Birds I'm Watching: 2021 Santa Rosa Christmas Bird Count (December 19, 2021)

I participated in the Santa Rosa Christmas Bird Count this year, as I do most years. I hiked with the group that covers the area that includes Spring Lake, Howarth Park, and also Strawberry School Park. It's a small area, really, but we managed to see 75 species despite missing a few birds we normally see, such as Wild Turkeys, White-throated Sparrows, Pileated Woodpeckers, and House Sparrows. We saw nothing rare, but most of the usual suspects. A Western Tanager was perhaps the most unexpected bird--rare at this time of year. We did, however, see three Pacific Wrens, which is fairly unusual. Shown above is a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Below is a Hermit Thrush.