Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Walk December 6, 2025

Chris Olsen Report

Bird Focus People:

Seven determined Birders joined together on December 6th, 2025 at Riverbend Golf & Recreation Area. A Northern Flicker browsed crab-apples in the playground and a brisk wind and -20 temperatures got us moving smartly. Welcome to Terry M. and Cheryl R. newly joining our Bird Focus group today!

Birding was mixed, with even the irrepressible Riverbend chickadees slow to appear in the chill. Notwithstanding the wind, mist hung over the icy water below the outflow and literally hundreds of Mallards and Canada Geese lined the ghostly shores. We saw one Killdeer on the shoals, and some small waterfowl, teal-sized, among the Mallards. Kingfishers have been heard and sighted there of late, but it was not our fortune this day.

We followed the river to the first bench, adding two adult Bald Eagles and two juveniles, sighted two-by-two. There were Common Goldeneyes and a single Common Merganser among many more Mallards and Canada Geese as we went.

Things were mostly quiet thereafter, with only Downy Woodpeckers and Chickadees for company on the trail. Near the last bit of conifer forest, a large buteo (genus comprising species commonly known as buzzards and hawks) looped over, circling us twice between the river and the fairways. We had a good look and our consensus is that it was a dark-phase Rough-legged Hawk. A great finish to a wintery outing!

Next Saturday December 13th, 2025 is our wrap-up at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. Join us for the walk on the Wishart Trail at the usual time if you can, and for sure for hot drinks and snacks afterwards (about 12:30-1:30 p.m.). We’ll have a summary of the season that was and talk about what we want to do in the season to come.

See you there!

Chris

Here is the eBird report:

River Bend Golf, Red Deer, Alberta, CA
Dec 6, 2025 9:32 AM - 12:55 PM
Protocol: Traveling, walking
4.322 kilometres
Checklist Comments: Red Deer River Naturalists, Bird Focus Group outing.
13 species
7 Participants
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 775
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 450
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 37
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1 Observed on the Red Deer River ice below the water treatment plant outflow - open water here year-round.
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 4
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 7
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 60
Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) 4
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S287760028