Red Deer River Naturalists

The Red Deer river Naturalists are a group dedicated to learning about and preserving natural history. They have regular programs with speakers and many field trips.

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Sunday, February 26, 2017

150 SPECIES - cANADA'S 150th YEAR



Date       |   Species                       |        reporter                |                  location 

Feb. 22     Pine siskin                          Chris Olsen                               Red Deer
    “          Common redpoll   " "
   "           House finch                               "                                             "
   "           Black-capped chickadee              "                                             "
   "           White breasted nuthatch              "                                             "
   "           House sparrow                           "                                             "
   "           Pileated woodpecker                   "                                             "
   "           Northern flicker                          "                                             "
   "           Downy woodpecker                    "                                             "
   "           Black-billed magpie                     "                                             "
   "           Bohemian waxwing                     "                                             "
   "           Rock pidgeon                                "                                             "
   "           Blue jay                                Dennis Mckernan        12 mi NW of Olds
   "           American Kestrel                          "                                         "
   "           Bald eagle                                    "                                         "
   "           Raven                                          "                                         "
   "           Snow bunting                               "                                          "
 Feb.24    Mallard                                 Judy Boyd                    Dickson dam
 Jan.2      Canada goose                                "                                      "
 Jan.14    Merlin                                           "                           Clearview Meadows
 Jan.15    Rough-legged hawk                        "                           Erskine
    "         Great horned owl                           "                           Hwy 835 S of Twp 380
    "         Hairy Woodpecker                         "                           Hwy 601 east of RR  212
    "         European starling                           "                            Hwy 601 east of rr 213
 Jan.17    Northern shrike                             "                            RR 272 north of twp 360
    "         Gray partridge                               "                            twp 344 west of rr 220
    "         Ring necked pheasant                    "                            RR 231 north of Twp 310
Jan. 25    Common goldeneye                      "                            Dickson dam
Jan. 30    American crow                             "                            Taylor Dr and Horn St. Red Deer
Feb. 1     Boreal chickadee                          "                             Medicine River Wildlife Center
Feb. 1     Snowy owl                                    "                           RR 230 south of Twp 324
Feb. 15   Horned lark                                   "                           Twp 344 east of RR 250
    "         Eurasian collared dove                   "                            Rr 272 at Twp 372
Jan. 2     Spotted towhee                        Roger Marcil
Jan. 14   Barred owl                               Jurgen Wiechert           Mackenzie Trails
Feb. 28   Red-breasted nuthatch              Bertha Ford                 Anders
Mar. 4     Gray jay                                 Valerie Helm                NE of Sundre
   "         Spruce grouse                                  "                                  "
   "         Great gray owl                                 "                                  "
   "         Pine grosbeak                                  "                                  "
Jan. 18   Says phoebe                            Darcy Gabert                 Ellis Bird Farm
Mar.1    Northern saw whet owl             Jim Potter                      Near Delburne
Mar. 4   Brown creeper                         Brian Biggs                     Near Lousana  
Mar. 8   Cedar waxwing                         Judy Boyd                     Red Deer
Mar. 7   Dark-eyed junco                       Aly Seymour
Mar. 19 American robin                         Aly Seymour                  West of Benalto
Mar. 21 Ruffed grouse                           Judy Boyd                      Twp 364 and RR 11
Mar. 19  Mountain bluebird                    Valerie Helm                   N E Sundre
Feb. 15  Northern Goshawk                    Carol Kelly                    Medicine River wildlife center
Feb 25   Common merganser                  Judy Boyd                     Dickson dam
Mar. 22 American tree sparrow               Jim Robertson                Joffre
Mar. 22 Ring billed gull                           Judy Boyd                     Red Deer
Mar. 23 Northern harrier                         Brian Biggs                    Lousana
Mar. 11 American goldfinch                    Brian Biggs                     Lousana
Mar. 24 Northern pintail                          Judy Boyd                     Bigelow Reservoir
Mar. 24 American widgeon                     Judy Boyd                      Bigelow Reservoir
Mar. 25 Red-tailed hawk                         Judy Boyd                     West of Penhold
Mar. 30 Trumpeter swan                         Aly Seymour                  West of Benalto
Mar 28   Snow goose                               Stuart Ford                    Penhold
