Common Goldeneyes nest in tree cavities in the Canadian and Alaskan boreal forests. They are divers, searching for aquatic invertebrates and fish. They migrate through our area twice a year (Spring & Fall/Winter). The males have green heads with a white patch. The females have brown heads, although immature males also have brown heads. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 12/8/21)
A total of 60 avian species (+ 1 hybrid) was recorded this month, ranking this month as the 2nd highest December among 25 years of records. This total is 4 species less than last month, but 4 more than December 2020. December 2016, with 67 species remains as the highest December. December 1997, a partial month, has the lowest total with only 12 species. If you disregard this year, then December 2003, with 27 species, is the lowest.
Based on citations in the 3rd Edition of “The Birds of Story County, Iowa,” by Stephen J. Dinsmore and Hank Zaletel (2001), plus my personal updates to the records, the 6♂ Canvasbacks on the 31st, may represent a new extreme late Fall record for Story County (former record set on 20 December 2020 at AHHP). In addition, the 3 Common Goldeneyes on the 30th and 1 pair of Hooded Mergansers on the 30th may also represent new extreme late Fall records (former records set on 29 Dec 2020 at AHHP and 18 Dec 1999 at Hallett’s Quarry, respectively).
Listed below, following the species’ names, are the date(s) of sighting(s), plus the occasional miscellaneous information regarding numbers, gender (♂=male, ♀=female), age (im=immature, ju=juvenile, bp=breeding plumage, ad=adult, nb=non-breeding, f=fawn), color phase (b=blue, w=white), and location (BY=back yard, FY=front yard). The order follows the 62nd Supplement (2021) to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and the 21st Supplement to the 7th Edition (1998).
I was not able to ride at the Park on the 19th (participated in the Saylorville Lake Christmas Bird Count), 22nd (participated in the Carroll County CBC), and 31st (participated in the Boone County CBC, although I visited the SE corner for a quick look).
AVIAN
SNOW GOOSE: 10 (2 w), 12-13 (1 b), 15 (1 w), 18 (1 b), 23 (1 b), 28 (1 b), 30 (1 b)
