Blasterz enjoyed their quick visit to the Chaplin Nature Centre, but since we had many hundreds of kilometers yet to go to get to Calgary, and since 98% of the birds to see here were the ones we were very familiar with after living three years in Corpus Christi, Texas, we bought a few things for the girls in the gift shop, left a donation and buzzed off.
But for those of you who are not used to seeing these fascinating shorebirds we highly recommend that you stop here at this nature centre, and enjoy watching the birds walk around in the salt flats salt marshes and salt ponds hunting for brine shrimp. The phalaropes are especially fun to watch, with their long legs and their curved beaks.
Be aware that like so many tourist attractions in Canada, they're open seasonally. The Chaplin Nature Centre is open from mid-May to the end of August. Before the snow flies the birds have all left for warmer climates in South Texas.
From Tourism Saskatchewan: (
visit link)
"The community of Chaplin is centrally located along Hwy 1 between Moose Jaw and Swift Current. It is home to the Chaplin Nature Centre, a world-class facility that showcases over 30 species of shorebirds and offers area tours"
From the Whiskey Wildlife Rehabilitation website:
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visit link)
"Where is the Best Place to find Shorebirds in Saskatchewan?
Chaplin Lake Important Bird Area and nearby lakes often have the greatest variety of plovers, sandpipers, dowitchers, phalaropes and other shorebirds in Saskatchewan, Canada including the endangered Piping Plover."
Mama and Daddy Blaster sent several years living in Corpus Christi, Texas so we are familiar with most of these birds. It was somewhat disorienting to look at all these familiar Texas Coastal Bend birds with mountains and prairie stretching to the horizon, instead of the Gulf of Mexico. And you have to admit it's pretty funny to come all the way to Saskatchewan from Dallas, Texas and see the same birds from Corpus.
From Birdwatching daily: (
visit link)
"HOTSPOTS NEAR YOU
287. Chaplin Lake, Chaplin, Saskatchewan
This site of hemispheric importance to shorebirds is located about 1.5 hours west of Regina.
By Jenn Smith Nelson
Published February 21, 2019
When I learned that just outside of my backyard I could find a quarter to half the world’s Sanderling population along with a variety of threatened species such as Piping Plover, I jumped at the chance to tour the area of Chaplin during spring migration.
Shorebirds flock to Chaplin each year thanks to a nearby salt mine and a once-thriving brine shrimp industry. Many stay to nest, and others stop to fatten up and rest for the next leg of migration. With a bounty of food to choose from, shorebirds saunter the salty shores and shallow waters, feasting on masses of brine shrimp.
The lake is a principal breeding area in the province for the endangered Piping Plover. It’s a special place that makes the chances of seeing one really quite high — I was fortunate to see a few while visiting. If you’ve ever envisioned what shorebird heaven looks like, I’ve found it here. (For instance, in 1994 a shorebird count tallied 110,061 birds!) With hundreds and thousands of birds, a myriad of species from photogenic American Avocet to tiny, wading Wilson’s Phalarope and more can be found in close vicinity. And if there is a shorebird photo that you have always dreamed of taking, you’re almost certain to get it at Chaplin Lake.
AT A GLANCE
Click on the coordinates below to view location:
50°27’23.80?N 106°39’33.88?W
Habitat
Freshwater marsh, inland saline lake, native grassland, mudflats.
Terrain
Flat. Tours are done by vehicle along a private dirt road. There’s opportunity to exit the vehicle for better viewing.
Birds
More than 180 species. Common: Piping Plover, American Avocet, Red-necked and Wilson’s Phalaropes, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Sanderling, Marbled Godwit, Short- and Long-billed Dowitchers, Ruddy Turnstone, Killdeer, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary, Least, Spotted, and Upland Sandpipers, Willet, Wilson’s Snipe, Black-bellied Plover, American Golden-Plover, Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, Red Knot, Black-necked Stilt. Rarities: Snowy Plover, Burrowing Owl.
When to go
Spring and summer. Shorebird numbers highest in mid-May. Tours run May 18-August 31.
Amenities
Chaplin Nature Centre offers information on shorebirds, migration, conservation, and history of the brine shrimp and mining industry. Tours are booked through the centre and recent sightings and bird checklists are available. Restrooms and gift shop onsite, and plenty of space to park.
Access
Area managed by Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals, Ducks Unlimited, and the Chaplin Nature Centre. Access is via tours on a private road (only for use by Chaplin Tourism or Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals) or independently along Hwy. 58 (grid road). Tours take visitors in and around the lake in a horseshoe route and cost $10 per person for 30 minutes or $20 per person for two hours.
Tips
Ensure your camera has a lens filter. When windy, fine blowing salt covers everything.
For more info
Chaplin Tourism
Chaplin Nature Centre, 306-395-2770.
Sites nearby
Reed Lake
20 minutes west of Chaplin in Morse. The fresh water attracts other shorebirds, particularly Stilt Sandpiper. Features a viewing tower.
Besant Park
About 30 minutes east of Chaplin. This almost unknown prairie oasis features an abundance of waterfowl, prairie birds, raptors, flycatchers, warblers, and, if fortunate, Long-billed Curlew."