October 2021 Monthly Challenge

[Gord]

October follows what is usually a high-species September but there's still lots to enjoy. A few warblers are still kicking around, but more waterfowl and sparrows arrive through the month. Bird feeders will start to get busy again too!


Breakdown by year for October

2008 - 127 species recorded
2009 - 139 species recorded
2010 - 134 species recorded
2011 - 135 species recorded
2012 - 150 species recorded
2013 - 144 species recorded
2014 - 130 species recorded
2015 - 123 species recorded
2016 - 112 species recorded
2017 - 109 species recorded
2018 - 122 species recorded
2019 - 112 species recorded
2020 - 128 species recorded

Average species for October 128


Last updated November 3

Species seen to date 142

To view the missing species for the month please click here


Greater White-fronted Goose
Canada Goose
Cackling Goose
Snow Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Redhead
Canvasback
Bufflehead
Barrow's Goldeneye
Ruddy Duck
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Long-tailed Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
American White Pelican
Brown Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
American Bittern
White-faced Ibis
Ring-necked Pheasant
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Virginia Rail
Sora
American Coot
Killdeer
Wilson's Snipe
Greater Yellowlegs
Red Phalarope
Bonaparte's Gull
Short-billed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Herring Gull
Iceland Gull (Thayer's)
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian Collared Dove
Mourning Dove
Barred Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Pygmy-owl
Anna's Hummingbird
Vaux's Swift
Pileated Woodpecker
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Belted Kingfisher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Northern Shrike
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bushtit
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Pacific Wren
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
American Dipper
European Starling
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Cedar Waxwing
American Pipit
Orange-crowned Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
House Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak
Savannah Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Spotted Towhee
Lapland Longspur
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird

[Gord]

Thanks to Graeme and Jon for getting it going. The White-faced Ibis continued to Oct 1 and has since moved on. Nice to have it for October as well.

128 is the month's average. Looking good to give the average a run for its money this year.

[gabi]

Over 2 dozen Lesser Snow geese in harvested corn field in Abbotsford (beside Lepp’s Farm)

[gabi]

American Bittern at Willband in Abbotsford.

[Chris]

Pacific Loon from Kilby and heard my first of the fall Varied Thrush this morning

[oldfulica]

We had a Bittern at Wilband this afternoon. Second arched bridge, Probably the same one Gabi reported a couple of days ago.

[Chris]

Saw two Band-tailed Pigeons at the Heron Reserve this morning.

[nickinthegarden]

Double-crested Cormorants are finally back at Mill Lake this morning.

[Gord]

Nick, I saw one too today on the Fraser.

Good additions. I never thought I'd add Brown Pelican to this list. Crazy! Jamie had a Mourning Dove at the yard. Also our Warbling Vireo in the yard yesterday. Brown-headed Cowbird on Sumas Prairie over the weekend. Saw our first Bufflehead of the fall yesterday as well. Up to 107 which is decent.

[Chris]

Can add Canvasback, Hooded Merganser, and Sharp-shinned Hawk

[graeme45]

Heard a Barred Owl last night up here in Promontory

[Chris]

Didn't encounter the Bittern at Willband this morning but did hear a Virginia Rail and while driving through Sumas Praire had my first Northern Shrike of the season which can be added to the list.

[gabi]

Adding Ring-necked pheasants - 7 of them in one day on the Sumas Prairie

[butterfly]

We saw five Trumpeter Swans flying toward Sumas Prairie this morning. (the swans were flying, not us!;-)

We were told the Pelican was also seen this morning in Vedder Canal.

[ed]

From Skyline Divide, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Evening Grosbeak, Mountain Chickadee, and Pine Grosbeak.