Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Field Trip October 4, 2025

Chris Olsen Report

Bird Focus People:

Eight hardy birders were out under threatening skies October 4, 2025 for a damp and chilly stroll of the Nova Nature trails. Birding started slow with the creek mostly dry and little moving in the grasslands and forest. Flocks of Canada Geese and a few Greater White-fronted Geese were our only activity to start. Towards the north, beaver dams were holding some water and we began to see dabbling ducks, coots and waders. 

Best sighting of the day was on a muddy bar where a lone Killdeer and three Wilson’s Snipes were foraging in the mud and shallows. The snipes seemed quite unconcerned by us and put on a nice display of probing the mud and shallows for insects.

We saw flocks of American Robins, American Pipits, European Starlings and Common Grackles overhead. The rising wind and cooling temperature seemed to be unsettling these birds and they moved through without pause. Even the crows, ravens and magpies seemed to be drifting. We saw flock after flock of Canada Geese, mostly overhead, but no Snow, Ross’s, or Cackling Geese joined them this morning.

Enjoy!

Chris

Here is the eBird report:

NOVA Chemicals Community Nature Trail, Red Deer, Alberta, CA
Oct 4, 2025 9:38 AM - 12:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling, walking
4.093 kilometres
Checklist Comments: Red Deer River Naturalists, Bird Focus Group outing.
22 species
8 Participants
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)  9
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  556
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  2
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)  6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  16
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)  12
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  6
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)  1
American Coot (Fulica americana)  4
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  1
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)  3
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)  4
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  9
Common Raven (Corvus corax)  2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  9
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  20
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  15
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)  20
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  6
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S277262686

Red Deer River Naturalists Bird Focus Group Field Trip October 5, 2024

Six birders were out to walk the Nova Chemicals Community Nature Trail October 5, 2024 with Chris Olsen. The day started cool and blustery, but the skies were clear and it warmed nicely into the afternoon. Surprisingly, there were some large water-bodies and the beaver had dammed waters on significant portions of the creek. We saw numerous flocks of both Canada and Greater White-fronted Geese in the air, and there were large numbers of Canada Geese in the water. Among these, looking conspicuous were 3 lonely Snow Geese and some Cackling Geese. Numerous Mallards, a few Gadwalls, Blue-winged Teal, Ruddy Ducks, American Coots, and a single Red-necked Grebe finished the story for us on the water.

There were few songbirds and the small flocks we saw were wary and distant in the bluster. Credit to Jane for one last scan as she drove out, and we added a pretty Northern Harrier that was kiting over the wetlands to the southwest.

Join us next weekend October 12, 2024 in Maskepetoon Park if you can!

Chris

Here is the eBird report:

NOVA Chemicals Community Nature Trail, Red Deer, Alberta, CA
Oct 5, 2024 10:05 AM - 12:43 PM
Protocol: Traveling, walking
5.127 kilometres
Checklist Comments: Red Deer River Naturalists, Bird Focus Group outing
15 species
6 Participants
Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) 3
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) 230
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) 4
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 617
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) 4
Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 3
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 57
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 6
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) 1
American Coot (Fulica americana) 11
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 1
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) 10
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 4
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S197689508

NOVA NATURE TRAIL; A GOOD FIND

     Yesterday I went with 7 other birders to the Nova Nature Trail. I had never been to this area and it was a very pleasant surprise. Nova Chemicals has set up a nature trail on 280 acres just north of the plant. Jones Creek runs through the center of the area so there are some very good wetlands.

     As I said the main feature is the creak. Some of the area is reclaimed land. Other parts are pastured areas. There is brush, riparian treed and grassed areas. This makes for great bird and animal habitat.

      They have put in 7 Km of gravel rails. There are many bridges over wetlands so it affords great views to the area.

    I was quite pleased to see that Nova Chemicals had set aside and improved the area so well.

    We saw 19 species of birds that we could identify and a few that we didn't get a good enough look at in order to identify them. We saw:Canada geese, crow, great blue heron, red tailed hawk, mallard, flicker, yellow rumped warbler, American tree sparrow, vesper sparrow, tree swallow, raven, Savannah sparrow, downy woodpecker, black capped chickadee, red necked grebe, coots, American goldfinch, shovellers.

    I highly recommend that you visit this area.

     I will certainly be out next spring to check on breeding birds.