Cemetery Birding

Established in 1891, Union Cemetery is the oldest burial ground in Calgary. Many city founders and early pioneers, such as A.E. Cross, William Roper Hull, and Colonel James Macleod are buried here. It is also home to the Reader Rock Garden, located in the northwest corner of the cemetery. During the turn of the last century, it was common for horticulturists to collect alpine plants on their travels and create gardens as living artifacts of their journeys. William Roland Reader, Superintendent for Calgary Parks from 1913-1942, engaged in this practice and for thirty years trialed over 4000 plant species; transforming a bare hillside into the internationally-acclaimed rock garden.

Conveniently located across the street from my office, Union Cemetery is also a great migrant trap. I regularly head over during the Spring and Fall to see what is present. Walking over today at lunch, I had just started my way up the hill towards Reader Rock Garden when I heard a Dendroica warbler singing from conifers that line the road. It took a few minutes before spotting a male Townsend's Warbler at the top of a Blue Spruce. An uncommon fall migrant, this was my first spring record for Calgary and my second for Union Cemetery. I watched the warbler as it flew from branch to branch, all the while singing. Walking along the stone paths in the rock garden I spotted a couple of Swainson's Thrushes hiding in the understory. Looping back to the office I spotted my last migrant, a Tennessee Warbler perched in a Mayday.