My 2019 Birding Year

Year Total: 255 species
Life List: 330 species

Best Month: August 146 species
Worst Month: February 74 species

State Stats (Year and Life)

Oregon: 218 245
Washington: 135 271
Idaho: 116 167
Utah: 83 105
Colorado: 67 94

New Counties Visited

Oregon -- Harney, Grant and Gilliam
Washington -- Klickitat
Idaho -- Adams, Gooding, Boise, Jerome, Lewis, Elmore, Cassia, Oneida, Benewah and Minidoka
Utah -- Duchesne and Summit

Year Lifers: Harris’s Sparrow, Mute Swan, White-headed Woodpecker, Juniper Titmouse, Summer Tanager, Black Phoebe, Indigo Bunting, Snowy Egret, White-winged Crossbill, Broad-billed Hummingbird and Red-shouldered Hawk

Big Sightings and Memorable Moments of the Year:

House Finch -- January 4, Union County, Oregon -- I was able to hand catch a House Finch with Finch Eye Disease (Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis) and take it to a rehab for treatment. Unfortunately after a successful treatment, the infection came back and the bird didn’t make it.

Osprey and Bald Eagle -- April 3, Ada County, Idaho -- Watched a spectacular show of an Osprey trying to keep his fish away from the eagle.

Prairie Falcon -- April 3, Ada County, Idaho -- Saw a pair building a nest in an isolated location.

Great Gray Owl -- May 18 and 23, Washington and Oregon -- After three years of searching, I finally got to see not one but two nests with young it. Thanks to those who helped me find the nest.

Summer Tanager -- June 20, Mesa County, Colorado -- Rarity for location and lifer!

Indigo X Lazuli Bunting -- June 23, Mesa County, Colorado -- Found while trying to find an Indigo Bunting.

White-faced Ibis -- June 25, Box Elder County, Utah -- Exact count of 716 ibises that day.

Swainson’s Hawk -- August 1, Union County, Oregon -- Fledgling day for the pair that nested in my yard.

Red-tailed Hawk -- August 6, Benton County, Washington -- Leucistic

Great Egret -- September 5, Union County, Oregon -- Found a county high count of 52 birds!

Indian Peafowl -- September 13, Union County, Oregon -- Male and three females crossed the highway at Catherine Creek SP. Still wondering what they were doing in a National Forest.

Broad-billed Hummingbird -- September 19, Harney County, Oregon -- 3rd Oregon record and gorgeous bird.

Lesser Black-backed Gull -- December 7, Asotin County, Washington -- 2nd Life sighting.

Red-shouldered Hawk -- December 7 and 22, Wallowa County, Oregon -- 1st ever record of the species in the county!

Barred Owl -- December 13, Ada County, Idaho -- First photos and my first daylight sighting.

Posted on December 31, 2019 10:34 PM by birdwhisperer birdwhisperer

Comments

Very impressive, and I love your list of memorable moments.

Posted by muir about 4 years ago

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