Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Walk November 16, 2024

A frosty morning warmed nicely along Waskasoo Creek November 16, 2024. Fifteen birders joined Chris Olsen under sparkling blue skies, walking from Rotary Park, through Barrett, Coronation, Galbraith and Stephenson Parks, to a finish in lower Gaetz. Crews have been busy in Barrett Park, and a number of old white spruce have been felled along the trail - the trunks appear sound and the loss of woodpecker habitat is a real concern. Perhaps due to the recent disturbance, we did not see any Black-backed or Pileated Woodpeckers through this section.

Of note, Yvaine S. caught a glimpse of a Mustelid on the creek, and over the next hundred meters or so others glimpsed the animal travelling on the ice and in the water - almost certainly an American Mink.

Along the trails, we had House Finches overhead, and the usual assortment of small woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees. Black-billed Magpies and Blue Jays were sighted all along; there were large numbers of Canada Geese and Mallards on the river. We finished the morning with a mature Bald eagle circling high overhead. 

Chris Olsen

Here is the eBird report:

Waskasoo Creek, Red Deer CA-AB (52.2693,-113.8017), Red Deer, Alberta, CA
Nov 16, 2024 9:45 AM - 12:48 PM
Protocol: Traveling, walking
4.45 kilometres
Checklist Comments: Red Deer River Naturalists, Bird Focus Group outing.
18 species
15 Participants
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  255
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  23
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon))  3
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  9
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  4
Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus)  3
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  6
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)  19
Common Raven (Corvus corax)  1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  26
Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus)  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  4
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  4
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)  3
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  5
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  28
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S202703628