Christmas Bird count # 2

       My 2nd count this season was at Barr Lake State Park, a very nice place.  Birders gathered at 7 am just inside the park.  I was assigned to Section 2, the east side of the lake.  Our first stop was a hedgerow of Cedar trees where we flushed 5 Long-eared Owls !!  I was impressed.  We walked from the boat ramp to the Nature Center, watched their feeders for a few minutes, and continued along the trail for another 1.5 miles to an observation platform.          
      Highlights were:  Bald Eagles wintering in numbers (we counted 25),  Common Mergansers that had found a small patch of open water, and a Northern Shrike, singing.  We found the 4 expected Sparrows:  Song, American Tree, House, and White-crowned.  At the Gazebo/ observation platform we found 2 unexpected birds, a Peregrine Falcon and a Say's Phoebe.
      Drama on the ice was observed.  An adult and an immature Eagle were sitting on the ice near a brown lump.  In the 'scope the brown lump became a Canada Goose, either stuck in the ice or sick.  Late in the morning the Eagles had fresh Goose for lunch.
      The total for the entire count circle was 73, considered low because the lake was frozen and there were no ducks to count.  (No ducks for the Peregrine to dine on, either)
      Photos of my feeder birds during Christmas weekend.  The top photo is a Flicker HYBRID, Red-shafted  X Yellow-shafted.  This Flicker below is a typical Red-shafted.  Notice the feeder he is sitting on !!

This sparrow showed up just after the snow stopped falling.  I took these photos through the kitchen window and posted them on the  Facebook page of Denver Field Ornithology. Local experts commented this bird could be a juvenile White-throated Sparrow.  !!!

A Spotted Towhee also came by.