2012 Year List

Although I’ve never attempted a serious “Big Year” (which is impossible to do while working full-time!), I do keep various year lists, month lists, winter lists, etc. I actually keep two year lists: one of all the birds seen in a calendar year, regardless of location, and one just for birds seen in the Ottawa Circle (the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club’s study area comprising a 50-kilometre circle centered on the Peace Tower in downtown Ottawa). Serious listers usually aim for 250 bird species in their big year attempts. In my first four years of keeping a year list I have ended up with just under 200 species; last year I finally managed to beat my goal of 200 with a total of 207 species seen in the Ottawa area, thanks to luck, timing, and some amazing birds showing up in the fall.

I will be keeping a year list for 2012 as well. Below is a list of all the birds seen in the Ottawa Circle in 2012; additional species seen outside the Ottawa Circle will follow in a separate table. Life birds will be shown in BOLD.

Species	Location	Date
1. European Starling	Home	01-Jan-2012
2. American Crow	Home	01-Jan-2012
3. American Robin	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
4. Mallard	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
5. Common Goldeneye	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
6. Black-capped chickadee	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
7. Downy Woodpecker	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
8. American Black Duck	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
9. Northern Flicker	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
10. Brown Creeper	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
11. White-breasted nuthatch	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
12. Mourning Dove	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
13. Sharp-shinned Hawk	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
14. Northern Cardinal	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
15. Snow Bunting	Mud Lake	01-Jan-2012
16. Red-breasted nuthatch	Sarsaparilla Trail	01-Jan-2012
17. Blue Jay	Jack Pine Trail	01-Jan-2012
18. Common Raven	Jack Pine Trail	01-Jan-2012
19. Red-tailed Hawk	Carling Avenue	01-Jan-2012
20. Red-winged Blackbird	Hilda Road feeders	01-Jan-2012
21. Great Black-backed Gull	Moodie Drive Quarry	01-Jan-2012
22. Herring Gull	Moodie Drive Quarry	01-Jan-2012
23. Glaucous Gull	Moodie Drive Quarry	01-Jan-2012
24. American Goldfinch	Moodie Drive Quarry	01-Jan-2012
25. American Tree Sparrow	Barnsdale Road	01-Jan-2012
26. Dark-eyed Junco	Barnsdale Road	01-Jan-2012
27. Rock Pigeon	Billings Bridge	04-Jan-2012
28. House Sparrow	Billings Bridge	04-Jan-2012
29. American Coot	Billings Bridge	04-Jan-2012
30. Hairy Woodpecker	Hilda Road Feeders	08-Jan-2012
31. Pileated Woodpecker	Old Quarry Trail	08-Jan-2012
32. Common Merganser	Hurdman Park	10-Jan-2012
33. Cedar Waxwing	Hurdman Park	19-Jan-2012
34. House Finch	Hurdman Park	19-Jan-2012
35. Barrow’s Goldeneye	Riverrain Park	22-Jan-2012
36. VARIED THRUSH	Limoges, ON	22-Jan-2012
37. Evening Grosbeak	Limoges, ON	22-Jan-2012
