Birding the Iron Horse Trail : Elk Point to St. Paul

After our long day yesterday we didn't head back out onto the trail until around 9 am this morning.  As we made our way back through town we noticed that some of the streets had been closed off for an upcoming Canada Day Parade.  The park was already full of people setting up tents and stalls, and when we got back to the Information Centre on the side of the trail we discovered that the large elk statue had been loaded onto the back of a pickup to participate in the parade.  It all looked very festive!

Although it was a cool, sunny morning as we passed the grain elevator at the edge of town, there were some dramatic clouds gathering ahead of us.  We followed the wonderfully hard-packed trail on its arrow straight path out of town.  On the way we were passed by several families coming into town for the holiday festivities on their ATVs.  They all very courteously slowed down for us and passed with a cheerful wave. 

Soon we found ourselves back out in the countryside, surrounded by lush green fields under an overcast sky.  Our attention was captured by several abandoned wooden buildings that seemed to conjure stories from past.  Other small details, like the iridescent gleam of blue dancer wings, the bright reds and greens of dragonflies, and the cheerful blossoms of yellow salsify and yellow ladies slippers growing along the trail edges also caught our eye. 

The sweet notes of a meandering creek soon reached our ears from the forested marsh below the trail.  The dark waters reflected the slender outlines of the spruce trees lining the shore.  The air smelt fresh and clean, and the only sounds were from the flowing water and a particularly determined White-throated Sparrow. 

The walk was pleasant but mostly unremarkable as we trekked along the straight sandy trail, following the trail through marsh, wetland, and forest.  

When we arrived at the Armistice Staging Area we were slightly disappointed to find that it was completely overgrown, and there was no picnic table to take a break at.  It is clear that an incredible amount of work goes into this trail, and the rest stops are generally kept in really good condition.  However, like many other long trails across the country that exist in areas with a relatively small population base, it seems like there might be a shortage of volunteers in some areas.  Seeing this gives us an appreciation for all the work that has been done, and all the people who volunteer to do it. 

Soon we found ourselves crossing a wetland on a long wooden bridge with chain-link fence sides.  Below us was another beautiful cattail marsh, but apart from a pair of Mallards all was quiet in the waters below.  As we followed the curve of the trail around the edge of the marsh we heard an ATV approaching ahead of us. We stepped to the side of the trail, but it never materialized around the bend.  As we continued around the curve we spotted an ATV lying on its side across the trail, and a young lady with purple hair crawling out from under it.  We helped her right the heavy vehicle, offered her a Band-Aid for her scrapped elbow, and made sure she was okay before heading off.  She said her mom was on the way, and indeed, she passed us on her way to the rescue soon afterwards.  It is lucky the young lady was wearing a helmet! 

As we continued on we were excited to randomly spot a geocache hanging from a trailside sign, and we were delighted to find that we could log it.  Alberta's Iron Horse Trail has hundreds of geocaches distributed along its length, making it a geocacher's paradise.  With this find I believe I have now logged a cache in all 10 ten Canadian provinces (BC being completed when I have lived with family in Sechelt throughout the past 20 years)! 

 As we continued onward the trail seemed to be following a valley between two forested ridges.  We could hear the sounds of a chainsaw above us on the hill, and as we approached the Edouardville Staging Area we could hear the repeated and somewhat desperate mooing of a cow.  Perhaps it was lost, or in pain, or simply discontented, but it made us really wish we could help it. 

When we reached the Edouardville Staging Area we found a picnic table, a sign with a nice overhang, and a pit toilet.  As we gratefully took a break at the picnic table the sky continued to darken ominously.  All of a sudden it began to rain with gusto. We scurried to take shelter under the roof of the sign and took the opportunity to read about the history of the region.  It described how the railway was built through the area in 1927, with the help of hand operated tools and horse drawn wagons.  The CNR labourers lived in tents until more permanent stations were built for the CNR agents along the route. 

It rained hard for about half an hour, and we were extremely grateful for the shelter.  Eventually we headed back out into a light drizzle, thankful that the trail was hard packed and had not turned to mud during the recent storm.  The treed slopes gradually gave way to pastures, and we soon found ourselves approaching a group of cows on the trail.  One of them stood stalk still, like a statue, staring us down as we approached. It felt like a standoff, and until the cow decided to move at the last possible second we weren't too confident about who would come out the winner. 

The next stretch of trail took us through a very interesting and beautiful landscape.  Tall sand dunes covered in grassy meadows and forests rose up in small mounds, separating a series of small lakes and marshes.  In the first pond we heard the loud cries of a Sora, and we stopped long enough to spot it walking back and forth among the cattails at the water's edge.  Several pairs of Red-winged Blackbirds were also feeding young large beakfulls of insects. 

