tour excluding transportation: CAD $1330 (about US $995)
for groups of 1 – 4 persons. Fee includes only guiding services (8 hours/day) of leader and shared use of spotting scope. Client must cover their transportation costs in a personal or rented vehicle. Guide will travel in a separate vehicle. We can communicate via cell phone. Accommodation and meals are not included.. Email birdtours@sasktel.net for information about payment options. We will stop to pick up food for lunch.

TOUR FEE for 1-day tour excluding transportation:  CAD $690 (about US $515)
for groups of 1 – 4 persons. Fee includes only guiding services (8 hours/day) of leader and shared use of spotting scope. Client must cover transportation costs in a personal or rented vehicle. Guide will travel in a separate vehicle. We can communicate via cell phone. Accommodation and meals are not included. The 1-day tour available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays will focus on looking for Whooping Cranes but likely will not find Sandhill Cranes.

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

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For payment options, 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.

Cancellation Policy: Refunds less a $100 administration fee will be given if cancellation notice received 60 days before date of tour. All guiding fee proceeds will be donated to Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation.

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

Whoopers and Sandhills

Whoopers and Sandhills

Whooping Cranes flying above Sandhill Cranes
by Nick Saunders
nicksaundersnature.com

Whooping Cranes in grain field

Whooping Cranes in grain field

Whooping Cranes
by Nick Saunders
nicksaundersnature.com

Large flock of Whoopers

Large flock of Whoopers

Part of a flock of 154 Whooping Cranes photographed by Bob Godwin.

Snow Geese flock

Snow Geese flock

Snow Geese by Bob Godwin.