September 2012 Monthly Challenge

[Chris]

September is the most active month for Fall migration. Songbirds are continuing their migration. Island 22 has proven to be a Fall migration hotspot and even has produced its share of rarities in the past, such as the Blackpoll Warbler and Philadelphia Vireo . Waterfowl slowly begin increasing in numbers in our region. Harrison Lake has been a consistent location to see Scoters and Grebes migrating through. Harrison Lake is also a good location to see other migrating birds in our area. Likewise, the Chehalis Estuary is a very good location to see migrating shorebirds, waterfowl and songbirds

Breakdown by year for September

2008 – 157 species recorded
2009 – 150 species recorded
2010 – 154 species recorded
2011 - 143 species recorded

Average species for September 151

Last updated September 29

Species seen to date 172

View past monthly challenges by clicking here You can also see the highlight species seen in previous years by month.

Click on a species in blue text to see more information on that species in our checklist area

To view the missing species for the month please click here

Greater White-fronted Goose
Canada Goose
Cackling Goose
Snow Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal
Blue-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Barrow's Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Surf Scoter
White-tailed Ptarmigan
Sooty Grouse
Ruffed Grouse
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Eared Grebe
Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Western Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
[url=http://fraservalleybirding.com/Species/
Bird%20Accounts/Green%20Heron.htm] Green Heron[/url]
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Northern Goshawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Merlin
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
American Coot
Sora
Virginia Rail
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Parasitic Jaeger
Little Gull
Franklin's Gull
California Gull
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian-collared Dove
Common Nighthawk
Great Horned Owl
Barn Owl
Barred Owl
Vaux's Swift
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Cassin's Vireo
Gray Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Steller's Jay
Northwestern Crow
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Bank Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Bewick's Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
American Dipper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Solitaire
Mountain Bluebird
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Gray Catbird
European Starling
American Pipit
Cedar Waxwing
Nashville Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-throated Grosbeak
Spotted Towhee
Brewer's Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Lazuli Bunting
Bullock's Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch
Pine Grosbeak
Purple Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak
House Sparrow

[Deleted]

Anna's hummers coming to the feeder this morning.

Stan

[Deleted]

Chestnut-backed Chickadees in the yard this afternoon.

Stan

[Gord]

Thanks, Stan.

I also added:
Red-eyed Vireo
Cassin's Vireo
Red Crossbill
Lincoln's Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Osprey
Hairy Woodpecker

[Chris]

I thought I would try something different for the monthly challenges. I made an Excel spreadsheet of common/uncommon birds that can be seen in the month. The list would not include really uncommon birds or rare birds. All one would have to do is view the list and the birds with no 'X's' by them haven't been seen that month. You wouldn't have to edit the excel spreadsheet just post the species that haven't been seen like you always do. In my mind this process may improve efficienc,y because all one has to do, is take a look at the Excel list and see what is missing. However, what works in my mind does not always work when it is applied.

I forgot to put it up first thing, and I can't seem to modify my first post, and add it so I am going to add it here. Any feedback positive or negative on it is welcomed. Furthermore, if I was unclear and if you have any questions ask away.

Attachments:

[murraybrown]

Chris, I can't get the thing to open but you know what my computer skills are like!
That being said, I think it's a great idea and will simplify the checking of birds already on the list. Sometimes when scanning the list I find it all too easy to miss a bird already reported.

[Chris]

Murray, you might not be able to open it if you do not have Microsoft Excel. If you do have Excel you just click the attachment which says September, wait about five seconds and the it should open.

I didn't think about some people not having Excel. I know if I wasn't a student I probably wouldn't have it. Might make a Wordpad document instead.

[Deleted]

A few more additions for September --

At Silverdale wetlands in Mission yesterday:
Wood Duck
Great Blue Heron
Spotted Sandpiper
Belted Kingfisher
Pileated woodpecker
Steller's Jay
Red-winged Blackbird
(And good to meet you, Martin)

At WestOaks mall in Abbotsford this morning:
Merlin (harrassing a loudly protesting crow)

Near my home this morning:
Canada Goose
Rock Pigeon

[Deleted]

You can download free programs that will read Excel files if you don't have Excel. Excel is great for this kind of list. The column structure keeps the formatting nicely lined up, making it very easy to read, for one thing. Word processors don't always do this as easily or as consistently.
Just a thought.

Stan

[Pete Lypkie]

Another thing I've used successfully as a collaborative tool in the past is "Google Documents"...http://docs.google.com/
You go there and click "create" , then choose "spreadsheet" or whatever other type you want. Once you put some info into that document, you can click "share" and make it publicly viewable (just like a website), and then you can also designate specific people to help edit it.

This way, nobody needs to download the file and use special software. It's all in a browser.

-Pete

[Chris]

Pete, welcome to the site.

Thanks for the information about google documents. I didn't know something like that existed. I believe this is the best route to take because anyone can view it. I have been playing around with it so hopefully I did it correctly.

Here is the link for everyone can view. I haven't updated it yet with the recent sightings but will do so this evening.

docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkT7RQXktAjMdDlEODVCVk5yQXlMOURtdkZLMl9tbXc

[Chris]

Stan thanks for the sightings.

Updated the list. I also put up the link to the spreadsheet in the first post. Added House Wren which I saw at Eagle Point yesterday right near the viewing platform. I will have the report up from my outing yesterday, tomorrow.

So all one has to do is click on the link, you do not need special software or have to be logged in on the site to view the spreadsheet. If there are any questions please let me know. Thanks again Pete for the advice.

[martin]

Some from September,

Gadwall, H Merganser, Brown Headed Cowbird from Stave Area and Silverdale Wetlands.

Chris you missed Stans Stellar, so I will add mine ;D


From GBHR, 1- Grey Catbird and a lone Tree Swallow

[Chris]

Thanks Martin for the additions. Good eye noticing I missed the Steller's Jay.

Updated the list with all the recent reports as well. Added Sooty Grouse which my photographed on the Frosty Mtn. hike. Wow, a good start for the month.

[murraybrown]

On Silver Lake at Hope were two Common Loons, A breeding plumaged adult and a juvenile.

Along the Silver-hope River was an American Dipper.