2020 Birding Journal Observations - November / December

 This year is the 13th year of the Lowcountry Outdoors blog and the Birding Journal Observations.

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Tropical Storm Eta rolled through the Lowcountry on November 12 bringing balmy temps and three inches of rain. Backyard birds were common after a flurry of migratory songbirds flew through in late October. Pine warbler, yellow-bellied sapsucker, downy woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch, mockingbird, brown thrasher, dove, blue jay, chipping sparrow and Carolina wren.

Two special sightings include the red-breasted nuthatch on November 8, and since then has been a regular at the peanut feeder. This is a year when birding forecasters predicted red-breasted nuthatches to filter into our flyway due to a lack of food sources in their usual range. I have seen this same scenario play out in the past, and the years we have red-breasted nuthatches are special. And on December 7, I had seven Northern Shoveler ducks stop by the farm pond for one day during their southward migration, joining some resident Canada geese. While I have recorded casual migratory waterfowl sightings before, this was the first time for shovelers to visit Snipe Hill in Colleton County just West of Walterboro.

To view past Birding Journal Observations from Nov. / Dec. click on 2018 -  2017 - 2016 -2015 - 2014 - 2013- 2012 - 2011 - 2010 

Brown Thrasher on Suet Feeder