CBC - Spanish Peaks, Colorado

December 28th was the Christmas Bird Count for the Spanish Peaks’ area of Colorado (which includes La Veta, where I live). I believe there were 4-5 groups (I am not the compiler; that would be the incredible birder, Dave Silverman (who expertly birds both by sound and sight)…this is his 20th year for the CBC at this area!)
WhoooHooo, Dave!

I will let Dave send the fully compiled list; these are the highlights (for me) that I saw with the folks with whom
I counted:

• Northern Harrier -1
• Red-tailed Hawk -1
• Lewis’s Woodpecker -2
(another group saw 7 Lewis’s!)
• Downy Woodpecker- 2
• Northern Flicker – 4 Red-shafted
• Northern Shrike - 1
• Steller’s Jay -3
• Blue Jay - 2
• Western Scrub-Jay -1
• Black-billed Magpie - 9
• American Crow - 2
• Common Raven - 31
• Black-capped Chickadee - 4
• Rock Wren - 1
• Song Sparrow - 1
• Spotted Towhee – 4
• Wild Turkey – 45

And two new birds (both at my feeders...yippee!) for Dave Silverman’s 20-year Spanish Peaks’ count:

• White-winged Dove - 1
• Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1

I had a BLAST and learned to ID the Harrier; thanks to another experienced birder: Dave Moore (who was the only other one to witness the White-winged Dove, despite 3 tries by the rest of the counters) Sigh...

The bird is, of course, here this morning.

Photos from Wikipedia except where noted from Randy Hancock. Thanks Randy!