With lots of help from observers, I am recording a Franklin County year list of birds again, this time for 2012. Species recorded thus far this year show up in the list below in bold font. Species with an asterisk* were seen here in 2011 during last year’s count. Important factors thus far in 2012 have been the lack of truly cold weather, with a lot of unfrozen water and little snow cover; this spread cold-season waterfowl more widely than usual. Summer drought erased some old shorebird spots, but enlivened some new ones. There are signs of coming irruptions of birds breeding up north, and a good season for waterfowl, shorebirds, and passerines may be in the offing.
This year we had 262 species by the end of August, more than we had in all of last year. Over the past two months of drought we paradoxically added nearly all water-loving birds: snowy egret, white-faced ibis, western sandpiper, willet, stilt sandpiper, little blue heron, wilson’s phalarope, Baird’s sandpiper, Hudsonian godwit, white-rumped sandpiper, black-bellied plover, buff-breasted sandpiper, long-billed dowitcher. Please send me corrections/additions if you have them—thanks!
As a word of caution, last year we added only 22 species in the final seven months, and none in the last two! In 2012, we had equaled last year’s total by early August. This year’s overcharged climate may make for some unusual numbers, and maybe we’ll get an Hurricane Isaac contribution; we’ll see.
KEY: Species in bold have been seen in the county during 2012 thus far; those with * asterisks were seen here last year.
*Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
*Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
*Ross’s Goose Chen rossii
*Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii
*Canada Goose Branta canadensis
*Mute Swan Cygnus olor
*Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
*Wood Duck Aix sponsa
*Gadwall Anas strepera
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
*American Wigeon Anas americana
*American Black Duck Anas rubripes
*Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
*Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
*Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
*Northern Pintail Anas acuta
*Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
*Canvasback Aythya valisineria
*Redhead Aythya americana
*Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
*Greater Scaup Aythya marila
*Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
*Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca
Black Scoter Melanitta americana
*Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
*Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
*Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
*Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
*Common Merganser Mergus merganser
*Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
*Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
*Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
*Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata
*Common Loon Gavia immer
*Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
*Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
*Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
*Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
*Double-crested Cormorant Phalocrocorax auritus
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
*American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
*Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis
*Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
*Great Egret Ardea alba
*Snowy Egret Egretta thula
*Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
*Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
*Green Heron Butorides virescens
*Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
*Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
(*Plegadis ibis sp.)
*Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
*Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
*Osprey Pandion haliaetus
*Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
*Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
*Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
*Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii
*Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
*Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
*Swainson’s Hawk Buteo swainsoni
*Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
*Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
Golden Eagle Aquila chysaetos
*King Rail Rallus elegans
*Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
*Sora Porzana carolina
*Purple Gallinule Porphyrula martinica
*Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata
*American Coot Fulica americana
*Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis
*Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
*American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
*Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
*Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
*Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
*Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
*Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria
*Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
*Willet Tringa semipalmata
*Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
*Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
*Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa
*Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Red Knot Calidris canutus
*Sanderling Calidris alba
*Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla
*Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri
* Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
*White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
*Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
*Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
*Dunlin Calidris alpina
*Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
*Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
*Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
*Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
*Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata
*American Woodcock Scolopax minor
*Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
*Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
*Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla
Franklin’s Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan
*Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
California Gull Larus californicus
*Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Thayer’s Gull Larus thayeri
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
*Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus
*Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
*Black Tern Chlidonias niger
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
*Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri
*Rock Pigeon Columba livia
*Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
*Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
*Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
*Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
*Barn Owl Tyto alba
*Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio
*Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus
*Barred Owl Strix varia
*Long-eared Owl Asio otus
*Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
*Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus
*Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
*Eastern Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus
*Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
*Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus
*Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
*Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
*Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
*Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
*Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
*Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
*Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
*Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
*American Kestrel Falco sparverius
*Merlin Falco columbarius
*Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
*Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
*Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
*Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris
*Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
*Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum
*Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
*Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
*Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
*Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
*Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor
*shrike, sp.
*White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
*Bell’s Vireo Vireo bellii
*Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
*Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius
*Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
*Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus
*Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
*Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
*American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
*Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
*Purple Martin Progne subis
*Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
*Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
*Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
*Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
*Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
*Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus
*Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
*Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
*White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
*Brown Creeper Certhia americana
*Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
*House Wren Troglodytes aedon
*Winter Wren Troglodytes hiemalis
*Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis
*Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris
*Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa
*Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
*Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
*Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
*Veery Catharus fuscescens
*Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus
*Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus
*Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
*Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
*American Robin Turdus migratorius
*Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
*Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
*Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
*European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
*American Pipit Anthus rubescens
*Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
*Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus
*Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
*Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
*Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum
*Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla
*Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis
*Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera<
*Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera
*Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
*Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea
*Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina
*Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata
*Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla
*Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis
*Mourning Warbler Geothlypis philadelphia
*Kentucky Warbler Geothlypis formosa
*Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
*Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina
*American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
*Kirtland’s Warbler Setophaga kirtlandii
*Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina
*Cerulean Warbler Setophaga cerulea
*Northern Parula Setophaga americana
*Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia
*Bay-breasted Warbler Setophaga castanea
*Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca
*Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
*Chestnut-sided Warbler Setophaga pensylvanica
*Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata
*Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens
*Palm Warbler Setophaga palmarum
*Pine Warbler Setophaga pinus
*Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata
*Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica
*Prairie Warbler Setophaga discolor
*Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens
*Canada Warbler Cardellina canadensis
*Wilson’s Warbler Cardellina pusilla
*Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
*Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
*American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea
*Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
*Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida
*Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla
*Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
*Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
*Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
*Henslow’s Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii
Le Conte’s Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii
*Nelson’s Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni
*Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
*Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
*Lincoln’s Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
*Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana
*White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
*White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
*Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
*Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
*Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea
*Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
*Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
*Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
*Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
*Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
*Dickcissel Spiza americana
*Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
*Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
*Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
*Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
*Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus
*Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
*Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
*Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
*Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula
*Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus
*House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
*Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea
*Pine Siskin Spinus pinus
*American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
*House Sparrow Passer domesticus
This list was composed by our late friend, Bill Whan.