2012 And Still Counting

Our birding this year, while envious to some, fell a bit short by our standard. 450 or above would have been acceptable. We missed hitting any hardcore migrations (fall outs) as we were confined to bird in just twelve states (TX, LA, AR, MO, IL, WI, MN, SD, NE, CO,  AZ, NM). But in spite of not hitting our numbers, we surely enjoyed "watching" the birds regardless of how rare or unusual or common they were.

Brown Jay - Texas

Barring any last minute additions, we tallied 449 species. Since we failed to bird outside the U.S. (the first time since 2003), all but one were ABA (American Birding Association) countable birds. A Tropical Mockingbird seen in Texas has yet to be determined if it will be accepted by ABA. If it is, it will be a first ever ABA accepted report for this species and thus legal to count according to ABA rules.

Gilded Flicker - Arizona

Four species were ABA life birds for us: Brown Jay, Golden-crowned Warbler, Red-billed Pigeon, and Bachman’s Sparrow (all in Texas). Some interesting list details: we saw 6 of the 7 Grebe species possible (missed Clark’s) and saw all the Bitterns/Herons.  A little late arriving in AZ so of 17 possibles, we saw only 13 hummingbird species. Of the 23 Woodpecker species possible we had 19. Out of 36 possible Tyrant Flycatchers we managed just 27 species (again late to AZ). Wrens? 9 out of 10. All but a Pacific Wren. We did, however, manage to get all 14 Vireo species (without going to Florida!), all the Swallows (8) and Nuthatches (4), and all but 2 Thrashers were seen (missed LeConte’s and California (we were no where close to their ranges). Tom missed his annual target of trying to see 50 warblers (again!). Out of a possible 53, which would have been a personal best,  he again tied with 49, his personal annual best. Frustrating because we missed what would otherwise have been a few easy Western species due to our late arrival in AZ...and yet the list contained a life ABA warbler that's typically rare to see, the Golden-crowned Warbler. Plus we found a very hard to find Kirtland's Warbler in Wisconsin.

Worm-eating Warbler - Texas

Of course some bird species were missed due to our seasonal absence from winter habitats and this will likely continue for the foreseeable future. However, we still consider this to be a fair tradeoff since our life yard list, due to our roaming, added 25 species. A few of our more notable life yard additions, include Elf Owl, Lewis's Woodpecker, Gilded Flicker, Worm-eating, Kentucky, and Hooded Warblers, Painted Bunting, and Altamira Oriole.

Painted Bunting - Texas

In January of this year we again took part in a Christmas Bird Count (CBC) but with a twist. Our RV park owns a pontoon boat which we managed to put to use for a half day of CBC counting on the Rio Grande River. Not only was this our first International Border CBC we had participated in, we also discovered that because the count circle included parts of Mexico, we were allowed to include species seen in Mexico. Under normal ABA rules, counting species observed in Mexico (or even on the Mexico side of the river), is not be "legal". A side note: the pontoon boat was not allowed to cross the middle of the river into international waters, let alone land on Mexican soil. It felt odd because the look and feel of the river really isn't any different from being on say, portions of the Fox River in Wisconsin (aside from the obvious botanical differences). That, and the presence of Border Patrol boats!

Presented below, in ABA order, is our 2012 annual list. Placement of Tropical Mockingbird at the top is the exception because it is not yet officially classified as an ABA countable species (still, we saw it and included it). As all birders know, come January 1st our annual checklist will again be zeroed out as we begin our 2013 annual list!

