We were exploring Southern Alberta. Today we drove some of the back roads (one was a dead end) , and saw the rural side of Alberta around Fort Macleod. Besides the heavy emphasis on growing hay here, there is a tremendous amount of gravel and small stone that is dug and sold. The glaciers of ancient times, and the constant erosion of the Rocky Mountains to the west have left these plains to be a “gold mine” for stone, gravel and any rock based material. As we drove those rural roads we found at least five gravel ”pits” within an 8 mile radius.
But as ‘chasing’ those birds is our main interest we did do just that . First to the north and then to the west . There are many ponds and ‘sinkholes’ left from the glaciers, and adequate rain has left some of them with enough water to attract the birds that use that type of habitat. In those ponds were: LESSER SCAUP, REDHEADS, GREAT BLUE HERON, NORTHERN SHOVELER, WILSON'S PHALOROPE, and CINNAMON TEAL.
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| If you can see the Wilson's Phalarope, know that it spins in the water to get its food. |
The roadsides, however, still were featuring some birds that we hadn’t seen yet. One was the CLAY COLORED SPARROW a rather ‘nondescript’ bird , with a pale breast, and a “buzzy “ like song. We did see many of them, as well as the SAVANNAH SPARROW, and SONG SPARROW. They usually were seen on the fenceposts flying in and out of the tall grasses. It had been a while since we had seen an EASTERN MEADOWLARK.
Two times we saw Red Tailed Hawks, circling , making those “lazy circles in the sky” as the song goes. At one time there were three young (1st or second year) Red Tails, in a “kettle”. A great sight to see in the sun. The familiar flight pattern o the NORTHERN HARRIER gave us another bird for the day. The total today was much better at 30.
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| View from the "Head Smashed In" site |
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| The World Heritage site, run by the Blackfeet Nation. |
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| This is the historic site that had been used for 5,700 years until the 19th century. In the beginnng there was a 20m (60 foot) drop to the bottm. After all those years of use, the bones and debris piled up to within 10m (30 feet of the cliff top. |
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| THis diagran shows the depth of the pit and how deep they had to go in order to get to the earliest killings. |
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| This "time line" tells of the band's yearly activities since 1784. |
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| The outside of the bermed, six story building at "Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump" |
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| Real Buffalo nearby. There were millions in the 1800's |
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| Self explanatory |
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| Always the prayer before the hunt. |
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| The Fort Macleod barracks and life. |
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| Fort Macleod parade grounds |
As we were west of Fort Macleod , we found that the UNESCO World Heritage Site, “Head- Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump” was just 9 miles away , we decided to see that exhibit. It gets its name from a young boy who wanted to watch the Buffalo coming over the cliff, so he found a ledge under the cliff and watched the buffalo pile up. It was a particularly good hunt that day, and the buffalo pile was enormous. When they went get the buffalo , they found the boy wedged in between the dead buffalo with his head crushed by the weight of the bodies.
The display is a well done one, and the exhibit in the building is built into the side of a “berm”. There are 6 floors all connected easily by elevators and stairs. The also have a handicapped drop off and a shuttle bus to take folks back and forth to the parking lot below.
Generally it is a history of not only the buffalo hunts but the involvement of the Blackfeet and their life that has changed after the white ‘invasion’. The buffalo killing in this manner had gone on for 5,700 years according to the ‘digs” they have had , which surprised the anthropologists. It is the largest and oldest site known. There are others in the west. but none that go back that far. There was a gap of two thousand years of no buffalo remains, but they do not know why that happened. The dioramas and displays are excellent and are a real lesson in the natives history there. It is easy to access, easy to read and understand and there are a large number of assistants if questions come up. It is run by the Blackfeet Nation.
Photos of Fort Macleod.
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| The Fort total X Ray machine in the early 1900's (power, tubes and electricty) |
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| A "cassion" for moving most anything. |
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| The dentist chair. Note drill hanging down. |
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| The Catholic Chapel in the Fort |
After lunch eating there in the truck overlooking the vast plains below, we visited the Fort Macleod “Fort” which has been establish in 1847 for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and was originally along the Old man River. It was partially destroyed and rebuilt on this site on town. It is a history of the RCMP there in Fort Macleod. Many original artifacts are included.
For the first time in many weeks, we did go out to eat dinner at a Chinese American Restaurant (“China City”) I had a terrific ‘Kung Po Shrimp ‘ dinner that was one of the best I have ever had, and Ruth had her favorite breakfast. The cook did not know how to do a “sunny side” egg, however. They were crisp all the way around. The Kung Po was great!
Tomorrow we will head for Pincher, Alberta and the Waterton/Glacier Park. There are many lakes and ponds along the road . We have a bird family in the park (staff) who directed us to that birding “hotspot”. We shall see,
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