Annual Sharp-tailed Grouse Watch
- truenorthbirding
- May 5
- 4 min read
When I got the email from Nature Alberta advertising the annual Sharp-tailed Grouse watch I knew I had to sign up again. I learned so much and had so much fun the first year I went, that I have been hooked ever since! The event is hosted by the Wainwright Wildlife Society who also maintains the viewing sites.
As a warning, the tour meets up in Wainwright REALLY EARLY (4am!) so my friend and I normally get a hotel the night before. There were a few brave folks who drove from Edmonton the morning of, but I honestly wouldn't recommend it- there are many decently priced hotels in Wainwright. After meeting up with our guide in the Canadian Tire parking lot, we drove convoy-style about 30 minutes to the lek.
The Wainwright Wildlife Society maintains blinds at 2 different leks (or maybe more?!) and I have now been to both. They are both set up the same, with 4 or 5 blinds, with each blind having holes to peek out of (and to take pictures).
There are stools inside for each 'window', but you might want to bring a cushion to sit on. Last year when I went in mid-May, the sun was up at 5am and the temperature was quite mild. This year I went mid-April and it was freezing! I think it was around -9°C at 5 am, so I really encourage you to layer up! I brought a blanket which helped keep my backside warm while sitting for hours.
I made a very rookie mistake of leaving my hiking boots in my car overnight, so when I put them on in the morning they were frozen. So needless to say, I had cold toes all morning.
So, you might be asking, what is a lek? Primarily it can be described as the place where male grouse gather in the spring, with the hopes of attracting a mate. Sheldon, our guide explained that the lek is also a place where grouse meet up socially, even outside of breeding season. Grouse return to use the same lek year after year.
The noises they make while dancing are from the rapid stomping of their feet, along with inflating the purple air sacs on the sides of their neck. It is hard to describe the noises they make- I find it both hilarious and beautiful at the same time.
The Sharp-tailed Grouse is a non-migratory resident who depends on the grasslands for living and breeding. I can't really find any recent surveys showing population numbers of Sharp-tailed Grouse, but their numbers appear to be declining, likely due to habitat loss to agriculture.
The tour ends when the Grouse settle down for the day, which is normally a couple of hours after sunrise. By this point the group was ready for a washroom break, breakfast and to warm up our toes. Last year our guide Randy invited us to breakfast at the Legion in town, but this year our group was quite large and we all went on our own way after (although most of us ended up at A & W!)
If you are coming to Wainwright from Edmonton (or beyond) there are some interesting stops along the way. Close to Fabyan, and less than 15 minutes from Wainwright, is the Battle River Trestle Bridge. The bridge was built in 1908, and is the second largest trestle bridge in Canada, only smaller than the semi-famous trestle bridge in Lethbridge.
Another interesting stop is at the Viking Ribstones, which were about 45 minutes from Wainwright, or about an hour and 45 minutes from Edmonton. The ribstones (also known as boulder petroglyphs) are actually large stones carved in the shape of a ribcage. The Viking Ribstones are quite rare, being two of 9 ribstones found in Alberta, and these are the only ones in their original location.
The ribstones are found at the top of a hill (in a relatively flat area), so the views around there are quite stunning. The ribstones and the area are sacred to indigenous people, so please treat your visit with respect. There were many offerings of tobacco, sweetgrass and coins at the site. I could feel the power in the area during my visit, it was super windy, and felt like it would storm at any minute.
And lastly, it is always worth a stop in the Tofield area to look for ducks, shorebirds and blue birds. As this year our tour was in mid-April (and super windy), there wasn't a lot of activity in the usual good spots. Off the side of the highway we did see hundreds of Snow Geese flying, and interestingly, eight or nine Northern Harriers hunting!
The best part of getting up before 4 am? Being at home, in bed for a nap around lunch time! Seriously though, the early morning is hard, but it is so worth it to be able to see this magical event that only happens for a few morning hours in the spring. I can't recommend this experience enough, and who knows, maybe I will run into you next year!
Comments