38. Cooper’s Hawk	Billings Bridge	22-Jan-2012
39. Northern Shrike	Carling Avenue near Nortel	28-Jan-2012
40. Winter Wren	Mud Lake	28-Jan-2012
41. Belted Kingfisher	Mud Lake	28-Jan-2012
42. Carolina Wren	Mud Lake	28-Jan-2012
43. Bohemian Waxwing	Mud Lake	29-Jan-2012
44. Northern Mockingbird	Grandview Ave.	05-Feb-2012
45. Wild Turkey	Kanata, ON	05-Feb-2012
46. Horned Lark	Kanata, ON	18-Feb-2012
47. Northern Pintail	Manotick, ON	18-Feb-2012
48. White-throated Sparrow	FWG – Ottawa	18-Feb-2012
49. Gray Partridge	Kanata, ON	20-Feb-2012
50. Pine Siskin	Steele Line Road, QC	26-Feb-2012
51. RED CROSSBILL	Steele Line Road, QC	26-Feb-2012
52. Bald Eagle	Steele Line Road, QC	26-Feb-2012
53. Purple Finch	Steele Line Road, QC	26-Feb-2012
54. White-winged Crossbill	Gatineau Park, QC	26-Feb-2012
55. Canada Goose	Mud Lake	03-Mar-2012
56. Ring-billed Gull	Billings Bridge	07-Mar-2012
57. Wood Duck	Billings Bridge	07-Mar-2012
58. Common Grackle	Trail Road Landfill	10-Mar-2012
59. Hooded Merganser	Hurdman Park	12-Mar-2012
60. Song Sparrow	Hurdman Park	16-Mar-2012
61. Killdeer	Richmond Lagoons	17-Mar-2012
62. Turkey Vulture	Kanata, ON	17-Mar-2012
63. Bufflehead	Britannia Bay	17-Mar-2012
64. Brown-headed Cowbird	Giroux Road, Ottawa east	18-Mar-2012
65. American Kestrel	Frank Kenny Road, Ottawa east	18-Mar-2012
66. Eastern Meadowlark	Frank Kenny Road, Ottawa east	18-Mar-2012
67. Snow Goose	Frank Kenny Road, Ottawa east	18-Mar-2012
68. Ring-necked Duck	Frank Kenny Road, Ottawa east	18-Mar-2012
69. American Wigeon	Milton Road, Ottawa east	18-Mar-2012
70. Golden-crowned Kinglet	Hurdman Park	19-Mar-2012
71. Fox Sparrow	Jack Pine Trail	25-Mar-2012
72. Great Blue Heron	Jack Pine Trail	25-Mar-2012
73. Ruddy Duck	Moodie Drive Quarry	25-Mar-2012
74. Peregrine Falcon	Downtown Ottawa	29-Mar-2012
75. Eastern Phoebe	Beaver Trail	31-Mar-2012
76. Red-breasted Merganser	Moodie Drive Quarry	01-Apr-2012
77. Osprey	Shirley’s Bay	06-Apr-2012
78. Eastern Bluebird	Dunrobin, ON	06-Apr-2012
79. Northern Harrier	Bill Mason Center	06-Apr-2012
80. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	Bill Mason Center	06-Apr-2012
81. Wilson’s Snipe	Bill Mason Center	06-Apr-2012
82. Ruffed Grouse	Bill Mason Center	06-Apr-2012
83. Tree Swallow	Richmond Lagoons	07-Apr-2012
84. Northern Shoveler	Richmond Lagoons	07-Apr-2012
85. Swamp Sparrow	Constance Creek, Dunrobin	08-Apr-2012
86. Gadwall	March Valley Road	08-Apr-2012
87. Lesser Scaup	Andrew Haydon Park	08-Apr-2012
88. Chipping Sparrow	Home	15-Apr-2012
89. Savannah Sparrow	Rushmore Road, Kanata	15-Apr-2012
90. Barn Swallow	Moodie Drive quarry	15-Apr-2012
91. Green-winged Teal	Richmond Lagoon	15-Apr-2012
92. Ruby-crowned Kinglet	Hurdman Park	16-Apr-2012
93. Brown Thrasher	Dunrobin, ON	22-Apr-2012
94. Field Sparrow	Dunrobin, ON	22-Apr-2012
95. Eastern Towhee	Dunrobin, ON	22-Apr-2012
96. Virginia Rail	Dunrobin, ON	22-Apr-2012
97. Yellow-rumped Warbler	Sarsaparilla Trail	28-Apr-2012
98. Pied-billed Grebe	Sarsaparilla Trail	28-Apr-2012
99. Double-crested Cormorant	Mud Lake	28-Apr-2012
100. Pine Warbler	Mud Lake	28-Apr-2012
101. Black-crowned Night Heron	Mud Lake	29-Apr-2012
