A Good Year

At the end of 2021, my wife and I were in Minnesota for the holidays. During the drive over from Montana, I saw a snowy owl, and at the feeder in Minnesota I saw some species that I knew I wouldn't get back in Montana. We drove home on January 1, 2022, and I saw another snowy owl in North Dakota near Minot. That is when I decided I would start a bird list for the year. We took trips to Minnesota, Massachusetts, the island of Kauai, and Georgia, along with birds around Montana. I had toyed with the idea of going down to SE Arizona, but that won't happen this year. This wasn't a "Big Year", but I did alright. 302 species so far. No more trips for December, so the total won't change much.

I enjoy photography, so I tried to document as much as I could. I'd like to share the 2022 birding album with you. I hope you enjoy it.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/U3c3S8Ucz3

January 1st- 15 sp. MN to MT road trip
Downy woodpecker - Picoides pubescens
Hairy woodpecker - Leuconotopicus villosus
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata
Black-capped chickadee - Poecile atricapillus
Dark-eyed junco (slate colored)- Junco hyemalis
White-breasted nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis
#Red-bellied woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus
Snow bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis
Pileated woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus
*Ring-necked pheasant - Phasianus colchicus
Snowy owl - Bubo scandiacus
Golden eagle - Aquila chrysaetos
American crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos
Common raven - Corvus corax
Red-tailed hawk - Buteo jamaicensis (15)

January 2nd - 3 sp. Havre feeder
*Eurasian collared dove - Streptopelia decaocto
*House sparrow - Passer domesticus
House finch - Haemorhous mexicanus (18)

January 3rd - 1 sp. Havre
*Rock pigeon - Columba livia (19)

January 6th - 5 sp. North Havre
Sharp-tailed grouse -Tympanuchus phasianellus
Common goldeneye - Bucephala clangula
Horned lark - Eremophila alpestris
*Gray partridge - Perdix perdix
Lapland longspur - Calcarius lapponicus (24)

January 10th - 4 sp. Bear's Paw
Northern flicker - Colaptes auratus
Black-billed magpie - Pica hudsonia
Wild turkey - Meleagris gallopavo merriami
Prairie falcon - Falco mexicanus (28)

January 15th - 3 sp. South Havre
*European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
Common redpoll - Acanthus flammea
Canada goose - Branta canadensis moffitti (31)

January 16th - 3 sp. West Havre
Rough-legged hawk - Buteo lagopus
Cooper's hawk (imm) - Accipiter cooperii (33)

January 19th - 3 sp. Bear's Paw
Sharp-shinned hawk - Accipiter striatus
Bohemian waxwing - Bombycilla garrulous
Bald eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus (36)

January 20th - 5 sp. Bear's Paw
Clark's nutcracker - Nucifraga columbiana
Red-breasted nuthatch - Sitta canadensis
Mountain chickadee - Poecile gambeli
Red crossbill - Loxia curvirostra
Northern shrike -Lanius borealis (41)

January 21st - 2 sp. Bear's Paw
Belted kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos (43)

February 26th - 6 sp. Flathead Lake
Stellar's Jay - Cyanocitta stellaris
Bufflehead- Bucephala alveolar
Ruffed grouse - Bonasa umbellus
Common merganser - Mergus merganser
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia
Tundra swan - Cygnus columbianus (49)

February 27th - 7 sp. Flathead Lake
Hooded merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus
American coot - Fulica americana
Canvasback - Aythya valisineria
Lesser scaup - Aythya affinis
Greater scaup - Aythya marila
Red-winged blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus
Barrow's goldeneye - Bucephala islandica (56)

March 3 - 3 sp. Havre and Great Falls
Merlin - Falco columbarius
Northern pintail - Anas acuta
*Eurasian wigeon - Mareca penelope
Herring gull - Larus argentatus (60)

March 6 - 1 sp Bear's Paw
Dusky grouse - Dendragapus obscurus (61)

March 7 - 1 sp. Havre
Cedar waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum (62)

March 11 - 1 sp. Havre south
American kestrel - Falco sparverius (63)

March 15th - 1 sp. Sand Lake, MT
American wigeon - Mareca americana (64)

March 18th - 1 sp Rookery
Ring-necked duck - Aythya collaris (65)

March 19 - 5 sp. Sand Lake, MT
Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus
Green-winged teal - Anas crecca
Northern shoveler - Spatula clypeata
Redhead - Aythya americana
American Robin - Turdus migratorius (70)

March 21 - 1 sp. Sand Lake
Ring- billed gull - Larus delawarensis (71)

March 22nd - 3 sp. CMR
Greater Sage grouse - Centrocercus urophasianus
Mountain bluebird - Sialia currucoides
American tree sparrow - Spizelloides arborea (74)

