Eve of the Great Gray

Ramata really wanted to see a bear, so we typed "landfill" into maps.me which took us to Clearwater Landfill near Wells Gray. Unfortunately, maps.me is out of date, the dump closed in 2013 so we saw nothing other than old wolf scat. We needed to get to Kamloops by about 6 pm to search for Great Gray Owl along some back roads south of town. Our progress was delayed by two soaring Broad-winged Hawks which I pulled over to bin, not sure if this was unusual on the west side of the Rockies. While looking skyward, I spotted 3 Black Swifts, the only ones of the trip!

Broad-winged Hawk

Black Swift

Later, amidst the smoke of the forest fires we found 5 Lewis' Woodpeckers. Ramata could not understand how I could spot and ID such a bird while driving on the highway. It's kind of hard to explain.

Lewis's Woodpecker epic highway spotting! 

Habitat at Goose Lake Road

Behind schedule, we hastened to Goose Lake Road, a tranquil area chocked full of prime Great Gray habitat: forest of Engleman Sruce, lodgepole pine and Douglas Fir bordered by open meadows and complete with saplings offering the perfect hunting perch. The Great Gray is my favourite bird and I was in rage mode 9, obsessed with showing Ramata this awesome species. Carefully checking every tree, we followed a string of ebird sightings until we got to the most southerly one. A pond contained immature Barrow's goldeneyes and Sora, a brief distraction. "It probably won't be exactly at the same spot...and then...ooohhaaaahhhhhhhh GREAT GRAY OWL!!!" It was pretty much at the same spot.

Since it was on the passenger's side, I passed Ramata and she smoked it.

Great Gray Owl (photo credit: Ramata Cisse)

Great Gray Owl (photo credit: Ramata Cisse)

A few seconds after we stopped it flew off and we weren't able to get close again. We camped at Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park and rose at 4:30am to try for more.

Habitat at Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park

Say's Phoebe

Sora

We drove up and down the road and walked a nature trail but could not find another Great Gray. However, the birding was good with Merlin, Sora, Gray Jays, Bald Eagles, Mountain Chickadees, Western Tanagers and more giving great views in the morning light. Time to drive to Vancouver for a much-anticipated day bucket-list feasting, culminating in Ramata's first poutine experience!!

Complete with Montréal smoked meat cubes