Thanks to all of you for your part in yesterday's event.  Although the turnout was not as hoped (my unofficial count was 12 youngsters and several parents), those who did participate seemed to enjoy the programs and birdwatching and we can only hope we were successful in implanting an abiding interest in birds and nature.

Kevin Corwin's bluebird program was a hit and the nestbox kits purchased by the Nature Center for distribution are now on their way to yards all around the County.

Each child make a pinecone bird feeder for his/her backyard.  Each were supplied with a list of birds most often found in the area and instructions for posting to www.birdsource.org their own backyard counts.

FYI the final tally of species for the day was 18:  Mallard (8), Northern Shoveler (1), Bufflehead (5), Great Blue Heron (1), Red-tailed Hawk (2), Rock Pigeon (1), Eurasian Collared-Dove (2), Downy Woodpecker (3), Hairy Woodpecker (1), Black-billed Magpie (1), White-breasted Nuthatch (2), Rock Wren (2), Yellow-rumped Warbler (1), White-crowned Sparrow (1), Dark-eyed Junco (20), House Finch (2), American Goldfinch (2) and House Sparrow (4)

FIELD TRIP REPORT FOR GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT IN PUEBLO CITY PARK, FEBRUARY 14:  Eight hardy birders recorded  a total of 23 species (see below) for the 12th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count on a very chilly morning.

Brandon Percival added 17 species in his count in Pueblo West and participants at the Nature and Raptor Center event observed 6 more unrecorded previously for a total of 46 species for the day.  To view the complete report of the 4-day count (Feb 13-16) for Pueblo County, visit www.birdsource.org/gbbc.

      Canada Goose - 163

      Wood Duck - 19

      American Wigeon -  62

      Mallard - 16

      Great Blue Heron - 1

      Red-tailed Hawk - 1

      Ring-billed Gull - 15

      Rock Pigeon - 30

      Eurasian Collared-Dove - 5

      Northern Flicker - 8

      Blue Jay - 1

      Red-breasted Nuthatch - 1

      Brown Creeper - 5

      Townsend's Solitaire - 6

      American Robin - 3

      European Starling - 11

      Yellow-rumped Warbler - 3

      Dark-eyed Junco - 34

      House Finch - 2

      Pine Siskin - 1

      House Sparrow - 3