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)](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7471/16037547218_cfbc79b42f_z.jpg)
Horned Grebe | 01 December 2014
![Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7515/16223188861_2deaea8a00_z.jpg)
Eastern Phoebe | 01 December 2014
![Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8571/16039217957_8ae90135ed_z.jpg)
Great Blue Heron | 01 December 2014
![Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7570/15602657244_bd14e764e3_z.jpg)
Painted Bunting | 01 December 2014
![Sunrise at Gemini Springs](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7503/16037545888_8537461f20_z.jpg)
sunrise | 03 December 2014
![Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7507/16039216687_4704fe2174_z.jpg)
Mourning Doves | 03 December 2014
![Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7540/15602655134_29f693df9e_z.jpg)
Loggerhead Shrike | 10 December 2014
![Coots in the fog at Gemini Springs](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7490/16223186031_80dbc02ba5_z.jpg)
Coots in the fog | 15 December 2014
![Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8652/15602654484_9e1040e5a9_z.jpg)
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)](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7554/16225048055_2f70ee04b2_z.jpg)
Peninsula Cooter | 24 December 2014
I also took this close-up of her feet and this short video.
![Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7569/15602613754_78cabfcdaf_z.jpg)
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