As 2025 draws to a close, I thought it would be fun to do a quick look back at 2025 and some of the awesome birds that made an appearance in DC this year.
2025 started off hot with the continuing presence of an overwintering yellow-throated warbler. This was likely the same bird that has overwintered regularly at Hains Point for the last several years, although this time around it was hanging out in a slightly different location than usual at the northwest corner of East Potomac Park. The DC birding community is eagerly awaiting reports of this bird for the winter of 2025-2026, but sadly it has not yet been found. Perhaps it is there and has simply not yet been discovered this season. Hope abounds!
Later in January, American tree sparrows popped up in a few locations around DC following some accumulating snow and ice. This bird is not quite annual in DC so I am always happy to see it–I dipped on one near RFK stadium but fortunately Janet and I spotted one at Fletcher’s Cove amongst the icy conditions.
My first “nemesis bird” of the year was common goldeneye. There was at least one individual hanging around Buzzard Point, and I dipped on it a few times before finally catching it on February 8th. Not a rare bird, necessarily, but scarce in DC. (Also, although I wouldn’t call it a nemesis, red-breasted nuthatch was very scarce in DC last winter—there appeared to be only a few individuals in the District and they were at the National Arboretum. Hopefully this winter will have a better cone crop for them and they’ll be back at LBJ Memorial Grove.)
It was also a tough year for American woodcock in DC. They were very reliable at Kenilworth Park, but their typical refuge at Rock Creek Park Golf Course was devoid of these birds due to extensive habitat destruction as part of golf course renovations. Kenilworth will likely be the only reliable place for this species (due to habitat and early/late hours access) for the foreseeable future.
Osprey continued to be present in good numbers this year in the DMV area, but their numbers and nesting success are way down in the Chesapeake Bay region. This will be something to keep an eye on in the coming years.
Spring migration offered the usual spectacular array of warblers, and also a few unexpected species. A common gallinule was found at McMillan reservoir, glossy ibis (a DC first for me) flew over a few locations, and a sedge wren made itself known with consistent song at Reservation 630 Park.
On May 17th, I had certainly my most incredible observation of the year when I scoped a flock of 50 Hudsonian whimbrel from my building’s rooftop. Other birders had reported on their presence along the river, but it was fantastically lucky for me to actually spot them through the scope as they flew upriver. Definitely the most unlikely of my new DC birds for the year.
The summer brought some surprises of its own. First was a pair of Mississippi kites that appeared regularly in a residential yard in northeast DC. Also, for the second year in a row, I observed white ibis—which is a very rare bird around here. This particular individual was forced down from its migration high above the Potomac River by a peregrine falcon. It hung out at Hains Point long enough for several birders to see it before it continued south.
September brought another quite unexpected bird to DC: red phalarope. It’s not unheard of for red phalarope to be found in DC waters, but what was spectacular about this bird was its location in and around the Capitol reflecting pond. This is a bird I have tried and failed to see on pelagic trips and one that I never expected to actually see in DC, but here it was, close enough for awesome photos. The bird stayed for (at least) a week before departing.
The last two birds highlighting my 2025 birding in DC were a Ross’s goose found near the RFK Stadium site and—to cap off the year—a snowy owl hanging out at DCA airport. Technically speaking, my observation of this owl was while it was in Virginia, but many others observed this bird in DC waters. At time of writing, that bird is still at the airport, so hopefully it sticks around into the new year.
Biggest dip of 2025: painted bunting. A stunning male painted bunting was found on March 30th at Montrose Park, but despite a (somewhat delayed) effort to chase, the bird left before many birders were able to see it. Hopefully another will return in 2026!
Birds I’m most hoping for in 2026: Eastern screech-owl, Forster’s tern, red-throated loon. All of these are very doable. If I spend enough time at Hains during migration times, I should be able to find a Forster’s. Eastern screech-owl should also be doable, but it a challenging species to find—I’ve made it a habit of checking every cavity I find, so maybe 2026 will be the year. I hope also to spend a bit more time out listening after dark. Red-throated loon is a wildcard—I’m sure a few come through, it will just be a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
Looking forward to all the birds 2026 has in store. Happy new year and happy birding!