ROSS’S GOOSE: 12 (1), 14-16 (1), 18 (1), 21 (2), 23-27 (2), 29 (2), 30 (1)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: 1-11 (1), 12 (52), 13 (2), 14 (1), 15 (2), 16-17 (1), 18 (3), 20 (1), 23 (2), 24 (3), 25 (2)
CACKLING GOOSE: 1 (2), 2 (5), 3 (7), 5 (4), 6 (5), 7 (7), 9 (4), 10 (5), 11 (7), 12 (9), 13 (5), 14 (16), 15 (6), 16 (3), 17 (4), 18 (7), 20 (14), 21 (22), 23 (112), 24 (17), 25 (34), 26 (15), 27 (6), 28 (20), 29 (7), 30 (6)
CANADA GOOSE: 1 (1089), 2 (934), 3 (1022), 4 (904), 5 (893), 6 (783), 7 (1064), 8 (1108), 9 (1365), 10 (1080), 11 (1054), 12 (2029 + 38 BY), 13 (1281), 14 (1576), 15 (2057), 16 (1587), 17 (1311), 18 (1676), 20 (1201), 21 (1917), 23 (2037 + 15 BY), 24 (1767), 25 (1671), 26 (1852), 27 (1377), 28 (1478), 29 (1257), 30 (3068), 31 (1200 + 12 BY)
TRUMPETER SWAN: 4 (7 ad + 9 im), 7 (6 ad), 8 (6 ad + 3 im), 9 (2 ad + 3 im), 10 (39 ad + 3 im), 11 (2 ad + 3 im), 16 (3 ad), 17 (54 ad + 3 im), 18 (25 ad + 2 im), 23 (21 ad + 2 im), 24 (21 ad + 1 im), 25 (28 ad + 1 im), 26 (7 ad + 32), 28 (2 ad + 2 im), 30 (42 ad + 14 im), 31 (10 ad + 10 im)
TUNDRA SWAN: 17 (1 ad), 26 (1 ad)
NORTHERN SHOVELER: 17-18 (1♂)
GADWALL: 8 (1♂+ 1♀)
AMERICAN WIGEON: 30 (1♀)
MALLARD: 1 (71), 2 (78), 3 (50), 4 (87), 5 (119), 6 (191), 7 (370), 8 (438), 9 (304), 10 (195), 11 (201), 12 (235), 13 (229), 14 (255), 15 (275), 16 (260), 17 (310), 18 (225), 20 (289), 21 (378), 23 (446), 24 (634), 25 (265), 26 (246), 27 (196), 28 (190), 29 (264), 30 (995), 31 (450)
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK: 7-8 (1), 14 (1)
NORTHERN PINTAIL: 4-6 (1♀), 7-8 (2♀), 9-12 (1♀), 15 (1♀), 18 (1♀), 21 (2♀), 23-24 (2♀), 25 (1♀)
GREEN-WINGED TEAL: 16 (7)
CANVASBACK: 6 (1♀), 7-8 (1♂ + 1♀), 30 (2♂), 31 (6♂)
REDHEAD: 21 (2♂)
RING-NECKED DUCK: 7 (1♂), 10 (1♂), 30 (1♂), 31 (3♂)
LESSER SCAUP: 7 (1♂), 8 (4♂ + 1♀), 9 (2♂ + 1♀), 10-12 (1♂), 20 (1♂), 21 (2♂), 23-24 (2♂), 29 (2♂), 30 (1♂)
BUFFLEHEAD: 6 (3♂), 9 (1♂), 30 (1♀)
COMMON GOLDENEYE: 8 (2♂ + 1 im ♂ + 5♀), 9 (3♀), 20-21 (2♂ + 2♀), 23 (1♂ + 1♀), 24 (1♂), 25-27 (1♂ + 1♀), 29-30 (1♂ + 2♀)
HOODED MERGANSER: 7-8 (2♂ + 1♀), 9-10 (2♂ + 2♀), 11-12 (1♂), 13 (2♂), 14-17 (1♂), 18 (1♂ + 1♀), 20 (1♂), 21 (1♂ + 1♀), 23-27 (1♂ + 1♀), 29-30 (1♂ + 1♀)
