December 2023 Monthly Challenge

[Gord]

The last month of 2023. Waterfowl are abundant and, so long as it doesn't get too cold, gulls will be plentiful in the fields for those interested in inflicting that upon themselves. It's looking good for a finch irruption year so watch for Pine Grosbeak, White-winged Crossbill and so forth. Checking berry bushes should turn up Bohemian Waxwings and who knows what else.

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
2021 - 116 species recorded
2022 - 111 species recorded

Average species for December: 112

Last updated: January 1, 2024

Species seen to date: 108

Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Snow Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Gadwall
Northern Pintail
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Canvasback
Redhead
Bufflehead
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Long-tailed Duck
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
American Coot
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Northern Harrier
Barn Owl
Short-eared Owl
Long-eared Owl
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Killdeer
Wilson's Snipe
Short-billed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Iceland (Thayer's) Gull
Herring Gull
Glaucous Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Ruffed Grouse
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared Dove
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Belted Kingfisher
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Northern Shrike
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Pacific Wren
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Dipper
American Pipit
Varied Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Horned Lark
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Western Meadowlark
House Finch
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak
House Sparrow

[Gord]

Started it up with what we saw today when out and about and in the yard. Have fun, everyone!

[oldfulica]

Redhead Duck and Red-tailed Hawk at Wilband today.

[Chris]

Evening Grosbeak from the yard

From GBHNR
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Gadwall
Lesser Scaup
Hooded Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
Hairy Woodpecker
Varied Thrush
White-throated Sparrow

[kenneth2019]

Eurasian Collared-Dove - Yard
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Coot - Kawkawa Lake
Great Blue Heron

American Dipper - Coquihalla River

Ken in Hope

[ed]

Short-eared and Barn Owl

[kenneth2019]

Ring-necked Duck --- Kawkawa Lake

Canvasback -- Harrison Hot Springs

Horned Grebe -- Rockwell Drive
Red-necked Grebe

[Chris]

Bewick's Wren, Goldfinch and Siskin from the Heron Reserve

[ed]

Savannah Sparrows and a couple of Horned Larks on Banford Road this pm.

[Chris]

Sumas Prairie from this morning
Tundra Swan
Snow Goose
American Wigeon
Northern Pintail
Northern Harrier(likely had 6 but definitely 5)
American Kestrel
Merlin

[Gord]

Thanks all.

Chris, nice count of Northern Harriers. With similar habitat to Rough-legged Hawk, hope we see one. Other than a couple migrants, I've not seen one wintering here yet.

Ed, nice find on the Horned Larks. Likewise the owls.

I was able to add a chance find of a Long-eared Owl. Banford Road had a large amount of ducks in the flooded part. A female Gadwall mixed in was not overly typical. Got my fall's first Eurasian Wigeon in there too.

[expiallyd]

A couple of long-tailed ducks at Harrison this morning, close in at the marina.

[rockpigeon]

I saw a few western meadowlarks out in Sumas Prairie yesterday

[ed]

Mourning Doves, no less than 7 at the old barn on Evans Rd.

[Bentley]

Two Ruffed Grouse on the west side of Bear Mountain today.