102. Hermit Thrush	Mud Lake	29-Apr-2012
103. Broad-winged Hawk	Hurdman Park	02-May-2012
104. Palm Warbler	Hurdman Park	02-May-2012
105. Black-throated Green Warbler	Hurdman Park	02-May-2012
106. Black-and-white Warbler	Hurdman Park	03-May-2012
107. Nashville Warbler	Hurdman Park	03-May-2012
108. White-crowned Sparrow	Kanata, ON	04-May-2012
109. Spotted Sandpiper	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
110. Common Tern	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
111. Warbling Vireo	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
112. Red-eyed Vireo	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
113. Great-crested Flycatcher	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
114. American Redstart	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
115. Magnolia Warbler	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
116. Blackburnian Warbler	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
117. Yellow Warbler	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
118. Chestnut-sided Warbler	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
119. Least Flycatcher	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
120. Black-throated Blue Warbler	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
121. Ovenbird	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
122. Northern Parula	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
123. Scarlet Tanager	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
124. Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
125. Baltimore Oriole	Mud Lake	09-May-2012
126. Swainson’s Thrush	Sarsaparilla Trail	09-May-2012
127. Gray Catbird	Hurdman Park	11-May-2012
128. Common Yellowthroat	Beaver Trail	12-May-2012
129. Eastern Kingbird	Beaver Trail	12-May-2012
130. Chimney Swift	Downtown Ottawa	16-May-2012
131. Clay-coloured Sparrow	Ottawa airport	19-May-2012
132. Grasshopper Sparrow	Ottawa airport	19-May-2012
133. Alder Flycatcher	Ottawa airport	19-May-2012
134. Vesper Sparrow	Ottawa airport	19-May-2012
135. Bobolink	Ottawa airport	19-May-2012
136. Blackpoll Warbler	Mud Lake	19-May-2012
137. Tennessee Warbler	Mud Lake	20-May-2012
138. Eastern Wood-pewee	Petrie Island	20-May-2012
139. Brant	Petrie Island	20-May-2012
140. White-winged Scoters	Petrie Island	20-May-2012
141. Black Tern	Petrie Island	20-May-2012
142. Semipalmated Plover	Embrun Sewage Lagoons	20-May-2012
143. Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Huntmar Road, Kanata	21-May-2012
144. House Wren	Dunrobin, ON	21-May-2012
145. Veery	Bill Mason Center	21-May-2012
146. American Bittern	Bill Mason Center	21-May-2012
147. Wilson’s Warbler	Kanata, ON	23-May-2012
148. Lincoln’ Sparrow	Mer Bleue Boardwalk	26-May-2012
149. Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Kanata, ON	28-May-2012
150. Bank Swallow	Richmond Sewage Lagoons	03-Jun-2012
151. Least Bittern	Sarsaparilla Trail	03-Jun-2012
152. Wood Thrush	Sarsaparilla Trail	03-Jun-2012
153. Red-shouldered Hawk	South March Highlands	10-Jun-2012
154. Marsh Wren	Petrie Island	16-Jun-2012
155. Green Heron	Moodie Drive Marsh	23-Jun-2012
156. Indigo Bunting	Luskville, QC	24-Jun-2012