Mar 29   California gull                            Judy Boyd                      Erskine
Mar. 22  Mourning dove                          Aly Seymour                  West of Benalto
Mar 29   Long-eared owl                          Jim Potter                      Delburne
Mar. 28  Red-winged blackbird                 Jurgen Wiechert           Twp road 412 west of Lacombe
Apr 1     Killdeer                                      Carol Kelly                    Medicine River wildlife Center
Apr 3    Sandhill crane                              Carol Kelly                                      "
Apr 3    Hooded merganser                       Myrna Pearman             Bentley ski hill
Mar. 28 Peregine falcon                           Ken, Lewis,and Finnely Lehman  Sheraton Hotel Red                                                                                                                      deer
Apr 4 Tundra swan                                 Judy Boyd                     Near Penhold
Apr 4 CanvasBack                                 Judy Boyd                      Cootie pond
Apr 4 Lesser scaup                                 Judy Boyd                      Penhold
Apr 4 Bufflehead                                    Judy Boyd                      West of Penhold
Apr 4 Ring-necked duck                          Judy Boyd                      West of Delburne
Apr 5 Great blue heron                            Brian Harris                     Radar Hill
Mar. 28 Brewer's blackbird                      Leo Degrood                    Rainy Creek near Sylvan
Mar,11 Sharp shinned hawk                     Leo Degrood                    Sunbreaker Cove
Apr 8 Short-eared owl                              Judy and Larry Boyd        Kievers Lake
Apr 9 Northern shoveller                         John Caddy                       Cooty pond
  "      American coot                               John Caddy                       Cooty pond
Apr 13 Double-crested cormorant             John Caddy          1 mile west of Bentley Blindman river
Apr 14 Green-winged teal                        John and Colleen Caddy        Slack slough
   "       Cinnamon teal                                              "                                 "
   "       Redhead                                                      "                                 "
Apr 15 Western Tanager                          Jurgen Wiechert            Kerry Wood Nature Center
   "      Common loon                         Estelle Froese, Chris Olson, Jurgen Wiechert Gaetz Lake
Apr 16 American avocet                          John and Colleen Caddy             Slack slough
Apr 17 Eastern Phoebe                            Anna Robertson                Rge Rd 25-2 South hwy11
   "       Tree swallow                          Barb& Laurence Rooney      Northwest end of Gull Lake
   "       Golden eagle                      Kaitlyn Rumohr  Jurgen Wiechert   Gaetz Lake
   "       Greater yellowlegs                       Judy Boyd                              Cootie Pond
   "       Blue-winged teal                          Judy Boyd                           RR11 & Twp rd 364
Apr 19 Franklin's gull                                   "                                     Hwy 2A Springbrook
    "      Ruddy duck                         Phil and Bev French                    Lousana
    "      Purple finch                         Sheba Jack                                 NE 6-35-4-w5
Apr 14 Turkey vulture                     Jim Potter                      
Apr 19 Cooper's hawk                      Jim Potter
   "       Lesser yellowlegs                  John Caddy                               RR 15 north of twp 294
   "       Common grackle                   Anna and Jim Robertson          
   " 20   Chipping sparrow                  John Caddy                               Red Deer
   " 19    Horned grebe                      Judy Boyd                                 Erskine Lake
   " 20    Wilson's  snipe                    Anna and Jim Robertson              RR 25-2 SE Joffre
   " 21   Swainson's hawk                  Judy Boyd
   " 22   Osprey                                      "                                      Hwy 816 north of twp rd 372
   " 22   Townsend's solitaire             Gary and Pat Anderson             Red Deer city
   " 24    Song sparrow                      Brian Harris                             RR 271 and Hwy 42
   " 24    Gadwalls                             John Caddy                             Slack Slough
   " 25    White pelicans                     Judy Boyd                               Dickson Dam
     23     Red-necked grebe                Judy Boyd                              Mackenzie Trails
   "26     White-crowned sparrow        Pat and Gary Anderson           Oriole Park
   " 26    Herring gull                          Colleen and John Caddy            Sylvan Lake
   " 28    Evening grosbeak                 Leo Degroot                             Sunbreaker Cove
   " 30    Lincoln's sparrow                 Leo Degroot                                         "
   " 30    Yellow-headed blackbird       Jerry and John Caddy               Cygnet Lake
   " 30    Eared grebe                          Jerry and John Caddy                West of Sylvan Lake
   " 30    Clay-colored sparrow            jerry and John Caddy                 West of Sylvan Lake
May 1   Western meadowlark             Judy boyd and John Caddy         West of Big Valley
   "   1    Yellow-bellied sapsucker       Leo Degroot                              Sunbreaker Cove
   "   1   Wood duck                           Jim Potter                                 Near Delburne
Apr 30   American bittern                   Jim Potter                                 Near Delburne
   "  30   Broad-winged hawk              Stewart Ford                             Penhold
May 1   Yellow-rumped warbler         Judy Boyd                                 MRWC