COMMON MERGANSER: 1-6 (3♂ + 5♀), 7 (4♂ + 5♀), 8 (5♂ + 8♀), 9 (11♂ + 10♀), 10-11 (6♂ + 6♀), 12 (7♂ + 6♀), 13 (8♂ + 7♀), 14 (11♂ + 6♀), 15 (11♂ + 16♀), 16 (12♂ + 7♀), 17 (8♂ + 8♀), 18 (6♂ + 10♀), 20 (7♂ + 6♀), 21 (8♂ + 7♀), 23 (7♂ + 12♀), 24 (7♂ + 6♀), 25 (8♂ + 8♀), 26 (5♂ + 5♀), 27 (6♂ + 5♀), 28 (6♂ + 1♀), 29 (7♂ + 6♀), 30 (4♂ + 6♀), 31 (2♂ + 1♀)
RUDDY DUCK: 20 (1♀)
RING-NECKED PHEASANT: 4 (1), 7-8 (1), 14 (1♂), 20 (1♂)
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 2 (1)
MOURNING DOVE: 23 (1 BY), 29 (1 + 1 BY)
AMERICAN COOT: 7 (1), 8 (2), 9-10 (1), 17 (2), 18 (1), 20-21 (1), 23-31 (1)
RING-BILLED GULL: 20 (1), 29 (1)
NORTHERN HARRIER: 4-5 (1 ♀ or juvenile)
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: 20 (1 im)
COOPER’S HAWK: 2 (1 im + BY 1 im), 5 (1 im BY), 7 (1 im BY), 9 (1 im), 11 (1 ad BY), 14 (1), 25 (1 ad BY), 29 (1 im BY)
BALD EAGLE: 2 (1 im), 5 (4 ad + 2 im), 6 (2 ad + 1 4-yr-old + 3 im), 7 (1 ad + 1 im), 9 (2 ad), 10 (2 ad + 1 im), 11 (1 ad + 1 im), 12 (2 ad), 13 (1 ad), 14 (1 im), 15 (1 ad + 1 im), 16 (3 ad + 4 im), 17 (1 im), 18 (1 ad + 2 im), 21 (2 ad + 1 im), 23 (4 ad = 1 im), 24 (2 ad + 1 im), 25 (1 ad + 2 im), 26 (2 ad + 2 im), 27 (4 ad + 1 im), 28 (2 ad + 3 im), 29 (4 ad + 2 im), 30 (2 ad + 1 im)
RED-TAILED HAWK: 1 (2), 3 (1), 4 (2), 6 (1), 8 (1 + 1 dark phase), 10-12 (1), 13 (1 + 1 dark phase), 14-17 (2), 18 (1), 20-21 (2), 23 (2), 24 (3), 25-26 (1), 27 (3), 29 (1), 30 (3), 31 (1)
GREAT HORNED OWL: 18 (1)
BARRED OWL: 18 (1), 27 (1 BY), 30 (1)
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: 1 (3 +1 BY), 3 (1 + 1 BY), 4 (2 + 1 BY), 5 (1 + 1 BY), 7 (1), 8 (2), 10 (1 + 1 BY), 11 (3), 12 (1 BY), 13 (3), 14 (2), 15 (3), 16 (2), 17 (1), 18 (4), 20 (3), 21 (2), 23-24 (3), 25 (3 + 1 BY), 26 (1 + 1 BY), 30 (2 + 1 BY)
DOWNY WOODPECKER: 1 (5 + 2 BY), 2 (1 BY), 3 (1), 4 (1 + 1 BY), 5 (2), 6-7 (1), 9 (2), 11 (1 + 1 BY), 13 (2 BY), 14 (2), 15 (5), 16 (3), 17 (5 + 1 BY), 18 (5), 20 (4), 21 (3), 23 (3), 24 (3 + 1 BY), 26-28 (1 + 1 BY), 29 (1 BY), 30 (6)
HAIRY WOODPECKER: 4-5 (1), 7 (2), 17-18 (1)
NORTHERN FLICKER (Yellow-shafted): 1 (2), 2 (1), 4 (2), 20-21 (1), 23 (2), 26 (2)
NORTHERN SHRIKE: 21 (1)
BLUE JAY: 1 (2), 3 (1), 4 (2 + 1 BY), 7 (1), 13 (1), 17 (3), 23 (1), 24 (1 BY), 29 (1), 30 (2)
AMERICAN CROW: 1 (3), 2-3 (9), 4 (9 + 2 FY), 5 (5), 6 (11 + 1 FY), 7 (5), 8 (10), 9 (8 + 2 FY), 10 (12), 11 (11 + 2 BY), 12 (13 + 1 BY), 13 (7), 14 (3), 15 (6), 16 (9), 17 (4), 18 (9), 19 (1 FY), 20 (6), 21 (3), 23 (14 + 1 FY), 24 (5), 25 (5 + 1 BY), 26 (3), 27 (8), 28 (2), 29 (5), 30 (9)
