Itinerary
- 2:30 AM – Wake up, pour coffee into a travel mug. Grab chia pudding jars and spoons from the fridge.
- 3:00 AM – Depart St. Albert. Eat chia pudding in the car (passenger can spoon-feed the driver or wait for a straight stretch — it's easy one-handed).
- ~5:40 AM – Arrive at Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation (Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park).
- 6:30 AM – Pancake breakfast at the festival.
- 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Bird walks, observatory banding tours, workshops. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the centre.
- Lunch – Burgers provided.
- 2:00 PM – Depart for home (approx. 2h40 drive).
- Evening – Arrive home, rest, look after your cat.
🐦 Yellow-rumped Warbler — The Super Warbler: Yellow-rumps are among the first warblers to arrive and the last to leave. They can digest waxes in bayberries and myrtle berries, letting them winter farther north than any other warbler. The "Myrtle" subspecies you've seen here is common; watch for the western "Audubon's" with its yellow throat — you're in the hybrid zone.
🔬 Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation: One of the few boreal forest bird observatories on Earth. During spring 2025, over 2,500 Myrtle Warblers were banded on peak days. You'll see researchers gently extracting birds from mist nets — a rare, unforgettable sight.
🥣 Pre-Departure Breakfast: High-Protein Chia Pudding
Make the night before. Grab-and-eat from a jar in the car.
Ingredients (for 2 servings):
- 6 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup milk (dairy or unsweetened soy for extra protein)
- 1–2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
- Pinch of salt
- 2 Tbsp hemp hearts (optional, for a protein boost)
- Toppings: fresh berries or a handful of frozen mixed berries, chopped walnuts or almonds
Method: Whisk all ingredients (except toppings) together in a medium bowl. Divide into two jars or containers with lids. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, stir well, top with berries and nuts, and grab a spoon.
🛒 Grocery List — Trip 1 (Festival Day)
- Chia seeds (6 Tbsp)
- Plain Greek yogurt (1 cup)
- Milk (½ cup)
- Maple syrup or honey
- Hemp hearts (optional, 2 Tbsp)
- Fresh berries (or frozen mixed berries)
- Walnuts or almonds (small handful)
- Coffee & travel mugs
- Water bottles
- Snacks for the drive home: trail mix, granola bars, extra fruit
Lunch provided at the festival (pancakes & burgers), so no need to pack a midday meal.
Itinerary
- 5:00 AM – Wake up, make coffee. Grab egg wraps and trail lunch wraps from the fridge (prepped the night before).
- 5:45–6:00 AM – Depart St. Albert. Eat egg wraps on the drive; they're delicious at room temperature.
- ~8:30 AM – Arrive at Marten Mountain viewpoint parking lot (gravel road off Hwy 88, ~6 km up).
- 8:45 AM – Start the Lily Lake Trail (5.2 km return).
- Late morning – Reach Lily Lake. Enjoy your packed lunch on the shore. Listen for the Connecticut Warbler.
- Early afternoon – Hike back up (uphill return).
- Mid-afternoon – Drive home, snack on trail mix or stop for a cold drink. Arrive by early evening.
🌲 Old-Growth Forest: The trail descends through centuries-old balsam fir and white spruce. Watch for heart-leaved arnica and devil's club. The trail can be extremely slippery after rain — roots are beautiful but hazardous.
🐦 Birds You've Seen on This Trail (2017–2025): Your past checklists show a rich boreal mix — 17 warbler species, Swainson's and Hermit Thrushes, Winter Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Canada Jay, and many more. A full list is available from your eBird history.
🎯 Two Species to Keep on Your Radar (Never Recorded Here Yet!):
1. Connecticut Warbler — A secretive ground-walker that arrives in late May. Listen for a loud, ringing "beecher-beecher-beecher" song near boggy edges and mossy spruce stands. It often sings from a low perch before disappearing into the undergrowth.
2. Philadelphia Vireo — Easily overlooked because it resembles the common Red-eyed Vireo. Look for a yellower wash on the breast and a slower, sweeter song. It often forages lower in deciduous understory. Late May is peak arrival.
🌯 Pre-Departure Breakfast: High-Protein Egg Wrap (Make-Ahead)
Prep the night before. Grab cold from the fridge, eat in the car.
Ingredients (for 2 wraps):
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar
- 4 slices deli turkey or 1 pre-cooked chicken sausage, diced
- 2 whole-wheat tortillas
- Small handful baby spinach
- Salt, pepper, dried herbs (optional)
Method: Scramble eggs with salt, pepper, and herbs. Stir in cheese and turkey/sausage while warm. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature. Lay spinach on each tortilla, spoon egg mixture down the centre, roll up tightly. Wrap in parchment paper, then foil or a reusable bag. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, grab and go — it's good cold or room temp.
🥾 Trail Lunch Wrap
Prep the night before alongside the breakfast wraps. Pack in a small cooler bag or insulated lunch box.
Option A – Chickpea & Feta:
- 1 whole-wheat tortilla
- ¼ cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbsp crumbled feta
- Small handful baby spinach
- 1 Tbsp Greek yogurt or hummus
- Sprinkle of sunflower seeds
Option B – Smoked Turkey & Swiss:
- 1 whole-wheat tortilla
- 3–4 slices smoked turkey deli meat
- 1 slice Swiss cheese
- Mustard, baby spinach
Assembly: Spread yogurt/hummus or mustard on the tortilla. Layer remaining ingredients, roll up tightly, and wrap in parchment. Pack with an apple, a granola bar, and trail mix.
🛒 Grocery List — Trip 2 (Hike Day)
- 4 large eggs
- Shredded cheddar (¼ cup)
- Deli turkey (4 slices) or 1 pre-cooked chicken sausage
- 2 whole-wheat tortillas (for breakfast) + 2 whole-wheat tortillas (for lunch)
- Baby spinach (1 bag – used in both wraps)
- For lunch Option A: 1 can chickpeas, feta (2 Tbsp), Greek yogurt or hummus, sunflower seeds
- For lunch Option B: smoked turkey deli meat, Swiss cheese, mustard
- Apples (2)
- Granola bars, trail mix
- Coffee & travel mugs
- Water bottles (fill at home)
- Parchment paper or waxed paper
- Small cooler bag or insulated lunch box with ice pack
Early mornings, boreal birdsong, and the quiet of a mountain lake. Wishing you a beautiful pair of day trips. 🌲🎶🐦