   "   1    Ruby-crowned kinglet           Judy Boyd                                 MRWC
   "   3    Black tern                            Carol Kelly                                 MRWC
   "   4    Brown-headed cowbird         Leo DeGroot                             Sunbreaker Cove
   "   3    Pied-billed grebe                   Judy Boyd                                 MRWC
   "   4    Savannah Sparrow                   "      "                                     Cootie Pond
   "   4    Marsh wren                             "      "                                     Penhold
   "   6    Rose-breasted grosbeak          Rick and Cheri Kay                    Sylvan Lake
   "   7    Barn swallow                        Judy Boyd                                 Cootie Pond
   "   7    Wilson's phalarope                   "       "                                    Gasoline Alley
   "   7    White-throated sparrow           Leo Degroot                              Sunbreaker Cove
   "   6    Western grebe                        Bird focus group                        Hazlett Lake
   "   10  Least flycatcher                      Leo Degroot                              Sunbreaker Cove
   "  2     Black-necked stilt                   Eileen Ford                                Penhold
   "  10   Solitary sandpiper                   Jim Potter                                  Near Delburne
   "  8     Least sandpiper                      Gwen Marshall & Judy Boyd       Bigelow Resevoir
   "  9     Eastern kingbird                     Jerry Caddy                                West of Sylvan Lake
   "  1     Red -breasted merganser         Leo Degroot                               Sunbreaker cove
   "  9     Spotted sandpiper                   Jurgen Weichert                          Innisfail
   "  9     Vesper sparrow                       John Caddy                                In his yard
   "  11   Bonaparte's gull                       John Caddy                                Red Deer
   "  13   Northern water thrush              Leo Degroot                               Sunbreaker Cove
   "  13   Purple martin                          Barry Simpson and Judy Boyd       Pine Lake
   "  13   Sora                                 Judy Boyd                                   Penhold
   "  13   Common nighthawk                Jim Potter                                   Near Delburne
   "  13   Cliff swallow                           Judy Boyd                                   West of Penhold
   "  17   Yellow warbler                        Leo Degroot                              Sunbreaker Cove
   "  17   Bank swallow                          John Caddy                               Slack Slough
   "  17   Willet                                      John Caddy                               Slack Slough
   "  17   Swainson's thrush                     Leo Degroot                              Sunbreaker Cove
   "  19   Ruby-throated hummingbird      Brian Harris                              Hwy 42and RR 271
   "  20   Baltimore oriole                        Caroline Harris                          Hwy 42 and RR 271
   "  21   Belted kingfisher                       Colleen Caddy/Sandy Lampard  Norglenwold
   "  23   Gray catbird                             Judy Boyd                                West  of Delburn
   "  27   Red-eyed vireo                         Judy Boyd                                MRWC
   "  27   Western wood-peewee              Judy Boyd                                MRWC
   "  27    Common yellowthroat               Judy Boyd                                MRWC
   "  27   Philadelphia vireo                     Keith Kline                                 Bower Woods
   "  27   Prairie falcon                           Doug Pedersen                            Dry Is. Buffalo Jump
   "  27   Lark sparrow                           Doug Pedersen                            Dry Is. Buffalo Jump
   "  28   Western kingbird                      Doug Pedersen                            Three Hills
   "  28   Loggerhead shrike                    Doug Pedersen                            Three Hills
   "  28   Common tern                          John, Colleen , Jerry Caddy           Gull Lake
   "  28   Forster's tern                           John, Colleen, Jerry Caddy            Gull Lake
   "  28   Cackling goose                        John, Colleen, Jerry Caddy             Gull Lake
   "  28   Northern rough-wing swallow     Eileen Ford                                 West of Penhold
   "  28   Great crested flycatcher            Jim and Bonnie Potter                   West of Delburne
   "  28   Warbling vireo                         Jim and Bonnie Potter                   West of Delburne
June 6    Alder flycatcher                       Judy Boyd                                    Kevisville
   "   15  Hermit thrush                          Judy Boyd                                    MRWC
   "   17  Orange-crowned warbler          RDRN Field trip                            Ferry  Point
   "   17  Sprague's pipit                         RDRN Field Trip                           Ferry Point
   "   17  Olive-sided flycatcher               Claudia Lipski, Jane Ens                Ferry point
July 6     LeConte's sparrow                   Judy Boyd                                   MRWC
  "   7     Great egret                             Roberta Palaniuk                                      Sandbar , Red Deer river off Taylor bridge.
  "   17   Black crowned night heron        Larry and Judy Boyd                   Haunted Lake
Aug. 3   Red-necked phalarope               Judy Boyd                              Fleming Slough , Penhold
Aug.20  Canada warbler                        Myrna Pearman                       Ellis Bird Farm
Sept. 8  American pipit                          Judy Boyd                        RR 1-1 at Twp rd 36-4
Sept.12  Wilson's warbler                      Keith Kline                         Sunnybrook, Red Deer

