Scouting for the Rexburg CBC

I compile the Rexburg Christmas Bird Count, which is held this Saturday. Basically we divide a 15 mile diameter circle into different areas and different teams try to count all of the birds in those areas. For more information visit the CBC site. I've been doing a little bit of scouting to see what birds are around and to see if I can't find anything unusual. I managed to locate a few nice birds this morning. I hope they stick around until Saturday.


Four Lapland Longspurs (the three left birds and the furthest right bird) mixed in with Horned Larks and a Snow Bunting, Walker, ID 2007

Lapland Longspurs are fairly regular, though difficult birds to find. We've only seen them once or twice on the Rexburg CBC, so I was happy to find these.



Spotted Sandpiper, Lorenzo, ID 2007

Spotted Sandpipers are common summer birds around here, but migrate south in the winter. I don't think there has ever been a Spotted Sandpiper on the Rexburg CBC.



Common Redpoll, Burton, ID 2007

Common Redpolls are sporadic visitors to the Rexburg area. They breed far to the north and occasionally come this far south in good numbers. I've seen a few, but not a lot of them this winter. We get them on one out of every three Rexburg counts.