Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Walk December 2, 2023

 Seven birders joined Chris Olsen for a frosty morning stroll on the River Bend Golf & Recreation Area – Perimeter Trail December 2, 2023. Notwithstanding the recent drop in temperature there is still lots of open water below the footbridge and treatment outflow. Literally hundreds of Mallards and Canada Geese were observed variously feeding and resting at the outflow and all along the river. As we watched at the outflow a Bald Eagle made a couple of lazy low passes, but did not otherwise threaten the waterfowl. Among the geese and ducks we could even hear a late Killdeer, and saw it briefly in flight along the shoals. Chris thought he also heard a Greater Yellowlegs, but that needs confirmation.

On the island we found a lonely juvenile Snow Goose among a large flock of Canada Geese. Also remarkable for the season, a single Gadwall was feeding on the shoals below the island. Altogether, an interesting morning as the day warmed nicely!

A reminder that next Saturday (Dec 9th, 2023) is our last outing for the year (just ahead of the annual Christmas Bird Count). Join us to walk the Wishart trail in Gaetz Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary if you can, and especially join us at 1:00 p.m. or thereabouts in the Kerry Wood Nature Centre theatre room. We’ll have coffee and treats to celebrate the season that was, and plan forward for the winter and spring to come. For those with other commitments, please record your feedback and suggestions! See you then!!

Chris

River Bend Golf, Red Deer, Alberta, CA 2-Dec-2023 9:55 AM - 1:14 PM 

Protocol: Traveling, walking

4.887 kilometres 

Checklist Comments: Red Deer River Naturalists, Bird Focus Group outing 

17 species 

8 Participants 

Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) 1 juvenile bird loafing and preening among a large flock of Canada Geese, on an island in the Red Deer River. Observed from above, and then in flight. 

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 325 large group at the water treatment outflow and then scattered groups along the open Red Deer River below. 

Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 1 dabbling on the shoals of the open Red Deer River. 

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 400 very large flock on the shoreline below the treatment outflow, and the scattered groups foraging on the open Red Deer River below. 

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 45 

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1 calls heard on shoals of open river, observed in flight and confirmed with Merlin App. 

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1 

Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 5 

Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus) 1 

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) 1 

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1 

Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) 5 

Common Raven (Corvus corax) 1 

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 42 

Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) 3 

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 5 

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1 

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S155642095

Juvenile Snow Goose