Birding Gemini Springs, December 2014

I birded at Gemini Springs 6 times in December, recording 69 species. In previous Decembers I’ve recorded 67 in 2013, 63 in 2012, and 58 in 2011.

Last month I added one new species to my all-time Gemini Springs list: Horned Grebe on December 1st. The complete list for the month is at the end of this post.

Here are some photographic highlights from the month that was…

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
Horned Grebe | 01 December 2014

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
Eastern Phoebe | 01 December 2014

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Great Blue Heron | 01 December 2014

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
Painted Bunting | 01 December 2014

Sunrise at Gemini Springs
sunrise | 03 December 2014

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Mourning Doves | 03 December 2014

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Loggerhead Shrike | 10 December 2014

Coots in the fog at Gemini Springs
Coots in the fog | 15 December 2014

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
Wild Turkeys | 15 December 2014

On December 24th I came upon this turtle digging in the dirt. I believe she is a Peninsula Cooter and she was finishing up burying her nest of eggs.

Peninsula Cooter (Pseudemys peninsularis)
Peninsula Cooter | 24 December 2014

I also took this close-up of her feet and this short video.

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Gray Catbird | 29 December 2014

December 2014 bird list, Gemini Springs
Hooded Merganser – Lophodytes cucullatus
Wild Turkey – Meleagris gallopavo
Pied-billed Grebe – Podilymbus podiceps
Horned Grebe – Podiceps auritus
Double-crested Cormorant – Phalacrocorax auritus
Anhinga – Anhinga anhinga
Great Blue Heron – Ardea herodias
Great Egret – Ardea alba
Snowy Egret – Egretta thula
Little Blue Heron – Egretta caerulea
Tricolored Heron – Egretta tricolor
Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis
White Ibis – Eudocimus albus
Glossy Ibis – Plegadis falcinellus
Black Vulture – Coragyps atratus
Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura
Osprey – Pandion haliaetus
Cooper’s Hawk – Accipiter cooperii
Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Red-shouldered Hawk – Buteo lineatus
Red-tailed Hawk – Buteo jamaicensis
Sora – Porzana carolina
Common Gallinule – Gallinula galeata
American Coot – Fulica americana
Sandhill Crane – Grus canadensis
Killdeer – Charadrius vociferus
Ring-billed Gull – Larus delawarensis
Caspian Tern – Hydroprogne caspia
Mourning Dove – Zenaida macroura
Belted Kingfisher – Megaceryle alcyon
Red-bellied Woodpecker – Melanerpes carolinus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Sphyrapicus varius
Downy Woodpecker – Picoides pubescens
Northern Flicker – Colaptes auratus
Pileated Woodpecker – Dryocopus pileatus
Eastern Phoebe – Sayornis phoebe
Loggerhead Shrike – Lanius ludovicianus
White-eyed Vireo – Vireo griseus
Blue Jay – Cyanocitta cristata
American Crow – Corvus brachyrhynchos
Fish Crow – Corvus ossifragus
Tree Swallow – Tachycineta bicolor
Tufted Titmouse – Baeolophus bicolor
House Wren – Troglodytes aedon
Marsh Wren – Cistothorus palustris
Carolina Wren – Thryothorus ludovicianus
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – Polioptila caerulea
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Regulus calendula
American Robin – Turdus migratorius
Gray Catbird – Dumetella carolinensis
Northern Mockingbird – Mimus polyglottos
Black-and-white Warbler – Mniotilta varia
Orange-crowned Warbler – Oreothlypis celata
Common Yellowthroat – Geothlypis trichas
Palm Warbler – Setophaga palmarum
Yellow-rumped Warbler – Setophaga coronata
Yellow-throated Warbler – Setophaga dominica
Prairie Warbler – Setophaga discolor
Eastern Towhee – Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Chipping Sparrow – Spizella passerina
Field Sparrow – Spizella pusilla
Savannah Sparrow – Passerculus sandwichensis
Swamp Sparrow – Melospiza georgiana
Northern Cardinal – Cardinalis cardinalis
Painted Bunting – Passerina ciris
Red-winged Blackbird – Agelaius phoeniceus
Common Grackle – Quiscalus quiscula
Boat-tailed Grackle – Quiscalus major
American Goldfinch – Spinus tristis

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