Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Walk October 26, 2024

A rainy and cold morning cleared and warmed to be another glorious fall afternoon on October 26, 2024 at River Bend Golf & Recreation Area - all blue skies, red berries and golden leaves! Four birders walked the trails starting with a stroll to the underpass (the road to nowhere), and then following the upper trail perimeter back to the river. The day was so pleasant we just kept going and walked the northern perimeter trail as well.

Geese, Gulls, Mallards and Goldeneye’s were the story on the river. Pairs of Pileated, Downy and Northern Flicker Woodpeckers were the story in the woodland, with the usual habituated Chickadees and Nuthatches swarming us at every stop. There is a great crop of Mountain Ash and Elderberry’s this year, and the Robins were loving that. 

Chris Olsen

Here is the eBird report:

River Bend Golf, Red Deer, Alberta, CA
Oct 26, 2024 10:03 AM - 1:24 PM
Protocol: Traveling, walking
7.59 kilometres
Checklist Comments: Red Deer River Naturalists, Bird Focus Group outing.
16 species
4 Participants
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  290
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  32
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  22
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  10
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  2
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  2
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  3
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)  4
Common Raven (Corvus corax)  7
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  45
Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus)  2
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  2
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  4
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)  10
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  6
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S200366577