December 2021 Monthly Challenge

[Randy]

December is typically a quiet month but it still has great bird watching opportunities. Raptors are abundant, especially in the farmlands such as Sumas Prairie and East Chilliwack. Keep an eye out for a potential Golden Eagle. December is also a great opportunity to observe large gull flocks in fields. Sardis Park is another great spot for a short walk to view various species of waterfowl.

Breakdown by year for December

2008 – 107 species recorded
2009 – 107 species recorded
2010 – 124 species recorded
2011 - 112 species recorded
2012 - 128 species recorded
2013 - 110 species recorded
2014 - 114 species recorded
2015 - 108 species recorded
2016 - 111 species recorded
2017 - 116 species recorded
2018 - 103 species recorded
2019 - 105 species recorded
2020 - 110 species recorded

Average species for December: 112

Last updated: December 31, 2021

Species seen to date: 116

Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Gadwall
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Canvasback
Redhead
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ring-necked Pheasant
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Harrier
Turkey Vulture
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Gyrfalcon
American Coot
Virginia Rail
Killdeer
Dunlin
Wilson's Snipe
California Gull
Iceland Gull
Short-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Barn Owl
Barred Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Northern Saw Whet Owl
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Northern Shrike
Canada Jay
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bushtit
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
American Dipper
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Bohemian Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
American Pipit
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Harris' Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Western Tanager
Western Meadowlark
Brewer's Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
Common Redpoll
Red Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill
Purple Finch
House Finch
House Sparrow

To view a list of missing species for the month, click here.

[ed]

On Elk Mtn, Cackling Geese, Canada Jay, Common Raven, Pacific Wren and Varied Thrush.

[Ben]

From East Chilliwack on the morning of Dec 2:

Snow Goose 200
Trumpeter Swan 25
American Wigeon 50
Mallard 15
Hooded Merganser 4
Anna's Hummingbird 1
Glaucous-winged Gull 50
Northern Harrier 2
Bald Eagle 7
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Northern Flicker 2
American Crow 10
Common Raven 4
European Starling 100
American Robin 1
Dark-eyed Junco 1

[Chris]

Spotted Towhee
Purple Finch
House Finch

[Bentley]

Saw a few ring-necked ducks and lesser scaups.

[Chris]

Canada Goose
GW Teal
Common Merganser
Green Heron
American Kestrel
American Coot
EC Dove
Rock Pigeon
Marsh Wren
Bewick's Wren
Bohemian Waxwing
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Purple Finch
House Sparrow

[imperialbirders]

Hi
Here are some birds visiting our back yard that are not yet mentioned.
Hairy Woodpeckers
Red Winged Blackbirds (two males)
Sharpshin Hawk
Steller's Jay (a lot of them)

Mike

[Randy]

List is updated. I added a few from my place yesterday as well. I had a flock of pintails fly over. I also had a white-throated sparrow, which was a nice surprise. Some other more common birds including GC sparrows, bushtits, etc.

[ed]

Greater Scaup
Horned Grebe
W Meadowlark

[Bentley]

Rough-legged Buzzard in East Chilliwack.

[ed]

Barn Owl on Banford Rd this morning

[birder1942]

Kristin Martin found a Harris’Sparrow this month. John Vooys

[Ben]

Greater White-fronted Goose
Savannah Sparrow
Eurasian Wigeon
Belted Kingfisher
Gyrfalcon
Northern Shrike
California Gull
Herring Gull
Tundra Swan
Common Goldeneye

[Chris]

Gadwall
Fox Sparrow
Brewer's Blackbird

[Randy]

List is updated. I also added Chris' American Tree Sparrow from today. Great birds so far!