Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Field Trip October 4, 2025

Chris Olsen Report

Bird Focus People:

Eight hardy birders were out under threatening skies October 4, 2025 for a damp and chilly stroll of the Nova Nature trails. Birding started slow with the creek mostly dry and little moving in the grasslands and forest. Flocks of Canada Geese and a few Greater White-fronted Geese were our only activity to start. Towards the north, beaver dams were holding some water and we began to see dabbling ducks, coots and waders. 

Best sighting of the day was on a muddy bar where a lone Killdeer and three Wilson’s Snipes were foraging in the mud and shallows. The snipes seemed quite unconcerned by us and put on a nice display of probing the mud and shallows for insects.

We saw flocks of American Robins, American Pipits, European Starlings and Common Grackles overhead. The rising wind and cooling temperature seemed to be unsettling these birds and they moved through without pause. Even the crows, ravens and magpies seemed to be drifting. We saw flock after flock of Canada Geese, mostly overhead, but no Snow, Ross’s, or Cackling Geese joined them this morning.

Enjoy!

Chris

Here is the eBird report:

NOVA Chemicals Community Nature Trail, Red Deer, Alberta, CA
Oct 4, 2025 9:38 AM - 12:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling, walking
4.093 kilometres
Checklist Comments: Red Deer River Naturalists, Bird Focus Group outing.
22 species
8 Participants
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)  9
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  556
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  2
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)  6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  16
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  12
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  6
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)  1
American Coot (Fulica americana)  4
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)  3
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)  4
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  9
Common Raven (Corvus corax)  2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  9
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  20
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  15
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)  20
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  6
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S277262686