January Challenge 2020

[Jamie]

January has been the 'slowest' month on record. However, it still has great bird watching opportunities. Sumas Prairie is great for waterfowl, raptors and many other species of birds. Willband Creek Park and Mill Lake are other great locations to observe waterfowl this time of year.

Breakdown by year for January

2008 – 113 species recorded
2009 – 104 species recorded
2010 – 99 species recorded
2011 - 116 species recorded
2012 - 102 species recorded
2013 - 108 species recorded
2014 - 116 species recorded
2015 - 117 species recorded
2016 - 106 species recorded
2017 - 91 species recorded
2018 - 103 species recorded
2019 - 118 species recorded

Average species for January 108

Last updated February 1

Species seen to date 96

Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Cackling Goose

Mallard

Northern Pintail

American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Gadwall
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal

Canvasback

Greater Scaup

Lesser Scaup
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

Horned Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove

Anna's Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Virginia Rail

American Coot
Iceland Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Killdeer

Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk

Rough-legged Hawk

Great Horned Owl

Barred Owl

Northern Saw-Whet Owl

Northern Pygmy-Owl

Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker
Peregrine Falcon
Gyrfalcon
American Kestrel
Merlin
Northern Shrike
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Steller's Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Mountain Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bushtit

Horned Lark

Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Bewick's Wren
European Starling
American Robin
Varied Thrush

House Sparrow

American Pipit

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch
Red Crossbill
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Western Meadowlark

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

[ed]

Tundra Swan, Great Egret, Gyrfalcon and Eurasian Wigeon, Sumas Prairie. American Tree Sparrow and Northern Shrike on Tuyuttons Rd.

[Jamie]

List updated! Wow, 71 species already! And the month has hardly started!

[Jamie]

updated

[Ben]

Ampi yesterday

[Randy]

Jan 8, 2020 7:10:11 GMT -8 Ben said:

Ampi yesterday

Nice one Jon! I think for those that aren't familiar with the banding codes it's probably best to avoid using them. I find this tends to be the most inclusive and other forums have a similar recommendation. Well done getting out so much and reporting your sightings!

[Harrier]

Is it possible to start using the “missing species” google doc again? I find that very helpful and I usually check it near the end of the month and fill in anything I’ve seen. I totally understand if it’s too time-consuming though. I very much appreciate the work you all do to track and compile this list each month.

[ed]

I saw upwards of 45 Horned Larks on Banford 2 days ago. I suspect they are still out there. A bit of snow seems to bring them to the road edge.
Ed

[Jamie]

Jan 11, 2020 17:09:31 GMT -8 Harrier said:

Is it possible to start using the “missing species” google doc again? I find that very helpful and I usually check it near the end of the month and fill in anything I’ve seen. I totally understand if it’s too time-consuming though. I very much appreciate the work you all do to track and compile this list each month.

As far as I know the Google Doc™ is not used anymore. I think it's probably easiest to just keep track of species on the forum. Thanks for noticing! I will remember to delete the link from all future monthly challenges.

[Jamie]

Updated

[Harrier]

Two red breasted sapsuckers in Yarrow on Boundary. They clearly have a favourite tree in a front yard that is very well “drilled”. They put on quite a show playfully chasing each other around the yard.

[Jamie]

Make sure to keep adding sightings as you see them! The month isn't over yet!

[janice]

You can add red- breasted nuthatch and killdeer. The nuthatch was at our feeder and the killdeer was on our next door neighbor's
manure pile when everything else was covered with snow. That bird knows how to keep warm and fed.

[birder1942]

I found an Orange-crowned Warbler at Fishtrap Creek Park today. John Vooys

[ed]

Barrows Goldeneye at Sunshine valley a few weeks ago