The southern Yukon is a land of big lakes, but for birders, one of the most interesting areas around Whitehorse is a relatively small body of water. Swan Lake, located about 20 kilometres north of the city, is the centrepiece of one of the most valuable wetlands in the Whitehorse area. The mix of marshes, open water and forest in the area supports a rich diversity of birdlife.

Birders visiting this area in the fall or spring will almost certainly spot a variety of different birds. A total of 158 species have been recorded at Swan Lake, including the first Yukon sightings of a number of species.

In spring, 75-80 different species of waterbirds will use the area. Dabbling ducks can be found in the marshes relatively early, but the number of birds picks up a bit later when the diving birds and shorebirds start to arrive. 30-35 species remain to nest in the sloughs and marshes around the lake.

The mix of forests supports numerous songbirds, including Flycatchers and Warbling Vireos. Three-toed Woodpeckers inhabit the older forests of white spruce, while Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers are found among the aspen trees.

Late May and early June, when both waterbirds and songbirds use the area, is considered to be the best time to visit the area. After a summer slow-down, bird activity picks up again in late summer. Birds of prey also cue in on the area as they migrate through the Yukon River valley.

A great deal is known about Swan Lake, largely due to the efforts of one enthusiastic birder. Helmut Grünberg first stumbled upon the lake in 1976, and returned again and again over the years. As his species list for the area continued to grow, he realized its importance and began to work on a book about Swan Lake.

"Birds of Swan Lake, Yukon," published in 1994, details the different habitats found in the area as well as the species sighted there. It is one of only two field guides to birds in the territory, the other being Robert Frisch's guide to birds along the Dempster Highway.

Grünberg says it's the area's diversity that makes it so interesting, as it combines the characteristics of many different habitats typical of the southern Yukon. On that first trip he only visited the lake, but soon found that the surrounding marshes were even more interesting.

"You never know what you might see there," he says. Highlights for him include sighting two Black Terns, never before seen in the Yukon, as well as a Purple Martin, which had been seen only once before in the territory.

Grünberg continues to visit the lake regularly, documenting what he finds there. He thinks that one of the characteristics that makes the lake special is its high alkalinity. Deposits of calcium carbonate in the area cause pH levels that range between 8.8 and 9.1.

Cameron Eckert, another well-known Yukon birder, also says that Swan Lake is an amazing place. He describes a visit two years ago in July, when he went canoeing on the lake with his children and wife, Pam Sinclair, another birder.

"I saw this tern flying over the forest and when I put my binoculars on it I saw that it was a Caspian Tern! It was the first one that we had ever seen in the Yukon, and only the second one spotted in the territory. It was completely serendipitous to make a sighting like that on a family outing, so it's a place that constantly yields surprises."

Eckert recently wrote a submission to the territorial water board, opposing a plan to harvest wild rice in the Swan Lake area. As the area is one of the very few known breeding sites for species such as Wilson's Phalarope, Short-billed Dowitcher, Sora and American Coot, Eckert says that it is not a good place to run agricultural experiments.

Grünberg has found that this important wetland has actually been going through a dry spell in recent years. He says that a series of dry springs and summers has caused a dip in the productivity of the area. Laberge Creek flows through the marshes east of Swan Lake, but the lake itself is fed by underground springs and rain water.

The shallow lake has two sections of open water, connected by a narrow channel. Viewed from the air, the lake has a swan-like shape, but Grünberg is not sure whether the lake was named because of its distinctive outline or because someone once saw swans there.

Despite its name, Swan Lake is not the best place to view the swans that migrate through the southern Yukon in early spring. When waterfowl congregate in large numbers at staging areas such as M'Clintock Bay on Marsh Lake, Swan Lake is usually still frozen.

The Swan Lake area has been selected by the Ta'an Kwäch'än Council, and is under interim protection until the First Nation's land claim is finalized. Located a 45 minute drive from Whitehorse along the Long Lake Road, Swan Lake is relatively remote, so people are encouraged to join a Yukon Bird Club trip for their first visit to the area. The Bird Club can be contacted at 667-4630, or by e-mail at ceckert@yknet.yk.ca.