Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Field Trip May 31, 2025

Bird Focus People:

Twelve birders were out to stroll Kuhnen Park May 31, 2025. For most of our walk, the winds were light and an overcast sky kept the heat from being oppressive. Birds were very active in the forest, along the trails, and on the water, and we managed 51 species for the outing. Yellow Warblers and Least Flycatchers vied for the most common and visible species of the day. Eastern Kingbirds and even Gray Catbirds put on a show in the shrubbery. Surprisingly we heard few Baltimore Orioles, and this time out we did not see Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Common Grackle, Ruby-throated Hummingbird or even Nuthatches. Birding - always a surprise!

Join our Guest Host Ron Bjorge June 7, 2025 on the Riverbend Golf & Recreation Area upper trails - that is always a rich and diverse offering! Or, if you’re feeling adventurous join me for the Vermilion River Naturalists annual spring count in Vermilion Provincial Park. I hope to see many of you at Medicine Lake June 14, 2025 for the birding trails or kayaking. And Crimson Lake for birding on June 15, 2025. See www.rdrn.ca for details.

Enjoy!

Chris Olsen

Here is the eBird report:

Kuhnen Park, Red Deer, Alberta, CA
May 31, 2025 9:43 AM - 1:21 PM
Protocol: Traveling, walking
4.201 kilometres
Checklist Comments: Red Deer River Naturalists, Bird Focus Group outing.
51 species
12 Participants
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 41
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) 5
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 1
Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 5
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 13
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 1
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) 3
Redhead (Aythya americana) 5
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 6
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 16
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 1
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 1
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 1
American Coot (Fulica americana) 5
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1
Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) 4
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) 6
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) 11
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 2
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) 28
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 3
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 9
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 6
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 3
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 4
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 8
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 6
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 1
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 5
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 14
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 6
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 10
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) 3
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 10
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 3
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) 7
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 3
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 26
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 5
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 31
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 3
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S245224068