Tropical Mockingbird Mimus gilvus
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata
Wood Duck Aix sponsa
Gadwall Anas strepera
American Wigeon Anas americana
Mallard Anas platyhynchos 
Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors 
Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata 
Northern Pintail Anas acuta 
Green-winged Teal Anas crecca 
Canvasback Aythya valisineria
Redhead Aythya americana 
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis 
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca 
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola 
Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica 
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus 
Common Merganser Mergus merganser
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator 
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis 
Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula 
Scaled Quail Callipepla squamata
Gambel's Quail Callipepia gambelii 
Chukar Alectoris chukar 
Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus 
White-tailed Ptarmigan Lagopus leucura 
Dusky Grouse Dendragapus obscurus 
Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo 
Common Loon Gavia immer 
Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus 
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus 
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis 
Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus 
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
Anhinga Anhinga anhinga 
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos 
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis 
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 
Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor 
Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens 
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 
Green Heron Butorides virescens 
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea 
White Ibis Eudocimus albus 
White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi 
Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus 
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 
California Condor Gymnogyps californianus 
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus 
Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus 
White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus 
Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis 
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus 
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus 
Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii 
Common Black-Hawk Buteogallus anthracinus 
Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus 
Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus 
Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus 
Gray Hawk Buteo nitidus
Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni 
White-tailed Hawk Geranoaetus albicaudatus 
Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus 
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos 
Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway 
American Kestrel Falco sparverius 
Merlin Falco columbarius 
Aplomado Falcon Falco femoralis 
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 
Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus 
Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris 
King Rail Rallus elegans 
Virginia Rail Rallus limicola 
Sora Porzana carolina 
Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus 
Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata 
American Coot Fulica americana 
Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis 
Whooping Crane Grus americana 
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola 
American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica 
Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus 
Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia 
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus 
Piping Plover Charadrius melodus 
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus 
Mountain Plover Charadrius montanus 
American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus 
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 
Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus 
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa 
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 
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 
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus 
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus 
Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata 
American Woodcock Scolopax minor 
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor 
Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla 
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis 
Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus 
Least Tern Sternula antillarum 
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica 
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia 
Black Tern Chlidonias niger 
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri 
Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus 
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 
Black Skimmer Rynchops niger 
Rock Pigeon Columba livia 
Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris
Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata 
Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto 
White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica 
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura 
Inca Dove Columbina inca 
Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina 
White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi 
Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus 
Green Parakeet Aratinga holochlora 
Red-crowned Parrot Amazona viridigenalis 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus 
Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus 
Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus 
Barn Owl Tyto alba 
Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio 
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus 
Elf Owl Micrathene whitneyi 
Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia 
Barred Owl Strix varia 
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor 
Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis 
Chuck-will's-widow Antrostomus carolinensis 
Black Swift Cypseloides niger 
Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica 
White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis 
Broad-billed Hummingbird Cynanthus latirostris 
Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis 
Violet-crowned Hummingbird Amazilia violiceps 
Blue-throated Hummingbird Lampornis clemenciae 
Magnificent Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens 
Plain-capped Starthroat Heliomaster constantii 
Lucifer Hummingbird Calothorax lucifer 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris 
Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri 
Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna 
Costa's Hummingbird Calypte costae 
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus 
Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus 
Elegant Trogon Trogon elegans 
Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata 
Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon 
Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana 
Lewis's Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis 
Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus 
Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus 
Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis 
Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons 
Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus 
Williamson's Sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroideus 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis 
Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris 
Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens 
Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus 
Arizona Woodpecker Picoides arizonae 
Red-cockaded Woodpecker Picoides borealis 
American Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides dorsalis 
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 
Gilded Flicker Colaptes chrysoides 
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus 
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe 
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi 
Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus 
Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens 
Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens 
Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum 
Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii  
Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus 
Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii 
Gray Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii 
Dusky Flycatcher Empidonax oberholseri 
Cordilleran Flycatcher Empidonax occidentalis 
Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans 
Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe 
Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya 
Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus 
Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens 
Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus 
Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus 
Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus 
Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus 
Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii 
Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans 
Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis 
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus 
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus 
Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae 
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus 
White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus 
Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii 
Black-capped Vireo Vireo atricapilla 
Gray Vireo Vireo vicinior 
Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons 
Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus 
Cassin's Vireo Vireo cassinii 
Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius 
Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni 
Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus 
Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus 
Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus 
Yellow-green Vireo Vireo flavoviridis 
Black-whiskered Vireo Vireo altiloquus 
Gray Jay Perisoreus canadensis 
Brown Jay Psilorhinus morio 
Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas 
Pinyon Jay Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus 
Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri 
Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata 
Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica
Mexican Jay Aphelocoma wollweberi 
Clark's Nutcracker Nucifraga columbiana 
Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia 
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos 
Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus 
Chihuahuan Raven Corvus cryptoleucus 
Common Raven Corvus corax 
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris 
Purple Martin Progne subis 
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor 
Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina 
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis 
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia 
Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota 
Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva 
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 
Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis 
Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapilla 
Mountain Chickadee Poecile gambeli 
Mexican Chickadee Poecile sclateri 
Bridled Titmouse Baeolophus wollweberi 
Juniper Titmouse Baeolophus ridgwayi 
Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor 
Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus 
Verdin Auriparus flavicepsBushtit Psaltriparus minimus 
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis 
White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis 
Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea 
Brown-headed Nuthatch Sitta pusilla 
Brown Creeper Certhia americana 
Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus 
Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus 
Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus 
Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus 
Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii 
House Wren Troglodytes aedon 
Winter Wren Troglodytes hiemalis 
Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis 
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Polioptila melanura 
American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus 
Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula 
Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis 
Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana 
Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides 
Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi 
Veery Catharus fuscescens 
Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus 
Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus 
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus 
Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina 
Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi 
American Robin Turdus migratorius 
Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis 
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos 
Sage Thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus 
Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre 
Bendire's Thrasher Toxostoma bendirei 
Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre 
Crissal Thrasher Toxostoma crissale 
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris 
American Pipit Anthus rubescens 
Sprague's Pipit Anthus spragueii 
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum 
Phainopepla Phainopepla nitens 
Olive Warbler Peucedramus taeniatus 
Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillua 
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 
Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii 
Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina 
Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata 
Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla 
Virginia's Warbler Oreothlypis virginiae 
Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis 
MacGillivray's Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei 
Mourning Warbler Geothlypis philadelphia 
Kentucky Warbler Geothlypis formosus 
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 
Tropical Parula Setophaga pitiayumi 
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 
Grace's Warbler Setophaga graciae 
Black-throated Gray Warbler Setophaga nigrescens 
Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi 
Hermit Warbler Setophaga occidentalis 
Golden-cheeked Warbler Setophaga chrysoparia 
Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens 
Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus 
Canada Warbler Cardellina canadensis 
Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla 
Painted Redstart Myioborus pictus 
Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 
Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus 
Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus 
Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus 
Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps 
Canyon Towhee Melozone fuscus 
Abert's Towhee Melozone aberti 
Rufous-winged Sparrow Peucaea carpalis 
Cassin's Sparrow Peucaea cassinii 
Bachman's Sparrow Peucaea aestivalis 
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina 
Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida 
Brewer's Sparrow Spizella breweri
Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla 
Black-chinned Sparrow Spizella atrogularis 
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus 
Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata 
Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys 
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis 
Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum 
Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii 
Seaside Sparrow Ammodramus maritimus 
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodiaLincoln's 
Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii 
Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana 
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis 
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys 
Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla 
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis 
Yellow-eyed Junco Junco phaeonotus 
Hepatic Tanager Piranga flava  
Summer Tanager Piranga rubra  
Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea 
Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 
Crimson-collared Grosbeak Rhodothraupis celaeno 
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis 
Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus 
Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus 
Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea 
Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea 
Painted Bunting Passerina ciris 
Dickcissel Spiza americana 
Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus 
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna 
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta 
Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus 
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus 
Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula 
Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major 
Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 
Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus 
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater 
Black-vented Oriole Icterus wagleri
Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 
Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus 
Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii 
Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 
Audubon's Oriole Icterus graduacauda 
Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula 
Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus 
Cassin's Finch Haemorhous cassinii 
House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus 
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra 
Pine Siskin Spinus pinus 
Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria 
American Goldfinch Spinus tristis 
House Sparrow Passer domesticus