December 2021
Warm autumn weather continued through December; we didn't get a hard freeze in our garden until December 15th. Waterfowl were lingering in our ponds much later than usual, but there didn't seem to be any upswing in late migrating songbirds. Very few irruptive species from the north, which sometimes show up at this time of year. Accordingly our count of species on the Christmas Count was down; my little territory at Cape May Point has had as many as 112 species in the past year, this time our total was 94. That's still a great variety, and coupled with continued great skyscapes, made it another nice month to be in Cape May.
Winter sunset over the Atlantic Ocean
Above, left to right: Red-bellied Woodpecker, two Blue-winged Teal surround a Green-winged Teal, Great Blue Heron.
Below, left to right: Gray Catbird, Great Egret, Fox Sparrow, Red-shouldered Hawk
Five December sunsets and one moonrise
Red-throated Loon
Turkey Vulture
Sanderling
Hooded Mergansers
Cooper's Hawk
American Bittern
Merlin
Blue Goose
Northern Pintail
Tundra Swan
Carolina Wren
Purple Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
"Audubon's" form of Yellow-rumped Warbler, usually found only in the western US and Canada.
Northern Shoveler
Winter Wren
