Happy holidays everyone!  And thanks to CBC participants in Boise & elsewhere – one of my favorite birding times of year 🙂

We (& by we I mean mostly RL who has done the heavy-lifting on this count for years 🙂 are still collecting data from all the groups and prepping for a #s count on all species but we can report that we encountered 100 species on the dot on count day and an additional 4 count-week species for 104 species in the count period – one of the best years ever.  Though we’re still awaiting the #s tally, the impression of many at the post-count dinner (thanks again Libby!) is that #s were down for at least a few species/groups, possibly especially sparrows.  TBD.
We had more hikers in the foothills – especially the higher elevation areas – than ever (at least recent memory) and that helped us turn up a several species not found elsewhere, like Clark’s Nutcrackers, as well as more Golden Eagles than usual.  Thus, I think we’ll have to keep recruiting adventurous hikers!

Highlights (I’m likely leaving out a few :-):
– Golden-crowned Sparrow – 2nd appearance, found by RL (I think Marianne Williams Park)
– Say’s Phoebe (2nd time)
– Clark’s Nutcracker (4th time)
– Brown-headed Cowbird (4th time)
– Bewick’s Wren (5th time)
– Yellow-headed Blackbird (5th time)
– D.C. Cormorant (6th time)
– Osprey (6th time)

– Canvasback (9th time)

– W.B. Nuthatch (10th time)
– Red Crossbill (10th time)

– likely a record # of Golden Eagles (10 were counted in 1998 & I *think* we beat that)
– Red-naped Sapsucker (6th time) – 2 elusive individuals on the day but good for count week
– American Tree Sparrow – count week

Key “Misses”:
– Ring-necked Pheasant
– American Dipper (lots of human activity at usual spot below diversion dam)
– Western Meadowlark
Good luck on the rest of the CBCs!
Jay