May 2021 Monthly Challenge

[Harrier]

The month of May brings in most of the final spring migrants. Hope Airport often produces very well during this month as well as East Sector Park in Harrison. A good month to get some birding in before the months of June and July which can be a little slower for birding with most migrants done their travels and the birds more focused on feeding young than singing.

Breakdown by year for May

2008 – 155 species recorded
2009 – 151 species recorded
2010 – 161 species recorded
2011 - 175 species recorded
2012 - 165 species recorded
2013 - 167 species recorded
2014 - 171 species recorded
2015 - 156 species recorded
2016 - 133 species recorded
2017 - 145 species recorded
2018 - 134 species recorded
2019 - 153 species recorded
2020 - 170 species recorded

Average species for May 157

Last updated June 2nd, 2021

Species seen to date 153

To view the missing species for the month please click here


Greater white-fronted goose
Snow goose
Cackling goose
Canada goose
Wood duck
Gadwall
American wigeon
Mallard
Cinnamon teal
Blue-winged teal
Green-winged teal
Northern shoveler
Northen pintail
Canvasback
Ring-necked duck
Greater scaup
Lesser scaup
Harlequin duck
Bufflehead
Surf Scoter
Barrow's goldeneye
Common goldeneye
Hooded merganser
Common merganser
Ruddy duck
Ruffed grouse
Sooty grouse
Common loon
Horned grebe
Western grebe
American white pelican
Pied-billed grebe
Great blue heron
Green heron
Turkey vulture
Osprey
Bald eagle
Golden eagle
Norther Harrier
American kestrel
Peregrine falcon
Cooper's hawk
Northern goshawk
Swainson's hawk
Red-tailed hawk
Merlin
Sora
Virginia rail
American coot
Killdeer
Solitary sandpiper
Spotted sandpiper
Greater yellowlegs
Whimbrel
Least Sandpiper
Common tern
Ring-billed gull
Glaucous-winged gull
Mourning dove
Eurasian collared dove
Band-tailed pigeon
Rock pigeon
Barn owl
Barred owl
Great-horned owl
Vaux's swift
Belted kingfisher
Anna's hummingbird
Rufous hummingbird
Calliope hummingbird
Red-breasted sapsucker
Downy woodpecker
Hairy woodpecker
Northern flicker
Pileated woodpecker
Western wood-pewee
Willow flycatcher
Hammond's flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Pacific-slope flycatcher
Eastern kingbird
Western kingbird
Cassin's vireo
Hutton's vireo
Warbling vireo
Red-eyed vireo
Canada jay
Steller's jay
American crow
Common raven
Purple martin
Tree swallow
Violet-green swallow
Northern rough-winged swallow
Barn swallow
Cliff swallow
Bank swallow
Black-capped chickadee
Chestnut-backed chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted nuthatch
Brown creeper
Bewick's wren
Marsh wren
Pacific wren
House wren
Golden-crowned kinglet
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Townsend's solitaire
American robin
Hermit thrush
Veery
Swainson's thrush
Varied thrush
European starling
American pipit
Cedar waxwing
Orange-crowned warbler
Nashville warbler
Yellow warbler
MacGillivray's warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Black-throated gray warbler
Townsend's warbler
Common yellowthroat
American redstart
Wilson's Warbler
Western tanager
Spotted towhee
Chipping sparrow
Savanah sparrow
Fox sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
White-crowned sparrow
White-throated sparrow
Golden-crowned sparrow
Dark-eyed junco
Black-headed grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Red-winged blackbird
Yellow-headed blackbird
Brewer's blackbird
Brown-headed cowbird
Common grackle
Bullock's oriole
Red crossbill
Purple finch
House finch
Pine siskin
American goldfinch
Evening grosbeak
House sparrow

[Harrier]

Okay, we're all up to date on the list and the "missing species" spreadsheet. It looks like it's been a strong start to the month!

[Ben]

American Pipit
Cackling Goose
Gadwall
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Rock Pigeon
Vaux's Swift
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Savannah Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow

[ed]

Goshawk near Ferry Rd Rosedale, and Northern Pygmy Owl on the summit of Elk Mtn.

[gabi]

Peregrine Falcon (Quarry)
Spotted Sandpiper (Sumas River)
Barn Swallows (Abbotsford)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Abbotsford) 

[ed]

Had my foy McGillvary’s warbler in Columbia valley this morning, Black-headed Grosbeak at Cheam Wetlands yesterday

[ed]

One Greater White-fronted Goose at Sardis Park

[Ben]

Band-tailed Pigeon
Barred Owl
Lesser Scaup
Mourning Dove (flyby at Sardis Park!)

[gabi]

Green Heron today at Willband
Gadwall pair at Willband

[Harrier]

List and Missing Species spreadsheet updated.

Here are a few that we should be able to fill in. Have you seen them in May?
-Snow goose (I've seen a few posted on the RBA)
-Greater yellowlegs (There must still be a few migrating through)
-Mergansers of any kind
-Gulls other than Ring-billed
-Trumpeter swans (is the one an Cheam Lake still hanging on?)
-Owls other than barn?

[graeme45]

Jon had Barred Owl a few posts previous.

[Ben]

Glaucous-winged Gull
Greater Yellowlegs
Common Merganser
Harlequin Duck

[Ben]

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-throated Sparrow (Is 22)

[janice]

pileated woodpecker at our feeder.

[Harrier]

I just saw a Great-horned owl fly over Sardis Library.