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: 1 (2 + 2 BY), 2 (1 + 2 BY), 3 (5 + 2 BY), 4 (1 + 2 BY), 5 (1 BY), 6 (4 + 1 BY), 7 (2 + 2 BY), 8 (2 + 1 BY), 9 (3 + 1 BY), 10 (1 + 2 BY), 11-12 (1 + 1 BY), 13 (3 + 1 BY), 14 (2 + 1 BY), 15 (8 + 2 BY), 16 (3), 17 (9 + 1 BY), 18 (6 + 1 BY), 20 (2), 21 (1 BY), 23 (3 + 1 BY), 24 (2), 25 (3 + 1 BY), 26 (3 + 2 BY), 27 (3 + 1 BY), 28 (2 BY), 29 (2 + 1 BY), 30 (4 + 1 BY)
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH: 1 (5), 2 (1 + 1 BY), 3 (2), 4 (5 + 1 BY), 5 (1), 6 (2), 7 (2 + 1 BY), 8 (1), 9 (2), 10 (1), 11 (2), 12 (1), 13 (1 + 1 BY), 15 (4 + 1 BY), 17 (3), 18 (5 + 1 BY), 20 (5), 23 (2), 24 (4), 25 (3), 26 (1 + 1 BY), 27 (1), 28 (1 BY), 29 (2), 30 (4)
EUROPEAN STARLING: 1 (9), 2 (2), 3 (241 + 1 FY), 4 (5), 6 (~75), 7 (13), 9 (9), 10 (1), 12 (9), 13 (20), 14 (2), 15 (6), 16 (1), 18 (219), 20 (36 + 275 BY), 21 (14), 23 (331 + 1 FY), 25 (13), 26 (106 + 38 BY), 27 (188 + 15 BY), 29 (22), 30 (1)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD: 1 (1), 4 (2), 9 (8♂), 21 (4), 23 (2)
HOUSE SPARROW: 1 (3 + 8 BY), 2 (3 + 7 BY), 3 (3 + 3 BY), 4 (4 + 14 BY), 5 (17 BY), 6 (4 + 3 BY), 7 (7 + 18 BY), 8 (6 + 17 BY), 9 (5 + 6 BY), 10 (4 + 10 BY), 11 (8 + 6 BY), 12 (2 + 5 BY), 13 (8 + 3 BY), 14 (8 + 4 BY), 15 (3 + 3 BY), 16 (10), 17 (3 + 11 BY), 18 (14 + 11 BY), 20 (7 + 11 BY), 21 (11 + 13 BY), 23 (6 + 11 BY), 24 (4 + 6 BY), 25 (11 + 5 BY), 26 (12 + 20 BY), 27 (11 + 11 BY), 28 (6 + 19 BY), 29 (11 + 16 BY), 30 (6 + 8 BY), 31 (1 BY)
House X Eurasian Tree Sparrow (hybrid): 4 (1♂), 7 (1♂), 9 (1♂), 11 (1♂), 16 (1♂), 18 (1♂), 21 (1♂), 24-25 (1♂), 26 (2♂), 28 (1♂)
EURASIAN TREE SPARROW: 2 (1♀), 7 (2♀), 16-18 (1♀), 21 (1♀), 24 (1♀), 27-30 (1♀)
HOUSE FINCH: 1 (5 + 8 BY), 2 (6 + 6 BY), 3 (10 + 3 BY), 4 (15 + 6 BY), 5 (12 + 8 BY), 6 (23 + 4 BY), 7 (8 + 7 BY), 8 (13 + 6 BY), 9 (12 = 6 BY), 10 (10 + 11 BY), 11 (45 + 5 BY), 12 (3 + 3 BY), 13 (8 + 5 BY), 14 (12 + 1 BY), 15 (6 + 3 BY), 16 (32), 17 (14 + 4 BY), 18 (49 + 4 BY), 20 (17 + 11 BY), 21 (22 + 16 BY), 23 (20 + 5 BY), 24 (8 + 6 BY), 25 (9 + 3 BY), 26 (9 + 12 BY), 27 (19 + 6 BY), 28 (12 + 13 BY), 29 (31 + 9 BY), 30 (14 + 12 BY)
