Upon arrival at Calgary International Airport (YYC), transfers to a nearby hotel are arranged for the night. If time allows, a visit to some of the wetlands on the outskirts of the city offers an excellent introduction to the birdlife of western Canada, with good chances for Cinnamon Teal, American Avocet, and Yellow-headed Blackbird. 

■ Night in Calgary 

American Avocet photo by Gavin McKinnon.

The morning takes us south of Calgary toward the High River area, to Frank Lake, one of the most popular birding hotspots in southern Alberta. Here it is possible for us to find six grebe species (if we are lucky). After stopping here we will begin to drive east towards Brooks where Kinbrook Island Provincial Park, our first stop, offers mixed woodlands along the shore of Lake Newell, where Least Flycatcher and Baltimore Oriole are regular, and the unusual opportunity to compare Eastern and Western Kingbirds side by side presents itself. The adjacent marshes can hold Black-necked Stilt, White-faced Ibis, and American Bittern, and with shorebird migration in full swing, Red Knot, Ruddy Turnstone, and Black-bellied Plover are all possible on the rocky shoreline of this large manmade reservoir. 

■ Night in Brooks

Horned Grebe photo by Gavin McKinnon.

Tillebrook Provincial Park or the Provincial Crop Diversification centre will be our first destination this morning, where a stand of mature cottonwoods serves as a critical refueling stop for migrants moving through the prairies — one of the most reliable places on the tour to find Gray-cheeked Thrush, along with a variety of warblers and flycatchers passing through on their way north. Later, some of the remaining native grassland in Alberta yields Western Meadowlarks, Vesper Sparrows, and Chestnut-collared Longspurs in abundance, while focused time goes toward the more sought-after prairie specialties: Thick-billed Longspur, Sprague's Pipit, and Burrowing Owl. Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, and Long-billed Curlew are regular in this habitat as well. The afternoon closes at the wetlands near Brooks, where up to six species of grebe — among them Western, Eared, and Clark's — may be on view alongside Caspian Terns, Black-crowned Night-Herons, American Bitterns, and the rapidly expanding White-faced Ibis.

■ Night in Brooks 

Thick-billed Longspur photo by George Armistead.

The morning is spent at the internationally recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dinosaur Provincial Park. Situated along the dramatic Red Deer River valley — renowned for some of the richest dinosaur fossil deposits in the world — the park's badlands and coulees support an entirely different suite of species. Common Nighthawks, Rock Wrens, Brown Thrashers, Lark Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, and Yellow-breasted Chats all nest here. In the afternoon, we will begin our journey back towards Calgary stopping at productive prairie potholes en route.

■ Night in Calgary 

Rock Wren photo by George Armistead.

North of Cochrane lies one of the most fascinating birding areas in the province — a transitional zone where boreal forest meets the foothills and parkland, and a well-known hotspot for hybridization. Most Northern Flickers and Yellow-rumped Warblers here are intergrades between subspecies, and Yellow-bellied and Red-naped Sapsuckers hybridize freely. The first stop is a roadside marsh in search of both Nelson's and LeConte's Sparrows, and the soft tic-tic-tic of a Yellow Rail. Continuing north, Sandhill Cranes, Blue-headed Vireos, and healthy numbers of singing Tennessee Warblers are expected. Great Gray Owl is the primary target in the forested stretches, with dedicated time along forest edges and in clearings.The nearby forests add Western Flycatchers, Cape May Warblers, and Northern Waterthrushes on territory. Before lunch, a private feeding station offers a remarkable opportunity to study Mountain, Boreal, and Black-capped Chickadees side by side, with Evening Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, Blue Jays, and Clark's Nutcrackers frequently at close range. After lunch in Cochrane, the afternoon drive brings us to the base of the Rockies — our base for the next two nights. 

■ Night in Canmore 

Great-gray Owl photo by George Armistead.

The first morning in the Rocky Mountains begins along Canmore's Policeman's Creek, a well-maintained trail that reliably produces White-crowned, Song, and Lincoln's Sparrows, along with Wilson's Snipe and Sora working the marshy edges. In Banff, a short trail just outside of town adds Blackpoll Warblers, American Redstarts, Boreal Chickadees, and American Three-toed Woodpeckers. The famous Cave and Basin marsh comes next, with Cinnamon Teal and Ring-necked Ducks on the water and Townsend's Warblers and Cassin's Vireos in the surrounding conifers. Lunch is at a well-known picnic area where Canada Jays are a reliable and enthusiastic presence — and the best spot on the tour for Hammond's Flycatcher. 

■ Night in Canmore 

Boreal Chickadee photo by George Armistead.

Kananaskis Country is the focus today, beginning with a hike near Mount Shark off the Spray Lakes Road in search of the “Franklin’s” subspecies of Spruce Grouse — a form restricted to the Rocky Mountains of western North America and a genuine highlight for most participants. The descent into the foothills brings good chances for American Dipper along the clear-running rivers. The Sibbald Creek Trail provides a fitting finale to the mountain and foothills birding. The wetlands here consistently produce Virginia Rails and a good variety of marsh birds, while the surrounding forest holds American Three-toed Woodpecker, Varied Thrush, and Mountain Bluebird. Lincoln's Sparrow and Northern Waterthrush are common along the creek corridor, and patient observers may turn up a Northern Pygmy-Owl or Barred Owl. After a lunch in the field, a stop at a park on the west side of Calgary offers Calliope Hummingbirds on territory — a fine way to close out the birding portion of the tour. We will return to Calgary in the late afternoon and enjoy our final dinner at the hotel. 

■ Night in Calgary 

American Dipper photo by George Armistead.

Depart from Calgary International Airport (YYC).

Swainson’s Hawk photo by Gavin McKinnon.