March 26 - 2 sp. Sand Lake
Sandhill crane - Antigone canadensis
Cackling goose - Branta hutchinsii (76)

March 27 - 4 sp. South Havre, Smitty, Sand
Western meadowlark - Sturnella neglecta
Snow goose - Anser caerulescens
Gadwall - Mareca strepera
California gull - Larus californicus (80)

March 30 - 3 sp. Bear's Paws
Red-breasted merganser - Mergus serrator
Swainson's hawk - Buteo swainsoni (82)

March 31 - 1 sp. Bear's Paw
Northern Harrier - Circus hudsonius (83)

April 5 - 1 sp. Sand Lake
American white pelican - Pelecanus erythrorhynchos (84)

April 9 - 1 sp. Smitty's Pond
Great blue heron - Ardea herodias (85)

April 10 - 3 sp. Rookery and Sand Lake
Great horned owl - Bubo virginianus
Yellow-headed blackbird- Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Mourning dove - Zenaida macroura (88)

April 11 - 3 sp. Bear's Paw
Dark-eyed junco (pink-sided) prior
Cassin's finch - Haemorhous cassinii (L)
Wood duck - Aix sponsa
Common loon - Gavia immer (91)

April 13 - 2 sp. Smitty's pond
Double-crested cormorant - Nannopterum auritum
Greater yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca (93)

April 17 - 3 sp. Havre to Conrad
Common grackle - Quiscalus quiscula
Ferruginous hawk - Buteo regalis
Townsend's solitaire - Myadestes townsendi (96)

April 18 - 1 sp. SE of Havre
Long-billed curlew - Numenius americanus(97)

April 19 - 6 sp. Sand Lake
Eared grebe - Podiceps nigricollis
Ruddy duck - Oxyura jamaicensis
Franklin's gull - Leucophaeus pipixcan
American avocet - Recurvirostra americana
Marbled godwit - Limosa fedoa
Black-necked stilt - Himantopus mexicanus (103)

April 22 - 19 sp. Crane Beach/Ippswych, MA
Long-tailed duck- Clangula hyemalis (L)
White-winged scoter- Melanitta deglandi (L)
Great egret - Ardea alba
Common eider - Somateria mollissima (L)
Brant (Atlantic) - Branta bernicla
American oystercatcher- Haematopus palliatus (L)
Turkey vulture - Cathartes aura
Great cormorant- Phalacrocorax carbo (L)
Eastern wild turkey - Meleagris gallopavo silvestris
Eastern bluebird - Sialia sialis
Yellow-rumped warbler - Setophaga coronata
White-throated sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis
Chipping sparrow - Spizella passerina
Tufted titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor
Tree swallow - Tachycineta bicolor
Barn swallow - Hirundo rustica
Cliff swallow - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis
Palm warbler - Setophaga palmarum (L) (122)

April 23 - 1 sp. Ashland, MA
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis
Glaucous gull (imm) - Larus hyperboreus (124)

April 24 - 1 sp. Ashland, MA
Northern mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos (125)

April 25 - 2 sp. Ashland, MA
Eastern towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus (L)
American goldfinch - Spinus tristis (127)

April 27 - 9 sp. Chain of Lakes/Fresno WMA
Blue-winged teal - Spatula discors
Cinnamon teal - Spatula cyanoptera
Willet - Tringa semipalmata
Lesser yellow legs - Tringa flavipes
Brown-headed cowbird - Molothrus ater
Chestnut collared longspur - Calcarius ornatus
Bank swallow- Riparia riparia
Semipalmated sandpiper- Calidris pusilla (L)
Ross's goose - Anser rossii (136)

April 28 - 1 sp. Bear's Paw
Broad-winged hawk - Buteo platypterus (L)(137)

April 30 - 3 sp. Sand Lake
Wilson's snipe - Gallinago delicata
Red-necked grebe - Podiceps grisegena
Orange-crowned warbler- Leiothlypis celata (140)

May 2 - 3 sp. Chain of Lakes/Fresno Res.
Wilson's phalarope - Phalaropus tricolor
White-faced Ibis - Plegadis chihi
White-crowned sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys (143)

May 4 - 8 sp. Chain of Lakes/Fresno
Forster's tern - Sterna forsteri
Long-billed dowitcher - Limnodromus scolopaceus
Short-billed dowitcher - Limnodromus griseus
Thick-billed longspur - Rhynchophanes mccownii (L)
Brown thrasher - Toxostoma rufum
Western grebe - Aechmophorus occidentalis
Brewer's Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus Say's Phoebe - Sayornis saya (L) (151)

May 5 - 1 sp. South of Havre
Loggerhead shrike - Lanius ludovicianus(L) (152)

