- RBA
* New Mexico Bird Report
* December 8, 2005
* NMEX0512.08
- Birds Mentioned and Counties:
Pacific Loon (San Miguel)
Common Loon (San Miguel, Quay, Colfax).
Horned Grebe (Quay)
Eared Grebe (Otero)
American Bittern (Chaves)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Bernalillo, Chaves, Colfax)
Cackling Goose (Bernalillo, Chaves)
Tundra Swan (Mora, Colfax)
Bar-headed Goose escape (Socorro)
Wood Duck (Colfax)
Mexican Mallard (Lincoln)
Greater Scaup (Bernalillo, Colfax)
American Goldeneye (Los Alamos)
Barrow's Goldeneye (San Miguel)
Hooded Merganser (Colfax, Socorro)
Osprey (Sierra)
Bald Eagle (Quay, Lincoln, Sierra, Otero)
Harris's Hawk (Otero)
Merlin (Socorro)
Peregrine Falcon (Bernalillo)
Sora and Sandhill Crane (Grant)
Dunlin and Least Sandpiper (Colfax)
Bonaparte's Gull (Colfax)
MEW GULL (Grant)
Herring Gull (Doņa Ana, Colfax)
California Gull (Doņa Ana)
THAYER'S GULL (Sierra)
GLAUCOUS GULL (Doņa Ana)
Eurasian Collared and White-winged Doves (Los Alamos)
Ruddy Ground-Dove (Hidalgo)
Burrowing Owl (Doņa Ana)
Long-eared Owl (Eddy)
Broad-billed Hummingbird (Eddy)
Anna's Hummingbird (Grant, Doņa Ana)
Acorn Woodpecker (Los Alamos)
Eastern Phoebe (Sierra)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Grant, Socorro)
Northern Shrike (San Miguel)
Plumbeous Vireo (Sierra)
Blue Jay (Quay)
Pinyon Jay (Grant, Torrance, Valencia, Lincoln))
Chihuahuan Raven (Bernalillo)
Black-capped Chickadee (Colfax)
Brown Creeper (Sierra)
House Wren (Socorro, Sierra)
American Dipper (Lincoln)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Doņa Ana)
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Doņa Ana))
Eastern Bluebird (Sierra, Lincoln)
Sage Thrasher (Doņa Ana, Lincoln)
Brown Thrasher (Grant)
Sprague's Pipit (Socorro)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Sierra)
Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler (Doņa Ana)
PINE WARBLER (Bernalillo)
Black-chinned Sparrow (Doņa Ana)
Fox Sparrow (Doņa Ana, Quay))
Swamp Sparrow (Chaves, Sierra. Doņa Ana))
LECONTE'S SPARROW (San Miguel)
White-throated Sparrow (Socorro, Bernalillo, Sierra, Doņa Ana, Quay)
Harris's Sparrow (Socorro)
Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco (Doņa Ana, Grant)
McCown's and Chestnut-collared Longspurs (Socorro, Doņa Ana))
Lapland Longspur (Colfax)
Northern Cardinal (San Miguel)
Common Grackle (Colfax)
Bronzed Cowbird (Doņa Ana)
ROSY-FINCHES (Bernalillo)
Pine Grosbeak (Santa Fe)
- Transcript
hotline: New Mexico
Date: December 8, 2005
RBA phone number 505-884-3269.
compiler Patricia R. Snider
home phone number 505-884-1320.
e-mail address Pinyonjay@aol.com.
This is Pinyon Jay with the New Mexico Bird Report for December 8, 2005,
sponsored by the New Mexico Ornithological Society. When phone numbers are given
for private property, please call before going. Highlights are Sprague's
Pipits, White-fronted Geese, Rosy-Finches,.Thayer's Gull, LeConte's Sparrow.
Most places mentioned and a checklist of N.M. birds are in the N.M. Bird
Finding Guide. All N.M. phone numbers are area code 505.
For past RBAs check the NMOS web page at www.nmosbirds.org. For photos of
rarities and directions to NM birding sites check hometown.aol.com/borealowl.
For Bird Records Committee and both Field Notes send reports to Dr. Sartor O.
Williams, III, 1819 Meadowview NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104 or to
sunbittern@earthlink.net.
