Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Camping Weekend June 13, 2026 (Afternoon)

Chris Olsen Report

Bird Focus People:

On Saturday afternoon June 13, 2026 of the Medicine Lake/Crimson Lake Bird Focus Group camping weekend, we kayaked the shores, birding as we went. Seven paddlers were along to make our small fleet. The water was mirror-smooth and although the water lilies were not blooming yet, it was a beautiful paddle!

Water Lily Bay was filled with the usual feuding Red-winged Blackbirds and roving Cedar Waxwings, while Sora and Marsh wrens called from hiding. This year we did not see Osprey or Bald Eagles in the bay, but the Common Loons put on a real show, finishing in a chase sequence that ran hundreds of meters!

A highlight was sightings of two Broad-winged Hawks. One crossed the lake overhead, and a second traversed the shore, perching nicely for our photographers (Cathy and Deb).

With the high water levels we were able to paddle under the bridge and into the small lake to the east. Eastern Phoebes are nesting under the bridge while Common Loons back-packed their young in the sheltered waters. White-throated Sparrows and Western Wood-Pewees’ sang from the shore.

Altogether, a great finish to a birding day!

Enjoy!

Chris

Here is the eBird report:

Medicine Lake PRA, Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, CA

Jun 13, 2026 4:04 PM - 7:20 PM

Protocol: Traveling, paddling

7 Participants

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 8

Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 1

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 8

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 1

Sora (Porzana carolina) 1

American Coot (Fulica americana) 1

Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) 1

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 2

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) 1

Common Loon (Gavia immer) 8

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 2

Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) 2 Pair known to nest in the area. On kayak circuit, one seen in flight across a portion of the lake; a second perched on a snag in the forest ( photo below)

Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus) 1

Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) 4

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 2

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 1

Western Warbling Vireo (Vireo swainsoni) 3 Warbling Vireos common in the aspen boreal - the Western variant confirmed by song (Merlin) and location.

Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 4

Common Raven (Corvus corax) 2

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2

Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) 1

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 2

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1

Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 1

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 4

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 4

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 14

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 1

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 1

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 4

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 51

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 1

Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva) 5

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 1

View this checklist online at [https://ebird.org/checklist/S362345492](https://ebird.org/checklist/S362345492)