Icefields Parkway

the long drive with the crowds up the Icefields Parkway was in perfect weather with sun and some drifting cloud and nice and warm -- The VC at Lake Louise produced a perched Violet-green Swallow, you just have to take what you can get; then on to the Bow Summit where the Clark's Nutcracker in the car park was doing the usual things like taking food from the hand and stashing it; the walk up to the snow line failed to produce any rosyfinches but singing Hermit Thrushes, Slate-coloured Fox Sparrows, Slate-coloured Junco's of the Rocky Mountain form, some presumably first-summer males ? nice views of Peyto Lake
Travel Tip: we paid for 2 days when entering Banff NP as we were simply asked how long we would be there; when we go to the Jasper NP as we were there 6 days we were told an annual pass was cheaper BUT this also included Banff and a load of other National Parks so if you are in the area for a week or so its cheaper to get an all encompassing annual pass and it runs to the end of the month you buy in the following year so 13 months -- now there is a good reason to go back next May!!!