Saturday, February 25, 2017

BIGHORN SHEEP

    The Red Deer River Naturalists had an interesting speaker tell us about bighorn sheep.

    Kathleen Ruckstuhl, an expert on bighorns presented a wide variety of information on the sheep. Kathleen has studied bighorns for 23 years.

    The bighorn population is worrisome. Populations have gone down and not come back up. Sheep are transplanted in different groups to add to the population. The social aspects are quite interesting. Males stay with males and only  few dominant males  get to breed as other males are fought off.

     Kathleen had many great photos.

    Many questions were asked during the talk and a long question and answer period happened after the talk.

    People are very curious about bighorns. I always stop when I see a bighorn herd. I usually see some sheep around whirlpool point on the David Thompson highway.

    Huw Jenkins has a nice shot of a typical little bighorn sheep herd.

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Sunday, February 12, 2017

WHERE'S THE MOUSE?

      Two or three times a year I will have mice in my yard. They've usually been around for quite sometime before I notice. Sometimes they get into the shed and the bird seed. They can make a mess.

      With the fresh snow, mouse tracks are obvious and a few days ago I saw tracks. Of course, I lost the tracks. So where's the mouse?

      Today the tracks appeared again and it looks like he/she was heading out of the country.

       When I'm out in the bush in snow I always watch for signs of mice. Mice are an important part of the food chain. How many mice a month does it take to keep an owl from being hungry.

      This fall some crop in Alberta was not harvested. Swaths of grain are perfect places for mice. Then in the spring we discover a large mouse population.

     Are you seeing more mice this winter because of crop left in the field?

Sunday, February 5, 2017

FIND THE CALLING BIRD!

    This morning I shovelled snow just before noon. It was cold and with a bit of a breeze. Being Sunday morning , things were very quiet.

   When I'm out I always watch for birds. I like to see what's in the area and listen for any calls.

    This morning I heard a bird call as I was shovelling. I stopped to listen. I could identify the bird immediately. It was the collared dove. However, I couldn't see the bird. I kept shovelling, listening and watching. I find the collared dove sound hard to pinpoint. I know the general direction but it seems to come from different areas. Sometimes that's because there's more than one bird.

    I finished shovelling and still hadn't seen the bird. I wasn't going to go up the street looking for the bird.

    I hope the bird or birds found what they were looking for. They were probably looking for a suitable feeder.

   Collared doves are recent arrivals here. The first one I saw was three years ago. Many people have not seen them but I'll bet they've heard them. I was asked recently if collared doves were around this winter. Yes, they are. They are around my place every week or so.

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Sunday, January 29, 2017

BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS AGAIN.

    Bohemian waxwings are a very common winter bird in this area. (Central Alberta). They appear about the end of November to mid December. They travel in rather large flocks so are very noticeable. The rest of the year they spend in the boreal forest.

    Waxwings are very attractive with the bright red and yellow markings. You can get very close to them when they are feeding on mountain ash berries. When they are resting in the daytime they find a huge tree where as many of them as possible jockey for spaces. They groom and enjoy the sun.

    Last week I wrote about how the waxwings are pursued by merlins. This week I observed the action again. There were many waxwings in the tree in my front yard as they were feeding in my neighbor's mountain ash. I got a few photos and as I was looking for another photo the flock exploded and left. As waxwings do they formed a dense ball and rose . Then I noticed a different bird. You almost think it's a waxwing that didn't here go. But it was the merlin. Again I didn't see him make a kill but I haven't had waxwings all week.





Sunday, January 22, 2017

BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS

     Bohemian waxwings give us some fantastic shows in the winter. They are beautiful birds with some bright red and yellow highlights.

     Bohemian waxwings tend to hang out in rather large flocks. They start out smaller in early winter and gradually grow to be huge flocks which are very noticeable. It's amazing to see a large flock of birds take off all at the same instant. What's to communication they have that tells them to begin flight as if they are one bird?

     Flocks become larger as they feast on Mountain ash berries. The snow under roosting trees gets covered with the remains of the red mountain ash berries. And then they have the nerve to poop on cars.

     For me the best part of bohemian waxwings is when they are pursued by a predator. The predator in this area is the merlin. The merlin's method of predation is to get under a flock. The flock rises to get away from the merlin. Sooner or later a weak bird will drop for the flock. The merlin is on the bird like lightening.

     Today a large flock was in my district. And yes the merlin was here too. I saw the merlin chase the flock but I didn't see him make a kill.

     Are you watching the beautiful bohemian waxwings?

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