- RBA
* New Mexico Bird Report
* December 11, 2005
* NMEX0512.11
- Birds Mentioned and Counties:
Red-throated Loon (San Miguel)
Common Loon (San Miguel, Quay, Colfax).
Horned Grebe (Quay. San Miguel)
Eared Grebe (Otero)
American Bittern (Chaves)
Great Egret and Black-crowned Night-Heron (Doņa Ana)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Bernalillo, Chaves, Colfax)
Ross's Goose (Doņa Ana)
Cackling Goose (Bernalillo, Chaves, San Miguel)
Tundra Swan (Mora, Colfax, Socorro)
Bar-headed Goose escape (Socorro)
Wood Duck (Colfax)
Mexican Mallard (Lincoln)
Greater Scaup (Colfax)
Common Goldeneye (Los Alamos, Doņa Ana)
Barrow's Goldeneye (San Miguel)
Hooded Merganser (Colfax)
Osprey (Sierra)
Bald Eagle (Quay, Lincoln, Sierra, Otero, Colfax)
Harris's Hawk (Otero)
Merlin (Socorro)
Peregrine Falcon (Bernalillo)
Virginia Rail and Common Moorhen (Doņa Ana)
Sandhill Crane (Grant)
Least Sandpiper (Colfax, Doņa Ana)
Dunlin (Colfax)
Wilson's Snipe (Doņa Ana)
Bonaparte's Gull (Colfax)
Franklin's Gull (Doņa Ana)
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)
White-throated Swift (Doņa Ana)
Broad-billed Hummingbird (Eddy)
Anna's Hummingbird (Grant, Doņa Ana)
Rufous and Black-chinned Hummingbirds (Eddy)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (San Miguel)
Ladder-backed and Lewis's Woodpeckers (Colfax)
Eastern Phoebe (Sierra)
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Sierra)
Plumbeous Vireo (Sierra)
Blue Jay (Quay)
Pinyon Jay (Grant, Torrance, Valencia, Lincoln))
Chihuahuan Raven (Bernalillo)
Black-capped Chickadee (Colfax)
House Wren (Socorro, Sierra)
American Dipper (Lincoln)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Doņa Ana)
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Doņa Ana))
Eastern Bluebird (Sierra, Lincoln, Colfax, Bernalillo)
Sage Thrasher (Doņa Ana, Lincoln)
Brown Thrasher (Grant)
Sprague's Pipit (Socorro)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Sierra)
PINE WARBLER (Bernalillo)
Common Yellowthroat (Doņa Ana)
Black-chinned Sparrow (Doņa Ana)
Fox Sparrow (Doņa Ana, Quay, Bernalillo)
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)
Common Grackle (Colfax)
Bronzed Cowbird (Doņa Ana)
ROSY-FINCHES (Bernalillo)
- Transcript
hotline: New Mexico
Date: December 11, 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 11, 2005,
sponsored by the New Mexico Ornithological Society. When phone numbers are given
for private property, please call before going. Highlights are White-fronted
Geese, Rosy-Finches, Glaucous Gulls, LeConte's Sparrows, Pine Warbler. In
spite of the cold spell, some late migrants were seen.
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 in Los Alamos. A female COMMON GOLDENEYE
was on the Rio Grande below the Overlook Park in White Rock.
In San Miguel County:
JP, JO, WW, and LL on December 10 at Conchas Lake saw an immature
RED-THROATED LOON in the northeast arm south of the café and North Marina. In the
old Corp of Engineers residence area there was an immature YELLOW-BELLIED
SPSUCKER. Also on the lake were six COMMON LOONS, and a HORNED GREBE. MB and NP
saw the Red-throated on December 11.
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. JP, JO, WW, and LL again found two or three Leconte's at the
ranch on December 10, going downhill from the pond and about 150 yards from the
road in reeds. CACKLING GEESE were in fields back at the main lake.
BLa on November 27 found a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on McAllister Lake
near Las Vegas. It was seen by JO on December 1.
In Mora County:
JO on December 2 had two adult TUNDRA SWANS on the Charette Lakes near
Colmar.
In Colfax County:
DC counted 28 BALD EAGLES in the Maxwell Refuge and Stubblefield Lake
area on December 10 capturing coots. On Stubblefield on December 4 he found a
DUNLIN, a LEAST SANDPIPER, and two COMMON LOONS.
DC on December 9 on NM 204 going north along the Poņil stream just east
of Cimarron found a WINTER WREN at mile marker 6 and a LADDER-BACKED WOODPCKER
at mile marker 4. Two LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS were at the Chase Ranch sign. He
had four EASTERN BLUEBIRDS at the birdge just below the St. James hotel in
Cimarron on December 10.