In Los Alamos County:
CR and BN on November 27 saw EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES and WHITE-WINGED
DOVES near Canyon and Quartz Streets, with an ACORN WOODPECKER near 4th and Rim
Streets in Los Alamos. A female COMMON GOLDENEYE was on the Rio Grande below
the Overlook Park in White Rock.
In Santa Fe County;
BL had several PINE GROSBEAKS at the Santa Fe Ski Basin on November 26.
In San Miguel County:
BL on November 27 found a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on McAllister Lake
near Las Vegas. It was seen by JO on December 1.
BW on November 22 at the Clabber Hill Ranch near Conchas Lake found a
LECONTE'S SPARROW east of the road below the pond south of the drainage about 300
yards east of the road in bunch grass. Call 868-3351 for permission to bird
on the ranch. He also saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE there. He had a PACIFIC LOON and
six COMMON LOONS on Conchas Lake and a CARDINAL at the nearby golf course
sewage ponds.
In Mora County:
JO on December 2 had two adult TUNDRA SWANS on the Charette Lakes near
Colmar.
In Colfax County:
Lake 13 of the Maxwell Refuge is still open. On December 6 there were 13
TUNDRA SWANS, and adult BONAPARTE'S and HERRING GULLS. On hwy. A5 there was
a WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE for DC.
DC found Springer Lake mostly frozen on December 6. Present was five
TUNDRA SWANS and a female WOOD DUCK.
On Stubblefield Lake DC on December 4 found a DUNLIN, a LEAST SANDPIPER, and
two COMMON LOONS.
. On December 3 DC saw a male HOODED MERGANSER, a female GREATER SCAUP, and
11 LAPLAND LONGSPURS near the boat ramp on Eagle Nest Lake. There was a late
COMMON GRACKLE at 4th and Lake Streets in Eagle Nest.
DC found a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE in the willows at the Tolby Campground of
Cimarron Canyon State Park on December 3.
Lake 14 on the Maxwell Refuge is closed for the winter.
In Quay County:
At Ute Lake State Park on November 30 DC saw two FOX SPARROWS, a
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and three BLUE JAYS in a woodlot below the playground. Also
present were two COMMON LOONS, a HORNED GREBE, and an adult BALD EAGLE.
In Bernalillo County:
SD on December 4 had a male PINE WARBLER at the Journalism Bldg. on the
UNM campus in Albuquerque. It was on the west side of the bldg. at Central and
Yale. MH saw it there on December 5.
At the Crest House feeders on Sandia Crest east of Albuquerque on
November 22 DC found flocks of four to 25 ROSY FINCHES coming in with all three
species and a HEPBURN'S present. NC reported that 70 were banded on November 27,
mostly BLACKS, with four GRAY-CROWNED and one BROWN-CAPPED. MBr on November 29
had over 80 and again saw the Hepburn's. BL saw 50 on December 3.
BV on December 4 about a mile south of Harrison Middle School in
Albuquerque's South Valley on December 4 had an adult PEREGRINE FALCON. He saw a
CHIHUAHUAN RAVEN along to Rio Braveo/ Sen. Dennis Chavez in the West Mesa also.
At the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque CL and DP saw a
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW on November 26 and at least one GREATER SCAUP. 318 CACKLING
GEESE were seen on the pond by the parking lot by JP. BL saw the sparrow at the
main feeder on November 27.
DM saw four WHITE-FRONTED GSESE with Canadas at the Los Poblanos Open
Space on Montaņo on November 26. WK saw two on December 2 in the field south of
the Los Ranchos Village Hall off Rio Grande Blvd.
In Valencia County:
CR and BN on December 4 had a flock of PINYON JAYS south of Manzano.
In Torrance County:
CR and BN on December 4 saw a large flock of 210 PINYON JAYS northeast of
Corona.
In Socorro County:
On highway 380 east of San Antonio between mile markers 16 and 17 there
is a dirt road going north by grassy fields. After a jog in the road there is
a tank with a berm. Half a mile beyond JP reported five SPRAGUE'S PIPITS with
hundreds of CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS, and tens of MCCOWN'S LONGSPURS. BL
had one pipit and a MERLIN with the longspurs on November 24.
