5 Amazing Spring Wildlife Adventures in Saskatchewan
Located on the Central North American Flyway, and with parks preserving natural grasslands and wetlands, Saskatchewan excels as a hotspot for wildlife viewing and photography. Spring is especially exciting as young are born and birds engage in flamboyant mating rituals.
Here are five amazing wildlife experiences in this prairie province:
Discover North America’s Oldest Bird Sanctuary
The Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area was set aside as a protected area for waterfowl in 1887, becoming the first federal bird sanctuary in North America. The north end of the lake sprawls into a maze of shallow bays, fed by creeks and surrounded by several smaller wetlands. In short, bird heaven.
More than 300 species either nest here or stop to feed during migration. Ducks, grebes, pelicans, herons, terns and birds of prey are common, as well as rarities such as loggerhead shrikes, Caspian terns and ferruginous hawks. Even whooping cranes occasionally stop by.
It’s user-friendly with picnic sites, interpretive displays, short hiking trails and a viewing tower for a bird’s eye view. A 14-kilometre driving route winds past lakeshore, wetlands and over dikes used for water control. The drive is ideal for photography since birds seem more tolerant of people who stay in their vehicles. This is our go-to site for photographing pelicans.
Spring brings many flashy mating displays where the guys try to impress the gals by strutting around and showing off their finest spring plumage. The male ruddy duck even uses bubbles as part of his act. He pumps his sky-blue bill up and down against his neck and the water’s surface, creating a drumming sound and an impressive array of bubbles, then finishes off by belching. What female wouldn’t be impressed?
How to visit: Roughly halfway between Saskatoon and Regina, the easiest access is from the town of Simpson along Highway 2. Drive straight east of town and follow the signs.
See the Shorebird Migration at Chaplin Lake
The complex of Chaplin/Old Wives/Reed Lakes is so crucial to migrating shorebirds that it was designated as having Hemispheric Importance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. It’s the main refueling stop for over 30 shorebird species on their spring migration from southern wintering grounds to nesting grounds as far north as the Arctic. Among the over 100,000 dropping in for a bite to eat are ruddy turnstones, red knots, stilt sandpipers and half of the world’s sanderling population. Resident birdlife is prolific as well, most notably elegant-looking American avocets and rare piping plovers.
How to visit: Chaplin Lake is beside the Trans Canada Highway about halfway between Moose Jaw and Swift Current. Stop at the Chaplin Nature Centre along the highway to learn about this special area and for advice on the best spots to go.
Reed Lake is approximately 20 kilometres west of Chaplin along the highway where a viewing tower overlooks the water. A sign at the adjoining community of Morse proudly announces that this is “A Town that’s for the Birds.” The Morse Museum houses the Reed Lake Interpretive Centre with displays on the importance of this area to birds.
Quill Lakes International Bird Area
This globally important region has Canada’s largest saline lake and myriad surrounding wetlands, attracting well over a million birds each year. Consisting of the three Quill Lakes (Big, Middle and Little) and nearby Foam Lake Heritage Marsh, the area lies just north of the Yellowhead Highway (#16).
Some 300,000 migrating shorebirds pass through including sanderlings, dowitchers and Hudsonian godwits. Huge numbers of waterfowl along with marsh birds, pelicans, hawks and rarities such as piping plovers nest in the region. It’s a prime area for various herons and even great egrets that are more common to southerly regions.
How to visit: The Quill Lakes Interpretive Centre in Wynyard along Highway 16 has displays on the importance of the area, and staff may be able to direct you to the best viewing spots based on current conditions.
We especially like the Bertdale Site in the heart of the Foam Lake marshlands, with viewing platforms, picnic sites and walking trails. From the town of Foam Lake along Highway 16, head north on Highway 310 for eight kilometres, then follow the signs. Roads through the marsh are excellent for getting close to wildlife. However, they are occasionally impassable during wet conditions. We suggest first stopping at the Visitor Centre in Foam Lake for updates.
Spring Awakening at Grasslands National Park
The Park stands out as the top spot to witness the remarkable spring awakening on the natural prairie. Grassland birds are returning; calves are being born to bison, mule deer, pronghorn and other wildlife. Rattlesnakes begin emerging from their dens. The park boasts a long list of Species at Risk including greater sage-grouse, Sprague’s pipit and swift fox.
We like to camp in the Frenchman Valley Campground in the park’s West Block, then go exploring around sunrise when most critters tend to be out and about. Just west of the campground where the road crosses the Frenchman River is often a prime area for several species.
Next to the road, we see sprawling colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs, the only place in Canada to see these gregarious and social creatures in their natural habitat. Watch for endangered burrowing owls which sometimes nest in abandoned prairie dog burrows.
A highlight is the spring mating display of sharp-tailed grouse, Saskatchewan’s provincial bird. Males puff themselves up, inflating bright purple air sacs contrasting with their bushy blonde eyebrows. With heads lowered and tails pointed skyward, rapid-fire foot stomping propels them back and forth and round and round like a bunch of out-of-control wind-up toys. Females watch to see who has the best dance moves.
How to visit: At the Park Visitor Centre in the village of Val Marie, you can get information and register for camping. From here it’s a short drive east to the Frenchman River Valley with some of the best wildlife viewing.
Attend the Snake Orgy at Fort Livingstone
Fort Livingstone National Historic Site is home to several thousand residents. Each spring, massive numbers of red-sided garter snakes emerge from their dens on the banks of the Swan River for a flat-out orgy.
They form huge mating balls, with so many writhing reptiles intertwined that you wonder how they become untangled. The undulating heaps of snakes sometimes roll down the banks, breaking into smaller groups or expanding as others join in. You have to be careful where you step, and if you stand in one spot long enough, snakes may slither over your feet.
Things got interesting 150 years ago when this site was chosen as the first headquarters for the North West Mounted Police after their historic March West. It also served as the first capital of the Northwest Territories in 1876-77. Fort journals mention the nuisance caused by snakes getting into everything.
Wildlife often loses out in conflict with people. But not this time. The politicians and Mounties are long gone, with only a monument and a few plaques recalling Fort Livingstone’s former glory. The snakes continue to emerge each spring as they always have, and they’re ready to party.
The spectacle only lasts for a couple of weeks or so in early May, with around Mother’s Day considered prime time. So if you’re looking for somewhere unique to take Mom on her special day, this will be an occasion she’ll never forget.
How to visit: Head to the town of Pelly in northeast Saskatchewan. Drive straight north of town and follow the signs to the historic site.