May 8 - 4 sp. Bear's Paw
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus
Red-naped sapsucker - Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Pied-billed grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
Spotted sandpiper - Actitis macularius (156)

May 9 - 2 sp. Havre and Sand's Lake
Lincoln's sparrow - Melospiza lincolnii
Vesper sparrow - Pooecetes gramineus (158)

May 11 - 2 sp. Bear's Paw
Spotted towhee - Pipilo maculatus
Caspian tern - Hydroprogne caspia (160)

May 12 - 1 sp. Smitty's pond
Northern rough-winged swallow - Stelgidopteryx serripennis (161)

May 14 - 1 sp. South of Havre
Lark sparrow - Chondestes grammacus (162)

May 16 - 8 sp. North/Chain of Lakes/Havre
Clay-colored sparrow - Spizella pallida (L)
Grasshopper sparrow - Ammodramus savannarum (L)
Eastern kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus
Western kingbird - Tyrannus verticalis
Least sandpiper - Calidris minutilla
Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Bullock's Oriole - Icterus bullockii Olive-sided Flycatcher - Contopus cooperi (L)(170)

May 18 - 4 sp. Little Box Elder Creek
Willow Flycatcher - Empidonax traillii
Yellow warbler - Setophaga petechia
Least flycatcher - Empidonax minimus
Veery - Catharus fuscescens (174)

May 20 - 3 sp. Backyard
House wren - Troglodytes aedon
Swainson's thrush - Catharus ustulatus
Chimney swift - Chaetura pelagica (177)

May 21 - 6 sp. MacDonald Creek, GNP
Trumpeter swan - Cygnus buccinator
Black swift - Cypseloides niger (L)
Varied thrush - Ixoreus naevius
Harlequin duck - Histrionicus histrionicus
Townsend's warbler - Setophaga townsendi (L)
Cordilleran flycatcher - Empidonax occidentalis (L) (183)

May 22 - 9 sp. NF Flathead, Two Medicine
American Dipper - Cinclus mexicanus
Lewis's woodpecker - Melanerpes lewis (L)
Rufous hummingbird - Selasphorus rufus
Violet-green swallow - Tachycineta thalassina
Dark-eyed junco (Oregon) - prior (color morph)
Ruby-crowned kinglet - Corthylio calendula
Western tanager - Piranga ludoviciana
Northern waterthrush - Parkesia noveboracensis
Canada Jay - Perisoreus canadensis
Common yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas (192)

May 24 - 1 sp Beaver Creek
Gray catbird - Dumetella carolinensis (193)

May 25 - 3 sp. Bear's Paw
Warbling vireo - Vireo gilvus (L)
American redstart - Setophaga ruticilla
Lazuli bunting - Passerina amoena (196)

May 26 - 1 sp. Little Box Elder
LeConte's sparrow - Ammospiza leconteii (L) (197)

May 27 - 3 sp. BC Reservoir/ Bear's Paw
Horned grebe - Podiceps auritus
Pine siskin - Spinus pinus
Upland sandpiper - Bartramia longicauda (200)

May 29 - 1 sp. Beaver Creek
Yellow-breasted chat - Icteria virens (201)

May 30 - 2 sp. Sheppard's
Common nighthawk - Chordeiles minor
Baltimore oriole - Icterus galbula (203)

May 31 - 4 sp. Fresno tail water, Beaver Creek
Western wood-pewee - Contopus sordidulus (L)
Alder flycatcher - Empidonax alnorum (L)
Hermit thrush - Catharus guttatus
Rose-breasted grosbeak (207)

June 2 - 2 sp. Beaver Creek
Red-eyed vireo - Vireo olivaceus
Black-headed grosbeak - Pheucticus melanocephalus (209)

June 19 - 19 sp. Kekaha, Kauai
Common myna - Acridotheres tristis (L)
Red junglefowl - Gallus gallus (L)
Saffron finch - Sicalis flaveola (L)
Spotted dove - Streptopelia chinensis (L)
Zebra dove - Geopelia striata (L)
Warbling white-eye - Zosterops japonicus (L)
Black-crowned night-heron - Nycticorax nycticorax
Hawaiian stilt - Himantopus mexicanus knudseni (L)
Cattle egret - Bubulcus ibis
Erckel's francolin - Pternistis erckelii (L)
White-tailed tropic bird - Phaethon lepturus (L)
Red crested Cardinal - Paroaria coronata (L)
Nene - Branta sandvicensis (L)
Kauai 'elepaio - Chasiempis sclateri (L)
'Apapane - Himatione sanguinea (L)
Hawaiian short-eared owl (Pueo) - Asio flammeus sandwichensis (L)
'Anianiau - Magumma parva (L)
Scaly-breasted munia - Lonchura punctulata
Barn owl - Tyto alba (L)(228)