At Bosque del Apache Refuge near San Antonio EH found the BAR-HEADED
GOOSE was still present on November 27 at the Coyote Deck. DP on November 29
found nine HOODED MERGANSERS and a MERLIN. CL saw an immature HARRIS'S SPARROW at
the visitor center feeder on December 4.
One or two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have also been present.
JO at his Luis Lopez home south of Socorro reported on November 30 an
immature male VERMILION FLYCATCHER, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and a HOUSE WREN
that has been present for a month.
In Chaves County:
At Bitter Lake Refuge near Roswell SW saw a AMERICAN BITTERN again on
November 25. JP reported the three WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, three CACKLING GEESE,
and two SWAMP SPARROWS at Unit 7 on December 3.
In Lincoln County:
CR and BN on December 4 at the Valley of Fires State Park near Carrizozo
had six fly-over EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and two SAGE THRASHERS. They saw two
MEXICAN DUCKS at the Capitan Wetlands east of town with a BALD EAGLE at Bonito
Lake. They saw a pair of DIPPERS in Ruidose in a park at Robin Drive and Sudderth
near the Chamber of Commerce. And they had a flock of PINYON JAYS west of
Capitan.
In Sierra County:
On November 23 JO saw a second winter THAYER'S GULL first at the Rock
Canyon Marina area and then later at Lyons's Cove of Elephant Butte Lake.
CL at Percha Dam State Park on December 4 found two PLUMBEOUS VIREOS, an
EASTERN PHOEBE, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, a SWAMP SPARROW, three
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, BROWN CREEPERS, eight EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, and a BALD EAGLE.
At Paseo del Rio Park below Elephant Butte Dam there was a HOUSE WREN, with
an OSPREY again at the oxbow lake in Truth or Consequences.
In Grant County:
EL on December 4 had an immature MEW GULL at the Tyrone Sewage Ponds. It
was seen later by LM and DZ. JO did not find it December 5.
On November 19 and 21 there was a BROWN THRASHER in the Silver City yard
of DMZ. One was also seen in the yard of PT on November 26. In the DMZ yard
a SLATE-COLORED JUNCO was seen on November 26. PT had three ANNA'S
HUMMINGBIRDS in her yard through November 30. DB saw 50 PINYON JAYS in the north part
of Silver on November 29.
DB, EL, and LM on November 17 found at the Brown Fish Ponds in Buckhorn a
SORA, VERMILION FLYCATCHER, and 12 SANDHILL CRANES. This is a private pond.
In Hidalgo County:
PDH saw a male and two female RUDDY GROUND-DOVES in Rodeo at the south
edge of town in a back yard at US 80 and Custie Road across the alley from the
Post Office on December 2. MBr did not find them on December 6.
In Luna County:
LM advises that the waste water treatment ponds there will be closed for up
to a year with construction.
In Doņa Ana County:
JPt on discovered a first winter GLAUCOUS GULL in the large gull flock at
the Sunland Race Track pond near Santa Teresa near the Texas line in N.M.
with two first winter HERRING GULLS and four CALIFORNIA GULLS on December 6.
Exit off I-10 at Sunland Park Drive (ramp 13) and go west for a mile to the lake
on the left. JO saw it December 7 morning; JZ and MS found it in the
afternoon with JPt and BZ.
From the I-10 Corralitos exit CL went north towards the Las Uvas Mts. on
paved county hwys. C7 and D12. At a locked gate with a water tank he found a
BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW, a BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER, and a SAGE THRASHER.
JN on November 25 had a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at the Dripping Springs.
On November 26 he had a SLATE-COLORED JUNCO at Aguirre Park on the east side
of the Organ Mountains.
MS and JZ have one ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD in their yard near Radium Springs
on December 7. There has also been an iliaca FOX SPARROW lingering in their
yard from November 21 at least till November 27.
At the Old Refuge south of Mesilla on November 27 JN had three SWAMP
SPARROWS. CL saw two BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS there December 3.
CL on November 19 had a BURROWING OWL on the NMSU campus in Las Cruces
near the livestock pens. He had six BRONZED COWBIRDS at the pens on November
23. JN saw 10 cowbirds in the fields across from the NMSU Police Station on
November 30.
JN had a MYRTLE WARBLER in Mesilla Park on November 25.
In Otero County:
CR and BN on December 4 at Mescalero Lake near Ruidoso saw a BALD EAGLE
with 20 EARED GREBES.
