Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Field Trip June 15, 2024

Despite a cool and wet start,15 people joined Chris Olsen to walk the trails of Radar Hill June 15, 2024. The weather threatened initially, but then cleared and warmed nicely! Welcome to Yvaine S., Mitch D., and Dana R., joining us for the first time.

Things started quietly as we moved along the grazed cattle corridor with only the irrepressible Red-eyed Vireos and distant Ovenbirds for company. Once we started down the lowland trail however, things picked up quickly and we added American Redstarts, Black and White Warblers and Yellow Warblers to our list. A very pretty Rose-breasted Grosbeak gave us a song and a show from his high perch. We pished (A pish is an imitated bird call (usually a scold or alarm call) used by birders and ornithologists to attract birds (generally passerines). The action of making the sound is known as pishing or spishing. This technique is used by scientists to increase the effectiveness of bird diversity surveys, and by birders to attract species that they might not otherwise see.) out a female Redstart for people to see. Like last year, we soon heard the distinct calls of Great Crested Flycatchers, and notably this time we spotted a pair in the tall snags around the first meadow. That pair seemed to follow along with us and we had numerous observations and even some photo opportunities.

Despite Brian’s best efforts we didn’t find a deer fawn this time, but the wetlands and meadows were rich with the sight of marsh calla and the songs of White-throated Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats and Sora. We managed 35 bird species and a most enjoyable woodland walk!

Remember that we’re finishing our spring schedule with the Ferry Point weekend and Ron logged 70+ species there last year! See the RDRN website for details and join us camping or day-tripping if you can. The following weekend will be Medicine Lake, with woodland hiking in the morning and kayaking/canoeing in the afternoon.

See you out there!

Chris

Here is the eBird report:

Radar Hill, Red Deer, Alberta, CA
Jun 15, 2024 9:36 AM - 1:16 PM
Protocol: Traveling, walking
4.229 kilometres
Checklist Comments: Red Deer River Naturalists, Bird Focus Group outing
35 species
15 Participants
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  3
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)  2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  4
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  3
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)  2
Sora (Porzana carolina)  2
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)  1
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  2
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)  1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  5
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)  2     At least two birds calling along the trail. Seen and heard repeatedly by many in our group. Calls/ songs confirmed by Merlin.
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  7
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  3
Common Raven (Corvus corax)  2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  3
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  4
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  1
Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  3
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)  2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  5
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  12
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  2
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)  2
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  5
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  2     At least two birds heard clearly along the trail. Not seen but recognized by experienced birders. Confirmed by Merlin.
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  5
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  4     Several birds singing along the wooded trail. Pished out both a male and female and they were seen by numerous observers. Vocalizations also confirmed by Merlin.
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  6
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  3
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S181700954