Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Walk October 12, 2024

 A small but sharp-eyed group of three joined Chris Olsen October 12, 2024 to stroll the Maskepetoon Park trails. The day started cool but warmed nicely into early afternoon. Leaf fall is well underway in the wet forest and the fall colour's were breathtaking. The trails were literally a leafy carpet through the forest. We recorded 18 species, but American Robins were the story of the day. There were Robins everywhere, scolding migrators that were feasting on mountain ash and high bush cranberry. Thirty-five was where we left the count, but since the forest was so busy with them there may have been many times that number!

The waters of the old pits were relatively quiet but a curious American Mink entertained us from near his hide in an old beaver lodge, and a lone Double-crested Cormorant swam and dove steadily pursuing something underwater.

As a last note, there were new ATV trails leading into the park from beneath the highway and rail bridges. People are bringing in garbage, starting fires and building shelters. Please let Parks and city staff know that signage, fencing and clean-up will be necessary to preserve the habitat here!

Join us next weekend at Crimson Lake October 19, 2024.

Chris

Here is the eBird report:

Red Deer--Maskepetoon Park, Red Deer, Alberta, CA 

Oct 12, 2024 9:35 AM - 1:05 PM 

Protocol: Traveling, walking 

6.589 kilometres 

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

18 species 

3 Participants 

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 23 

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 3 

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 8 

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 1 

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 5 

Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 1 

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 2 

Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 4 

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) 2 

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 2 

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 4 

Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) 6 

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 19 

Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) 1 

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2 

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 35 

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 2 

House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 8 

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S198817658

📷Chris Olsen