At the Holloman Lakes near Alamogordo CL reports that the 'no access'
signs are for hunters only. The entire shore is open to birding.
On November 16 CL saw four HARRIS'S HAWKS, three on one pole, along US 70 at
mile marker 208.9 just south of Alamogordo.
In Eddy County:
SW reported an adult BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD with a Black-chinned at his
home in Carlsbad on November 26. It was still seen on November 27.
On November 27 SW and TJH found four LONG-EARED OWLS at Bottom Lake south
of Whites City.
Initials Used:
DB, David Beatty; MBr, Matt Brooks; DC, David Cleary; SNC, Steve and Nancy
Cox; SD, Steve Drilling; EH, Evelyn Hamilton; MH, Michael Hilchey; TJH,
Tommy Hines; PDH, P.D. Hulce; WK, Woody Kuehn; BL, Bill LaFramboise; EL,
Gene Lewis; CL, Carl Lundblad; LM, Larry Malone; DM, David Mehlman; JN, Josh
Nemeth; BN, Bruce Neville; JO, Jerry Oldenettel; DP, Danny Paez; JP, John
Parmeter; JPt, James Paton; CR, Chris Rustay; MS, Marcy Scott; PT,
Patricia Taber; BV, Brad Vaughn; BW, Bill West; SW, Steve West; JZ, Jimmy
Zabriskie; BZ, Barry Zimmer; DMZ, Dale and Marian Zimmerman.
Field Trips:
Central Audubon in Albuquerque has Thursday field trips. For details call
Margaret Wallen at 341-0928. Check, as there may be a last minute change in
plans. On December 15 they go to the Sandia Ranger Station in Tijeras and Otero
Canyon, December 22 to the north edge of the Corrales Bosque near the llama
farm, and on December 29 to Embudo Canyon on the west side of the Sandias.
The Cox banding team will be banding rosy finches at Sandia Crest on
Saturday, December 10 and 24, and on Sunday, December 11.
Christmas Count dates have been posted on the net by Robert Templeton. To
access go to the NMOS web page (address above) and click on 'excellent site' at
the beginning.
- End transcript
* New Mexico Bird Report
* December 8, 2005
* NMEX0512.08
- Birds Mentioned and Counties:
Pacific Loon (San Miguel)
Common Loon (San Miguel, Quay, Colfax).
Horned Grebe (Quay)
Eared Grebe (Otero)
American Bittern (Chaves)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Bernalillo, Chaves, Colfax)
Cackling Goose (Bernalillo, Chaves)
Tundra Swan (Mora, Colfax)
Bar-headed Goose escape (Socorro)
Wood Duck (Colfax)
Mexican Mallard (Lincoln)
Greater Scaup (Bernalillo, Colfax)
American Goldeneye (Los Alamos)
Barrow's Goldeneye (San Miguel)
Hooded Merganser (Colfax, Socorro)
Osprey (Sierra)
Bald Eagle (Quay, Lincoln, Sierra, Otero)
Harris's Hawk (Otero)
Merlin (Socorro)
Peregrine Falcon (Bernalillo)
Sora and Sandhill Crane (Grant)
Dunlin and Least Sandpiper (Colfax)
Bonaparte's Gull (Colfax)
MEW GULL (Grant)
Herring Gull (Doņa Ana, Colfax)
California Gull (Doņa Ana)
THAYER'S GULL (Sierra)
GLAUCOUS GULL (Doņa Ana)
Eurasian Collared and White-winged Doves (Los Alamos)
Ruddy Ground-Dove (Hidalgo)
Burrowing Owl (Doņa Ana)
Long-eared Owl (Eddy)
Broad-billed Hummingbird (Eddy)
Anna's Hummingbird (Grant, Doņa Ana)
Acorn Woodpecker (Los Alamos)
Eastern Phoebe (Sierra)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Grant, Socorro)
Northern Shrike (San Miguel)
Plumbeous Vireo (Sierra)
Blue Jay (Quay)
Pinyon Jay (Grant, Torrance, Valencia, Lincoln))
Chihuahuan Raven (Bernalillo)
Black-capped Chickadee (Colfax)
Brown Creeper (Sierra)
House Wren (Socorro, Sierra)
American Dipper (Lincoln)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Doņa Ana)
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Doņa Ana))
Eastern Bluebird (Sierra, Lincoln)
Sage Thrasher (Doņa Ana, Lincoln)
Brown Thrasher (Grant)
Sprague's Pipit (Socorro)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Sierra)
Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler (Doņa Ana)
PINE WARBLER (Bernalillo)
Black-chinned Sparrow (Doņa Ana)
Fox Sparrow (Doņa Ana, Quay))
Swamp Sparrow (Chaves, Sierra. Doņa Ana))
LECONTE'S SPARROW (San Miguel)
White-throated Sparrow (Socorro, Bernalillo, Sierra, Doņa Ana, Quay)
Harris's Sparrow (Socorro)
Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco (Doņa Ana, Grant)
McCown's and Chestnut-collared Longspurs (Socorro, Doņa Ana))
Lapland Longspur (Colfax)
Northern Cardinal (San Miguel)
Common Grackle (Colfax)
Bronzed Cowbird (Doņa Ana)
ROSY-FINCHES (Bernalillo)
Pine Grosbeak (Santa Fe)
- Transcript
hotline: New Mexico
Date: December 8, 2005
RBA phone number 505-884-3269.
