Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Walk June 6, 2026

Guest Host Ron Bjorge Report

Thank you to Ron for guest hosting this Bird Focus Group walk.

Bird Focus People:

Ten birders joined the exciting June 6, 2026 walk, which featured a clear warm morning, lively birds and enthusiastic birders and photographers at River Bend Recreation Area – upper trail. We identified 50 species including the photogenic American White Pelicans and the Western Tanager (photo below). A great morning and early afternoon of birding.

Here is the eBird report:

Red Deer--River Bend Recreation Area
Jun 6, 2026
8:04 AM
Traveling, walking
3.11 km
190 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: All good observations we believe
Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 3.6.1 Build 3.6.5
10 Participants
25 Canada Goose
1 Northern Shoveler
2 Gadwall
26 Mallard
1 Common Goldeneye
1 Mourning Dove
7 Spotted Sandpiper
1 California Gull
2 Red-necked Grebe
2 Common Loon
21 American White Pelican
2 Osprey
1 Bald Eagle
1 Red-tailed Hawk
3 Downy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
1 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted)
2 Western Wood-Peewee
1 Alder Flycatcher
13 Least Flycatcher
1 Eastern Phoebe
5 Red-eyed Vireo
1 Blue Jay
5 American Crow
4 Common Raven -- 3
6 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Boreal Chickadee
27 Bank Swallow
1 Tree Swallow
2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
108 Cliff Swallow
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
2 Red-breasted Nuthatch
7 Northern House Wren
1 Gray Catbird
24 American Robin
33 Cedar Waxwing
2 Purple Finch
6 American Goldfinch
10 Chipping Sparrow
5 Clay-colored Sparrow
17 White-throated Sparrow
7 Song Sparrow
5 Red-winged Blackbird
9 Brown-headed Cowbird
2 Common Grackle
1 American Redstart
56 Northern Yellow Warbler -- This species is very abundant here and the count is probably conservative
10 Yellow-rumped Warbler -- Quite common on this outing. More so than elsewhere, but little doubt about the species.
2 Western Tanager
Photo by Wayne – Western Tanager