In the next pond along the trail we spotted a large family of Common Goldeneyes swimming on the far shore.  Nearby, a family of Buffleheads scattered at our approach, the mother berating the babies until they fell into line in a tight cluster in the centre of the pond.  

After stopping to watch the adorable groups of baby ducks we were picking up speed again when a Spotted Sandpiper erupted from the grasses at the trail edge and began frantically yelling at us.  A few seconds later a tiny, fuzzy, pompom-like baby Sandpiper shot out onto the trail.  It froze halfway, realizing its mistake, and attempted to hide behind a tiny pebble.  In desperation it thought better of its hasty decision and took refuge behind a tiny tuft of grass.  Finally it made it to safety on the far side of the trail, and used its camouflage to disappear among the leaves and grasses.  It was extremely cute. 

We were already feeling pretty lucky with the bird encounters we'd had today when we had a truly special encounter.  We spotted a huge brown bird flying clumsily across the trail ahead of us and disappearing into the treetops. At first we assumed it was a hawk.  However, as we got closer we realized it was a fledgling Great Horned Owl!  The poor thing had clearly just left its nest, and it was struggling to balance on a very tiny, thin birch branch in a stiff breeze.  Every time the tree swayed its bright yellow eyes opened wider and it flapped and struggled not to fall.  It repeatedly called for its parents, clearly wishing it was safely back in its nest and wondering how the world could be so wobbly.  We took a few photos and then continued on, leaving it in peace and wishing it well. 

We passed several more ponds, spotting Lesser Scaup, Buffleheads, and Blue-winged Teals as we went. A short section of forested trail led us to the outskirts of St. Paul.  This is one of the larger communities along the Iron Horse Trail, and it features the large Iron Horse Campground.  At the entrance was a stunning and intricately designed metal archway that depicted trail scenes from the Iron Horse and Trans Canada Trails, including cyclists, covered horse-drawn wagons, snowmobilers, and hikers. 

 

St. Paul was originally known as St- Paul-des-Métis between 1912 and 1936.  The community was founded as a Metis colony in 1896 after missionary Albert Lacombe petitioned the Canadian government for a land grant reserved for the Metis to farm.    Each Metis family that settled in the area received 80 acres of land, livestock, farming equipment, and access to collective land.  Soon afterwards a chapel, boarding school, sawmill and windmill were built.  Following a catastrophic fire in 1905 the Metis colony failed, and the area was subsequently opened up to European settlers in 1908.  In 1909, 450 European settlers, including many French Catholics were registered to homestead in the area. 

Today, St. Paul is a thriving community of nearly 6,000 people, and it features many restaurants, several grocery stores, and a Canadian Tire, among many other amenities.  It also holds the distinction of being home to the world's first UFO Landing Pad.  It was opened on June 3rd, 1967, and it is part of the reason St. Paul was declared the Centennial Capital of Canada.  In the 1990's a Tourist Information Centre was opened adjacent to the Landing Pad, which is meant to be an educational centre where visitors can view actual photographs of UFOs, crop circles, and cattle mutilations. There is also a gift shop offering products from 50 local artisans.  

We walked through town to visit the UFO landing pad, and along the way stopped to read some of the many historic signs that line the main street.  These signs were part of the Centennial projects installed in 1967, and they described local history.  For example, one historic plaque described a visit by Mother Teresa to St. Paul in 1982 after members of the community had raised almost a million dollars, which was used to build a leprosy clinic in India, with the remainder going to Mother Teresa to be distributed as she saw fit. 

We also noticed an historic plaque indicating that St Paul was located along the Winnipeg Trail, which was used extensively after 1860 by explorers, fur traders, and missionaries until the railway took its place.  As we've hiked the Trans Canada Trail we've been following this historic route on and off since leaving Winnipeg.   After months of following a historic pathway on and off it gives way to wondering about the experiences of indigenous peoples,  European pioneers, and all the other persons who have trekked on foot, by cart, by train, and by car over the centuries.  If only these routes could talk.

St. Paul seems to be a wonderful place to explore, but even though today was relatively short (32 km), we haven't fully recovered from yesterday.  We had dinner, but despite our best intentions we weren't able to stay awake to watch the Canada Day Fireworks at 11 pm.  It was a lovely day that involved many cute baby birds, including a baby owl, and as we fall asleep we feel extremely lucky to see and experience so much of this amazing country. 

 

 

See you on the trail!

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