Whooping Crane Photo courtesy Tourism Saskatchewan

Last Mountain Lake, Saskatchewan – Just a two-hour drive northwest of Regina you can visit North America’s oldest bird sanctuary – Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area. Established in 1887, it’s an important migratory stopover for hundreds of thousands of birds travelling between their northern breeding grounds and their southern wintering grounds.

Over 280 species of birds have been recorded here, including such endangered birds as the Peregrine Falcon, the Piping Plover, the Burrowing Owl and the tallest bird in the world (and one of the rarest) the Whooping Crane.

Last Mountain Lake National
Wildlife Area © Lucy Izon

During the fall its possible to see up to 50,000 Sandhill Cranes, 450,000 geese, and several hundred thousand ducks. Mountain Lake Record-holders include a Common Tern which was banded here in 1956, then recovered 12,000 km away in the Cook Islands (South Pacific) in 1960.

A driving tour lasting about one hour and covering a 16 km route starts near the Information Kiosk. There are also two self-guided nature trails, and an observation tower. The park is about a two-hour drive northwest of Regina