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: 1 (1 + 1 BY), 3 (6), 4 (4), 6 (1), 7 (1 + 1 BY), 8 (5), 9 (3), 11 (4), 13 (2), 14-15 (3), 16-17 (5), 18 (17), 20 (2), 21 (4), 23 (18), 24 (4), 25 (5), 26 (2 + 1 BY), 27 (3), 28 (1), 29-30 (2)
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW: 1 (18), 2 (6), 3 (30), 4 (17), 5 (3), 6 (11), 7 (66), 8 (32), 9 (10), 10 (3), 11 (11), 13 (58), 14 (27), 15 (15), 16 (25), 17 (35 + 1 BY), 18 (6), 20 (3), 21 (68), 23 (73), 24 (5), 25 (3), 26-29 (15), 30 (10 + 1 BY)
DARK-EYED JUNCO (Slate-colored): 1 (3 + 2 BY), 2 (2 BY), 3 (16 + 2 BY), 4 (6 + 2 BY), 5 (7 + 1 BY), 6-7 (6 + 1 BY), 8 (3 + 2 BY), 9 (7 + 1 BY), 10 (4 + 1 BY), 11 (4 + 2 BY), 12 (1 + 1 BY), 13 (5 + 3 BY), 14 (7 + 7 BY), 15 (2 BY), 16 (4), 17 (12 + 3 BY), 18 (4 + 4 BY), 20 (2 + 2 BY), 21 (3 + 1 BY), 23 (10 + 1 BY), 24 (6 + 1 BY), 25 (1 + 1 BY), 26 (1 + 3 BY), 27 (6 + 2 BY), 28 (5 + 2 BY), 29 (4 + 6 BY), 30 (13 + 4 BY), 31 (2 FY)
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: 6 (2 im), 9 (2 im), 14 (2 im), 15 (1 im), 24 (1 im), 26 (1 im), 29 (1 im)
HARRIS’S SPARROW: 17 (2)
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW: 1 (1), 23 (1)
SONG SPARROW: 2-5 (1), 8-9 (1), 14 (1), 23-24 (1), 26 (1)
LINCOLN’S SPARROW: 4 (1)
SWAMP SPARROW: 3 (2)
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD: 4 (3)
NORTHERN CARDINAL: 1 (5 BY), 2 (7 BY), 3 (3 BY), 4 (1 + 4 BY), 5 (6 BY), 6 (2 + 6 BY), 7 (1 + 5 BY), 8 (2 + 9 BY), 9 (3 + 6 BY), 10 (4 + 8 BY), 11 (1 + 5 BY), 12 (10 BY), 13 (3 + 3 BY), 14 (2 + 12 BY), 15 (1 + 3 BY), 16 (3 BY), 17 (2 + 6 BY), 18 (1 + 5 BY), 19 (6 BY), 20 (4 BY), 21 (1 + 6 BY), 23 (1 + 2 BY), 24 (6 + 6 BY), 25 (6 BY), 26 (2 + 5 BY), 27 (11 BY), 28 (15 BY), 29 (1 + 13 BY), 30 (1 + 9 BY), 31 (5 BY)
MAMMALIAN
EASTERN COTTONTAIL: 1, 4, 7, 9, 12-14, 17, 22, 28, 30
EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: 1-18, 20-21, 23-30
AMERICAN BEAVER: 3 (1)
NORTHERN RIVER OTTER: 5 (2)
RED FOX: 13-14 (1)
WHITE-TAILED DEER: 1 (3♀ + BY 3♀), 2 (1♀ + BY 5♀), 3 (7♀), 4 (4♀), 5 (6♀ + BY 3♀), 6 (3♀), 7-8 (6♀), 9 (1♂ + 9♀ + BY 3♀), 10 (7♀), 11 (6♀ + BY 6♀), 12 (1♂ 8-pt + BY 1♀ + FY 2♀), 12 (2♀ + BY 2♀), 14 (2♀), 15 (7♀ + BY 4♀), 17 (4♀), 19 (BY 1♀), 21 (3♀), 25 (6♀ + BY 6♀), 27 (4♀ + BY 4♀), 28 (BY 3♀), 29 (BY 2♀), 31 (BY 4♀)
Wolf. Oesterreich
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