June 20 - 4 sp. Napali Coast
Brown booby - Sula leucogaster (L)
Hawaiian (black) noddy - Anous minutus (L)
Brown noddy - Anous stolidus (L)
Common gallinule - Gallinula galeata (232)

June 21 - 3 sp. Kekaha/Poipu
Hawaiian coot - Fulica alai (L)
White-rumped shama - Copsychus malabaricus (L)
Rose-ringed parakeet - Psittacula krameri(235)

June 22 - 2 sp Hanalei
Chestnut munia - Lonchura atricapilla
Hawaiian duck - Anas wyvilliana (L)(237)

June 23 - 1 sp. - Hanalei
African silverbill - Eodice cantans (238)

June 24 - 7 sp. - Kilauea/Princeville
Common waxbill - Estrilda astrild
Red-footed booby - Sula sula (L)
Magnificent frigatebird - Fregata magnificens
Wedge-tailed shearwater - Ardenna pacifica (L)
Red-tailed tropicbird - Phaethon rubricauda (L)
Laysan albatross - Phoebastria immutabilus (L)
Java sparrow - Padda oriyzivora (L)(245)

June 26 - 1 sp. - Sleeping Giant, Kauai
Chinese hwamei - Garrulax canorus (L)(246)

July 1 - 4 sp - Wolf Point to Circle, MT
Red-headed woodpecker - Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Lark bunting - Calamospiza melanocorys
Medina, ND
Black tern - Chlidonias niger
Snowy egret - Egretta thula (250)

July 3 - 6 sp. Alexandria, MN
Green heron - Butorides virescens
Tamarac NWR, MN
Yellow-bellied sapsucker - Sphyrapicus varius
Eastern wood-peewee - Contopus virens (L)
Ovenbird - Seiurus aurocapilla
Chestnut-sided warbler - Setophaga pensylvanica
Purple Martin - Progne subis (256)

July 5 - 3 sp. Buffalo River State Park, MN
Yellow-throated Vireo - Vireo flavifrons (L)
Great crested flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus (L)
Purple finch - Haemorhous purpureus (259)

July 6 - 1 sp. Moorhead, MN
Ruby-throated hummingbird - Archilochus colubris (260)

August 14 - 3 sp. Cut Bank Creek. GNP
Golden-crowned kinglet - Regulus satrapa
Cassin's vireo - Vireo cassinii (L)
Fox sparrow - Passerella iliaca (263)

September 6 - 1 sp. Chain of Lakes
Swamp sparrow - Melospiza georgiana (264)

September 24 - 1 sp. Cut Bank Creek GNP
Great gray owl - Strix nebulosa (265)

September 28 - 2 sp. CMR refuge
Common poorwill - Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
Burrowing owl - Athene cunicularia (267)

October 13 - 4 sp. Teton River L&C NF
Brown creeper - Certhia americana
American three-toed woodpecker - Picoides dorsalis (L)
Spruce grouse - Canachites canadensis
Northern goshawk - Accipiter gentilis (271)

November 2 - 1 sp. Fresno Reservoir
Bonaparte's gull - Chroicocephalus philadelphia (272)

November 11 - 1 sp. Georgia Botanical Garden
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus (L)(273)

November 13 - 1 sp. Georgia Botanical Garden
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe (274)


November 14 - 4 sp. Savannah, GA
Black vulture - Coragyps atratus
Boat-tailed grackle - Quiscalus major
White Ibis - Eudocimus albus
Brown pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis (278)

November 15 - 16 sp. Tybee Island, GA
Sanderling - Calidris alba
Black skimmer - Rynchops niger
Royal tern - Thalasseus maximus (L)
Sandwich tern - Thalasseus sandvicensis (L)
Laughing gull - Leucophaeus atricilla
Ruddy turnstone - Arenaria interpres
Lesser black backed gull - Larus fuscus
Piping plover - Charadrius melodus
Carolina chickadee - Poecile carolinensis (L)
- Fort Pulaski, GA
Little blue heron - Egretta caerulea
Marsh wren - Cistothorus palustris
Black-bellied plover - Pluvialis squatarola
- Harris Neck NWR, GA
Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga
Wood stork- Mycteria americana (L)
Glossy ibis - Plegadis falcinellus (L)
Tricolor heron - Egretta tricolor (294)

November 16 - 8 sp. St. Simon's/Jekyll Islands
Reddish egret - Egretta rufescens (L)
Dunlin - Calidris alpina
Western sandpiper - Calidris mauri
Semipalmated plover - Charadrius semipalmatus
Roseate spoonbill - Platalea ajaja (L)
Yellow-crowned night heron - Nyctanassa violacea(L)
Blue-gray gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea (L)
Red-shouldered hawk - Buteo lineatus (L) (302)