these birds wandering around in an adjacent campsite are Grackle....
we don't get Grackle here on the West Coast and these are the first pictures I've got of any although I have seen them other times we've been in Alberta.
Checking out the fire pit for tidbits I guess......
Ernie wanted to run into Grande Prairie for some ingredients for a celebratory supper - I guess this was the last 'official' day of holiday, despite the fact we still had 1,000 km or so to go to get home! This Chipmunk was watching (and nibbling on a dandelion seed head) while we 'broke camp'.
returning to the campsite with our supper ingredients (filet mignon, butterfly shrimp, Caesar Salad and Strawberry Shortcake - who say's camping is roughing it!) - we spotted this male Baltimore Oriole.....I had searched for them the day before with no luck.
after setting up camp again, this time in loop B, we set out for a walk towards the boat launch area and the more manicured side of the park.....this was one of several Eastern Kingbirds hanging about in the area where a water park was under construction.
this is the shoreline just down from the boat launch - I guess the piers are for tying up boats although the water was quite shallow.....it is often pretty rough on this side too....there seems to be a wind a lot of the time.
If you enlarge this picture (click on it)....you can see just how active (bird wise) this shore line is.......
Ring-bill Gulls are the commonest gull here.....
as well as Franklin.....
a flying Franklin Gull.....
there were Spotted Sandpipers along the shore, as well as Killdeer (no picture)
on a later walk, Ernie and Shantz stumbled upon this Spotted Sandpipers nest......
after lunch we left the dogs in the truck and headed out for a walk into the wild area of the park....I'd been hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of a moose because we had seen one when we had been here before and I wasn't brave enough to attempt this on my own! On our earlier visit(which was earlier in June) these Lilies had been in flower all over, this year, this was the only one I found.
the day before when I'd walked in the area on my own, bugs hadn't been an issue, but this day was cooler and cloudier and the mosquitoes were horrendous - made doubly so because we hadn't even thought about them so hadn't used any insect repellent! This Clay-coloured Sparrow was doing it's part with a mouthful of them!
one more Clay-coloured Sparrow picture, just 'cause we don't get them out here!
more Chipmunks nibbling on dandelions!
back at the campsite, this is the vegetation surrounding the site, every site, it is so thick that you can't see any neighbours....which is a good thing in our minds!
this plant, which I believe is called 'Coral Root' was growing right beside the camp....I wouldn't have noticed it if Shantz hadn't almost stepped on it!
not just birds and flowers, there were lots of different Butterflies too, including these little Spring Azure.....
in the evening I went for a walk, looking for one of those Rose-breasted Grosbeaks again....didn't find any, but did spot one of these elusive White-throated Sparrows - they are easy to hear, just hard to see as they usually stay down in the underbrush.
a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker flew across the path in front of me as well.....
not the best pictures as it was pretty shady in the area......
and lastly, there is a Yellow Warbler nest in that rose bush....I had watched the parents coming and going with food....tried to get closer but it was impossible.....so ended a very satisfying 'birding' day at Saskatoon Island.Campground fee: $20 Total distance traveled to date: 7,219 km.
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