December has arrived! What Birds Are We Apt To See?

Sunday, December 1st this year is an important day in the lives of serious birders. As far as birders who compile lists of winter birds are concerned, this is the date when the winter season officially begins. From this date through to the end of February 28^th this year, attempts are made to tabulate all species seen in their area, and sometimes beyond, which may be hanging around during the three lean months of the year. In the Bay of Quinte region, it is quite possible to chalk up well over 100 species during this three-month period. And if a measurable snowfall holds off for those first few days of the month, serious birders have had a good chance to check off numerous species we would normally not see this late in the season, due to our ability to get around and into these choice birding areas easily during those first few critical days this month.

The variety of bird life in December depends largely upon the mildness or severity of the season. Should the ponds and streams remain open, the ground be unfrozen, and little or no snow fall, many of the migrant species of November may linger into December. The relatively mild weather of the past few weeks, and the overall lack of any measurable snowfall during November, might result in a number of lingering species remaining into early December and birders should be on the watch for them. Already, there are some promising species that will likely make it into December – a few SANDHILL CRANES (photo above by John Vieira) still cavorting about in Prince Edward County, and certainly no shortage of AMERICAN ROBINS due to bountiful crops of Red Cedar and European Buckthorn berries upon which these birds feed in the winter. At our own feeder, I am hoping to once again have a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER visiting the peanut feeder; it will be the fourth consecutive winter we have had this species as a visitor.

All available open water should be checked carefully for waterfowl while conditions are at their peak. The local waters always harbour over 100 TUNDRA SWANS, almost assuring us that we will have a good number of these graceful birds remaining well until freeze-up. At either end of the Big Island Marsh, in the Bay of Quinte and Muscote Bay, there have been at least 20 whose calls I can here every day, and occasionally a few will fly over. They will remain until ice forces them on their way to Chesapeake Bay, where they typically winter.  During early December birders will also be checking some of the traditionally good waterfowl locations such as West Lake at Wellington Harbour, the wetland around Sheba’s Island, Prince Edward Point and Pleasant Bay for lingering PIED-BILLED GREBES, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS and others that have taken advantage of the fine November weather, and which may have lingered into early December. Numbers of traditionally seen waterfowl should continue to remain high until colder weather freezes many of the inland lakes and bays. Even then, places like Prince Edward Point and Prinyer’s Cove will continue to delight winter birders with gaggles of CANADA GEESE and rafts of scaup, scoters, and LONG-TAILED DUCKS (photo by Kyle Blaney). Birders are hoping that the conditions continue to remain favourable at Sandbanks Provincial Park for the LITTLE GULLS that traditionally turn up there, and which remain until freeze-up.   We always hope that these special birds will work their way into December for the “list”, but often, they don’t.

We should check hotspots like West Point for PURPLE SANDPIPERor a late KILLDEER, Massassauga and Little Bluff Conservation Areas for AMERICAN ROBINS or wintering YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS as the crop of red cedar berries this fall is pretty fair in places and should induce numbers of these birds to remain through the winter.  Any open creeks might harbour a GREAT BLUE HERON.

A look at the cone and seed crop across Ontario this past summer offered a glimpse into what may be occurring in Prince Edward County this winter. Oshawa area resident and biologist, Tyler Hoar, annually makes predictions, based on his research of the seed crops developing on trees and shrubs in the area. If his predictions are true, large areas of the boreal forest have an excellent berry crop for many species, including Mountain Ash, which were observed across several areas. To quote one of our cone crop reporters, “Basically any plant with a berry produced this year.” Areas south of the boreal forest are mostly a mosaic of poor to average crops. Areas of northern Wisconsin and Minnesota and the Adirondacks appear to have a more robust crop than the neighbouring areas.

Significant winter storms and freezing rain events may be needed to nudge some species out of the boreal forest this winter. It’s going to be a wait and see winter to see what happens. It has been so many years since my feeders have enjoyed an irruption of Redpolls or Pine Grosbeaks. My feeders are poised.

For a summary of Tyler’s Winter Finch Forecast, click HERE.

Bird feeders in operation this month should start receiving more dependable parades of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES (Photo by Barry Kant), DOWNY and HAIRY WOODPECKERS, BLUE JAYS, and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, interspersed by AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, HOUSE FINCHES and AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS. As we ease further into December it will be mainly a wait and see month as we anticipate what, if any, influxes of anything else will occur.