The Lake Isabel & Spanish Peaks CBCs are now posted on the Audubon website at: www.audubon.org/bird/cbc, then click on CURRENT YEAR'S RESULTS.
 
5 birders in 3 parties tallied 39 species on the Spanish Peaks CBC, 1-05-08. Stiff winds and deep snow drifts probably limited total birds & species. But a couple of Black Rosy Finches were found for only the 3rd time in 19 counts. All enjoyed lunch and the nice pop of ten Cassin's Finches at Tom Doerk's, whose hospitality is greatly appreciated.
 
17 birders including 3 at feeders tallied 60 species on the Lake Isabel CBC, 1-5-07. Weather definitely limited bird totals with strong gale force winds often gusting 50+ mph. Local news media clocked some gusts up to 75 mph just south of Colorado City. Thus many birds seen during Count Week went unseen Count Day. But the 60 species total was only slightly below average for this Count, despite the sharp decrease in total individual birds.
 
One new bird was seen on the Count: an American Pipit on the Golf Course near Craver Middle School . Mike Ketchen found a few pockets out of the wind and 100 Bohemian Waxwings near Lake Isabel . Special kudos to Donna Emmons, BB Hahn, & Brandon Percival for their Brown Creepers and Golden-crowned Kinglet, tough birds to find in windy weather. 3 Lesser Goldfinches were found by David Chartier who hiked several miles thru the howling winds of Scroggs Canyon . Melodie Baker's irregularly seen Common Redpoll showed one day after the Count.
 
Dave Silverman , compiler
Lake Isabel & Spanish Peaks CBCs