compiler Patricia R. Snider
home phone number 505-884-1320.
e-mail address Pinyonjay@aol.com.
This is Pinyon Jay with the New Mexico Bird Report for December 8, 2005,
sponsored by the New Mexico Ornithological Society. When phone numbers are given
for private property, please call before going. Highlights are Sprague's
Pipits, White-fronted Geese, Rosy-Finches,.Thayer's Gull, LeConte's Sparrow.
Most places mentioned and a checklist of N.M. birds are in the N.M. Bird
Finding Guide. All N.M. phone numbers are area code 505.
For past RBAs check the NMOS web page at www.nmosbirds.org. For photos of
rarities and directions to NM birding sites check hometown.aol.com/borealowl.
For Bird Records Committee and both Field Notes send reports to Dr. Sartor O.
Williams, III, 1819 Meadowview NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104 or to
sunbittern@earthlink.net.
In Los Alamos County:
CR and BN on November 27 saw EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES and WHITE-WINGED
DOVES near Canyon and Quartz Streets, with an ACORN WOODPECKER near 4th and Rim
Streets in Los Alamos. A female COMMON GOLDENEYE was on the Rio Grande below
the Overlook Park in White Rock.
In Santa Fe County;
BL had several PINE GROSBEAKS at the Santa Fe Ski Basin on November 26.
In San Miguel County:
BL on November 27 found a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on McAllister Lake
near Las Vegas. It was seen by JO on December 1.
BW on November 22 at the Clabber Hill Ranch near Conchas Lake found a
LECONTE'S SPARROW east of the road below the pond south of the drainage about 300
yards east of the road in bunch grass. Call 868-3351 for permission to bird
on the ranch. He also saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE there. He had a PACIFIC LOON and
six COMMON LOONS on Conchas Lake and a CARDINAL at the nearby golf course
sewage ponds.
In Mora County:
JO on December 2 had two adult TUNDRA SWANS on the Charette Lakes near
Colmar.
In Colfax County:
Lake 13 of the Maxwell Refuge is still open. On December 6 there were 13
TUNDRA SWANS, and adult BONAPARTE'S and HERRING GULLS. On hwy. A5 there was
a WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE for DC.
DC found Springer Lake mostly frozen on December 6. Present was five
TUNDRA SWANS and a female WOOD DUCK.
On Stubblefield Lake DC on December 4 found a DUNLIN, a LEAST SANDPIPER, and
two COMMON LOONS.
. On December 3 DC saw a male HOODED MERGANSER, a female GREATER SCAUP, and
11 LAPLAND LONGSPURS near the boat ramp on Eagle Nest Lake. There was a late
COMMON GRACKLE at 4th and Lake Streets in Eagle Nest.
DC found a BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE in the willows at the Tolby Campground of
Cimarron Canyon State Park on December 3.
Lake 14 on the Maxwell Refuge is closed for the winter.
In Quay County:
At Ute Lake State Park on November 30 DC saw two FOX SPARROWS, a
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and three BLUE JAYS in a woodlot below the playground. Also
present were two COMMON LOONS, a HORNED GREBE, and an adult BALD EAGLE.
