Winged Wednesday XXIII: 2011 Attempt at the 99 Common Birds
I noted 132 species during 2011, but only 92 of the ones on our "99 common birds" checklist. These are the ones I missed:
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Spotted Sandpiper
- American Woodcock
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
It's just silly to miss woodcock, but most of the others are understandable. In fact, a look through my personal records going back more than a decade reveals not a single Red-breasted Nuthatch on Wells Reserve property. I'm sure they're around — back when my office was down at the Alheim house I noted them a few times in the pines along Laudholm Farm Road — but I have only crossed paths with white-breasteds since moving up to the farm.
I've just five grosbeak records in 11 years, too, calling that species into question as "common." Maybe it's time to review that list of 99.
Photo by Wolfgang Wander
