Christmas Bird Count 12/15/12

Today with Linda Hodges and Bob Goycoolea I participated in the Christmas Bird count for the Colorado Springs circle.  We had area 6b (I think) - from Willow Springs pond area up to Venetucci - so very near to home for me.
Species:
Canada Goose, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Killdeer, Ring-billed Gull, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Great Horned Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Northern Shrike, American Crow, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, European Starling, American Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, House Sparrow.

Good for me - Northern Shrike was a new bird.  Bushtits were beautiful, Mourning Doves a little rare for winter, Brown Creepers in numbers more than I've personally seen, Mountain Chickadees lower than I've personally seen, beautiful views of the Great-horned Owl, and great views of the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet including that gorgeous red-orange crown on the male.

Best birds for the whole circle were a Palm Warbler on the CC Campus and a few Acorn Woodpeckers in North Cheyenne Canyon.

This is the owl we saw.

Cute Squirrel-bird.

not my photo but this is the Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Not my photo, but this is the Northern Shrike