Camp Verde CBC

On Saturday December 22nd I joined Tom, Jason, Dr. John and Jim on the Camp Verde CBC. We had the same territory as in January 2011. The day started well with a couple of large flocks of sparrows at the edge of the circle. Large numbers of White-crowned, Chipping, Brewer's and Vesper were mixed with a few Black-throated and Savannah, but the best birds were a single Clay-colored and at least 4 Grasshopper sparrows. This area also included a singing Crissal Thrasher and, on the way back, a Loggerhead Shrike. Although it yielded several species, the territory's riparian section at Bull Pen Ranch was quite disappointing, much quieter than in previous years.