In Bernalillo County:
SD on December 4 had a male PINE WARBLER at the Journalism Bldg. on the
UNM campus in Albuquerque. It was on the west side of the bldg. at Central and
Yale. MH saw it there on December 5.
At the Crest House feeders on Sandia Crest east of Albuquerque on
November 22 DC found flocks of four to 25 ROSY FINCHES coming in with all three
species and a HEPBURN'S present. NC reported that 70 were banded on November 27,
mostly BLACKS, with four GRAY-CROWNED and one BROWN-CAPPED. MBr on November 29
had over 80 and again saw the Hepburn's. BL saw 50 on December 3.
BV on December 4 about a mile south of Harrison Middle School in
Albuquerque's South Valley on December 4 had an adult PEREGRINE FALCON. He saw a
CHIHUAHUAN RAVEN along to Rio Braveo/ Sen. Dennis Chavez in the West Mesa also.
At the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque CL and DP saw a
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW on November 26 and at least one GREATER SCAUP. 318 CACKLING
GEESE were seen on the pond by the parking lot by JP. BL saw the sparrow at the
main feeder on November 27.
DM saw four WHITE-FRONTED GSESE with Canadas at the Los Poblanos Open
Space on Montaņo on November 26. WK saw two on December 2 in the field south of
the Los Ranchos Village Hall off Rio Grande Blvd.
In Valencia County:
CR and BN on December 4 had a flock of PINYON JAYS south of Manzano.
In Torrance County:
CR and BN on December 4 saw a large flock of 210 PINYON JAYS northeast of
Corona.
In Socorro County:
On highway 380 east of San Antonio between mile markers 16 and 17 there
is a dirt road going north by grassy fields. After a jog in the road there is
a tank with a berm. Half a mile beyond JP reported five SPRAGUE'S PIPITS with
hundreds of CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS, and tens of MCCOWN'S LONGSPURS. BL
had one pipit and a MERLIN with the longspurs on November 24.
At Bosque del Apache Refuge near San Antonio EH found the BAR-HEADED
GOOSE was still present on November 27 at the Coyote Deck. DP on November 29
found nine HOODED MERGANSERS and a MERLIN. CL saw an immature HARRIS'S SPARROW at
the visitor center feeder on December 4.
One or two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS have also been present.
JO at his Luis Lopez home south of Socorro reported on November 30 an
immature male VERMILION FLYCATCHER, a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and a HOUSE WREN
that has been present for a month.
In Chaves County:
At Bitter Lake Refuge near Roswell SW saw a AMERICAN BITTERN again on
November 25. JP reported the three WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, three CACKLING GEESE,
and two SWAMP SPARROWS at Unit 7 on December 3.
In Lincoln County:
CR and BN on December 4 at the Valley of Fires State Park near Carrizozo
had six fly-over EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and two SAGE THRASHERS. They saw two
MEXICAN DUCKS at the Capitan Wetlands east of town with a BALD EAGLE at Bonito
Lake. They saw a pair of DIPPERS in Ruidose in a park at Robin Drive and Sudderth
near the Chamber of Commerce. And they had a flock of PINYON JAYS west of
Capitan.
In Sierra County:
On November 23 JO saw a second winter THAYER'S GULL first at the Rock
Canyon Marina area and then later at Lyons's Cove of Elephant Butte Lake.
CL at Percha Dam State Park on December 4 found two PLUMBEOUS VIREOS, an
EASTERN PHOEBE, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, a SWAMP SPARROW, three
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, BROWN CREEPERS, eight EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, and a BALD EAGLE.
At Paseo del Rio Park below Elephant Butte Dam there was a HOUSE WREN, with
an OSPREY again at the oxbow lake in Truth or Consequences.
In Grant County:
EL on December 4 had an immature MEW GULL at the Tyrone Sewage Ponds. It
was seen later by LM and DZ. JO did not find it December 5.
On November 19 and 21 there was a BROWN THRASHER in the Silver City yard
of DMZ. One was also seen in the yard of PT on November 26. In the DMZ yard
a SLATE-COLORED JUNCO was seen on November 26. PT had three ANNA'S
HUMMINGBIRDS in her yard through November 30. DB saw 50 PINYON JAYS in the north part
of Silver on November 29.
