While hiking the Fullerton Loop Trail I found a very cooperative Townsend’s Solitaire, at about the halfway point of the hike. For this episode, we’re going to listen to this long-winged songster, as well as many other songbird species here.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Continuing the ascent of the Fullerton Loop Trail, I’m about to encounter the songs of Red-breast Nuthatches, Western Warbling-Vireos, and Townsend’s Solitaires.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

As I continue along the Fullerton Loop Trail, I’ll be encountering some Chipping Sparrows, Varied Thrush, Mountain Chickadees, and more.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Fullerton Loop Trail is a half-day hike that gives expansive views over the Elbow Valley in Kananaskis Country.

During my trip in early June of 2025, it was full of birdsong, even though the climate felt like winter was still holding on a slight bit.

For the next six episodes we’ll be exploring this trail, hearing from an extensive number of species as we pass through open meadows, steep ravines, and dense alpine forest.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Varied Thrush is a striking species to look at, and a haunting one to hear.

The male’s mix of dark colours mixed with orange gradients make them look dressed for Halloween.

Their song sounds something between a haunted flute and a referee whistle, and stands out to me as one of the more unique songs of North American species.

For this species in focus episode, I’ll be sharing recordings from the Fullerton Trail in 2025, Sheep River and the Rae Glacier in 2026.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Townsend’s Solitaire can be a very, very long winded bird. It may have the longest continuous song I’ve ever recorded.

To me this bird has always looked like someone had taken a Northern Mockingbird and made it thrush-shaped. It is a mostly-grey thrush with dark wings that can have a small flare of tan colour to them.

Its song can sound very finch-like, with a mix of warbles and abrupt changes in pitch.

At times, this bird will also sing while flying over its territory.

For this species in focus episode, I’ll be sharing recordings from the Fullerton Trail in 2025, and Gorge Creek Trail in 2026, as well as a brief we’ve heard already from Jumpingpound Demonstration forest in 2025.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

I’m at the top of Prairie View, a broad vista overlooking Barrier Lake. It’s been a long hike up and I’ll be headed back down soon, stopping wherever I hear birdsong.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Barrier Lake is one of the most visually stunning locations in Kananakis Country. 

It is a large, sea-blue lake in a valley surrounded by hills and mountains.

For this two-part hike I’ll be climbing to Prairie View, a vista that overlooks Barrier Lake and its valley.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet has a lengthy and fascinating song for such a tiny songbird.

This little grey bird starts off with soft high notes, then break into a musical twittering, and concludes with a loud series of phrases.

It’s an enchanting song, and a loud one for such a tiny bird. 

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet breeds throughout most of Canada and much of the interior western United States.

For this species in focus episode I’ll be sharing my recordings of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet from the Barrier Lake Forestry Trails, and the Sibbald Flats.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

A classic birding-by-ear problem is having two or more species in the same area that have similar songs. 

The Chipping Sparrow and the Orange-crowned Warbler are two such species: two of many that are infamous for their cryptic trills. 

First, the Chipping Sparrow has a straight trill with a consistent spacing between each “note”. 

In contrast, this Orange-crowned Warbler’s trill slows down as it progresses, and is not very consistent in quality.

For this species in contrast episode I’ll be sharing my recordings of Orange-crowned Warbler & Chipping Sparrow from the Barrier Lake Forestry Trails, the Fullerton Trail, Prairie View, and the Sibbald Flats.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

This episode concludes the morning at Jumpingpound Demonstraton Forest, with a focus on the Townsend's Warbler

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support