157. Canada Warbler	Luskville, QC	24-Jun-2012
158. Blue-winged Teal	Moodie Drive Quarry	07-Jul-2012
159. Purple Martin	Andrew Haydon Park	08-Jul-2012
160. Great Egret	Shirley’s Bay	08-Jul-2012
161. Greater Yellowlegs	Shirley’s Bay	04-Aug-2012
162. Lesser Yellowlegs	Shirley’s Bay	04-Aug-2012
163. Semipalmated Sandpiper	Shirley’s Bay	04-Aug-2012
164. Least Sandpiper	Shirley’s Bay	04-Aug-2012
165. Red-necked Phalarope	Shirley’s Bay	04-Aug-2012
166. Bonaparte’s Gull	Shirley’s Bay	04-Aug-2012
167. Caspian Tern	Andrew Haydon Park	12-Aug-2012
168. Philadelphia Vireo	Mud Lake	19-Aug-2012
169. Cape May Warbler	Mud Lake	19-Aug-2012
170. Redhead	Moodie Drive quarry	25-Aug-2012
171. American Golden Plover	Shirley’s Bay	26-Aug-2012
172. White-rumped Sandpiper	Shirley’s Bay	26-Aug-2012
173. Pectoral Sandpiper	Shirley’s Bay	26-Aug-2012
174. Bay-breasted Warbler	Mud Lake	26-Aug-2012
175. Buff-breasted Sandpiper	Andrew Haydon Park	01-Sep-2012
176. American Pipit	Andrew Haydon Park	01-Sep-2012
177. Solitary Sandpiper	Mud Lake	02-Sep-2012
178. Blue-headed Vireo	Sarsaparilla Trail	02-Sep-2012
179. Common Nighthawk	Moodie Drive	03-Sep-2012
180. Rusty Blackbird	Mud Lake	16-Sep-2012
181. Merlin	Emerald Meadows	20-Sep-2012
182. Red-necked Grebe	Shirley’s Bay	29-Sep-2012
183. GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE	Moodie Drive quarry	09-Oct-2012
184. Black Scoter	Shirley’s Bay	13-Oct-2012
185. Surf Scoter	Shirley’s Bay	13-Oct-2012
186. Horned Grebe	Shirley’s Bay	13-Oct-2012
187. Barred Owl	Hurdman Park	17-Oct-2012
188. WESTERN GREBE	Ottawa River	20-Oct-2012
189. Ross’s Goose	Moodie Drive quarry	21-Oct-2012
190. Black-backed Woodpecker	Stony Swamp	26-Oct-2012
191. Cackling Goose	Andrew Haydon Park	03-Nov-2012
192. Common Redpoll	Stony Swamp	04-Nov-2012
193. Pine Grosbeak	Stony Swamp	04-Nov-2012
194. Sandhill Crane	Milton Road	04-Nov-2012
195. Snowy Owl	Ottawa airport	10-Nov-2012
196. Rough-legged Hawk	Ottawa airport	10-Nov-2012
197. Harlequin Duck	Bate Island	09-Dec-2012

Year birds seen outside of the Ottawa Circle:

Species	Location	Date
1. Gray Jay	Algonquin Park	11-Mar-2012
2. RING-NECKED PHEASANT	Nova Scotia	05-May-2012
3. WILLET	Nova Scotia	05-May-2012
4. American Woodcock	Nova Scotia	05-May-2012
5. Sora	Nova Scotia	06-May-2012
6. BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE	Sherwood Park, AB	13-July-2012
7. CALIFORNIA GULL	Sherwood Park, AB	14-July-2012
8. EARED GREBE	Elk Island National Park, AB	14-July-2012
9. American White Pelican	Elk Island National Park, AB	14-July-2012
10. SWAINSON’S HAWK	Edmonton, AB	15-July-2012
11. MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE	Jasper National Park, AB	16-July-2012
12. Common Loon	Jasper National Park, AB	18-July-2012
13. Spruce Grouse	Jasper National Park, AB	19-July-2012
14. CLARK’S NUTCRACKER	Jasper National Park, AB	19-July-2012
15. Great Horned Owl	Jasper National Park, AB	20-July-2012
16. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD	Calgary, AB	22-July-2012
17. Mute Swan	Presqu’ile Provincial Park	25-August-2012
18. Sanderling	Presqu’ile Provincial Park	25-August-2012
19. Baird’s Sandpiper	Presqu’ile Provincial Park	25-August-2012