DB, EL, and LM on November 17 found at the Brown Fish Ponds in Buckhorn a
SORA, VERMILION FLYCATCHER, and 12 SANDHILL CRANES. This is a private pond.
In Hidalgo County:
PDH saw a male and two female RUDDY GROUND-DOVES in Rodeo at the south
edge of town in a back yard at US 80 and Custie Road across the alley from the
Post Office on December 2. MBr did not find them on December 6.
In Luna County:
LM advises that the waste water treatment ponds there will be closed for up
to a year with construction.
In Doņa Ana County:
JPt on discovered a first winter GLAUCOUS GULL in the large gull flock at
the Sunland Race Track pond near Santa Teresa near the Texas line in N.M.
with two first winter HERRING GULLS and four CALIFORNIA GULLS on December 6.
Exit off I-10 at Sunland Park Drive (ramp 13) and go west for a mile to the lake
on the left. JO saw it December 7 morning; JZ and MS found it in the
afternoon with JPt and BZ.
From the I-10 Corralitos exit CL went north towards the Las Uvas Mts. on
paved county hwys. C7 and D12. At a locked gate with a water tank he found a
BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW, a BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER, and a SAGE THRASHER.
JN on November 25 had a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at the Dripping Springs.
On November 26 he had a SLATE-COLORED JUNCO at Aguirre Park on the east side
of the Organ Mountains.
MS and JZ have one ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD in their yard near Radium Springs
on December 7. There has also been an iliaca FOX SPARROW lingering in their
yard from November 21 at least till November 27.
At the Old Refuge south of Mesilla on November 27 JN had three SWAMP
SPARROWS. CL saw two BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS there December 3.
CL on November 19 had a BURROWING OWL on the NMSU campus in Las Cruces
near the livestock pens. He had six BRONZED COWBIRDS at the pens on November
23. JN saw 10 cowbirds in the fields across from the NMSU Police Station on
November 30.
JN had a MYRTLE WARBLER in Mesilla Park on November 25.
In Otero County:
CR and BN on December 4 at Mescalero Lake near Ruidoso saw a BALD EAGLE
with 20 EARED GREBES.
At the Holloman Lakes near Alamogordo CL reports that the 'no access'
signs are for hunters only. The entire shore is open to birding.
On November 16 CL saw four HARRIS'S HAWKS, three on one pole, along US 70 at
mile marker 208.9 just south of Alamogordo.
In Eddy County:
SW reported an adult BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD with a Black-chinned at his
home in Carlsbad on November 26. It was still seen on November 27.
On November 27 SW and TJH found four LONG-EARED OWLS at Bottom Lake south
of Whites City.
Initials Used:
DB, David Beatty; MBr, Matt Brooks; DC, David Cleary; SNC, Steve and Nancy
Cox; SD, Steve Drilling; EH, Evelyn Hamilton; MH, Michael Hilchey; TJH,
Tommy Hines; PDH, P.D. Hulce; WK, Woody Kuehn; BL, Bill LaFramboise; EL,
Gene Lewis; CL, Carl Lundblad; LM, Larry Malone; DM, David Mehlman; JN, Josh
Nemeth; BN, Bruce Neville; JO, Jerry Oldenettel; DP, Danny Paez; JP, John
Parmeter; JPt, James Paton; CR, Chris Rustay; MS, Marcy Scott; PT,
Patricia Taber; BV, Brad Vaughn; BW, Bill West; SW, Steve West; JZ, Jimmy
Zabriskie; BZ, Barry Zimmer; DMZ, Dale and Marian Zimmerman.
Field Trips:
Central Audubon in Albuquerque has Thursday field trips. For details call
Margaret Wallen at 341-0928. Check, as there may be a last minute change in
plans. On December 15 they go to the Sandia Ranger Station in Tijeras and Otero
Canyon, December 22 to the north edge of the Corrales Bosque near the llama
farm, and on December 29 to Embudo Canyon on the west side of the Sandias.
The Cox banding team will be banding rosy finches at Sandia Crest on
Saturday, December 10 and 24, and on Sunday, December 11.
Christmas Count dates have been posted on the net by Robert Templeton. To
access go to the NMOS web page (address above) and click on 'excellent site' at
the beginning.
- End transcript