Sooty Fox Sparrow

only saw one this time around -- they seem amazingly adept at placing themselves behind thin branches

Fox Sparrow

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!!!