Lake 13 of the Maxwell Refuge is still mostly ice-free. 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 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.
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. It was seen by JO, LL, and WW there
and later by NP and MB on December 8 near Hodgin Hall. It was not found in a
search on December 10.
WK on December 10 had a FOX SPARROW and an EASTERN BLUEBIRD in the
Corrales Bosque near barrel 5.9 from the Romero entrance.
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. NC and RV reported
that60 were banded on December 11, mostly BLACKS (43) with 11 GRAY-CROWNED
(including two HEPBURN'S) and six BROWN-CAPPED.
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 Bravo/Sen. Dennis Chavez in the West Mesa.
At the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque 318 CACKLING GEESE have
been seen on the pond by the parking lot. BLA saw the WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at
the main feeder on November 27.
WK saw two WHITE-FRONTED GEESE 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. JP reported five SPRAGUE'S PIPITS
with CHESTNUT-COLLARED and MCCOWN'S LONGSPURS. BLa 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 a MERLIN. CL saw an immature HARRIS'S SPARROW at the visitor center feeder
on December 4. CR and BN on December 10 saw the Harris's sparrow in front of
the visitor center and a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW on the west side of the Farm
Loop. JSt, JP, and WW on December 9 had an immature TUNDRA SWAN on the refuge
north of the Flight Deck.
JO at his Luis Lopez home south of Socorro reported on November 30 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, and 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:
BN and CR on December 11 saw an OSPREY over the Rio Grande bridge at
Hatch.
JP and WW on December 9 had a quite late calling ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
in Riverside Park below the Caballo Dam.
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, 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:
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
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 Park Race Track pond near Santa Teresa 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, JPt, and BZ found it in the afternoon. JP and
WW saw it early on December 9; MB, NP, and CL on December 9 in the afternoon
found TWO immature GLAUCOUS GULLS on the lake. CL also reported a late
FRANKLIN'S GULL. BN and CR on December 10 had the two Glaucous with two Herrings,
and two California Gulls.
CR and BN on December 10 found a SWAMP SPARROW at a pond on the west side
of the Rio Grande north of Radium Springs. They saw a pair of YELLOWTHROATS
there on December 11. On Swan Pond further north there was three MOORHENS, a
VIRGINIA RAIL, 12 GREAT EGRETS, a SNIPE, and a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON.
KS at Burn Lake in Las Cruces on December 9 had four COMMON GOLDENEYES.
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. CR and BN saw two there on December 11. 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. KS at the Mesilla
Valley Bosque Park (alias Old Refuge) on December 8 had two YELLOWTHROATS, a
few WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS, a SWAMP SPARROW, 75 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and one ROSS'S
GOOSE. The goose was seen by BN and CR there on December 11.
CL on November 19 had a BURROWING OWL on the NMSU campus in Las Cruces
near the livestock pens. JN saw 10 BRONZED COWBIRDS in the fields across from
the NMSU Police Station on November 30. JP and WW had 3 cowbirds at the cattle
pens on December 9, BN and CR saw four on December 11.
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 at his home in Carlsbad on
November 26. It was still seen on December 9 with a female BLACK-CHINNED and
a male RUFOUS.
On November 27 SW and TJH found four LONG-EARED OWLS at Bottom Lake south
of Whites City.
Initials Used:
MB, Matt Baumann; 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; LL, Lane Leckman; CL, Carl Lundblad; LM, Larry Malone; JN,
Josh Nemeth; BN, Bruce Neville; JO, Jerry Oldenettel; DP, Danny Paez; JP,
John Parmeter; JPt, James Paton; NP, Nick Pederson; CR, Chris Rustay; MS,
Marcy Scott; KS, Ken Stinnett; JSt, James Stuart; PT, Patricia Taber; RV,
Raymond VanBuskirk; 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 24.
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 11, 2005
* NMEX0512.11
- Birds Mentioned and Counties:
Red-throated Loon (San Miguel)
Common Loon (San Miguel, Quay, Colfax).
Horned Grebe (Quay. San Miguel)
Eared Grebe (Otero)
American Bittern (Chaves)
Great Egret and Black-crowned Night-Heron (Doņa Ana)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Bernalillo, Chaves, Colfax)
Ross's Goose (Doņa Ana)
Cackling Goose (Bernalillo, Chaves, San Miguel)
Tundra Swan (Mora, Colfax, Socorro)
Bar-headed Goose escape (Socorro)
Wood Duck (Colfax)
Mexican Mallard (Lincoln)
Greater Scaup (Colfax)
Common Goldeneye (Los Alamos, Doņa Ana)
Barrow's Goldeneye (San Miguel)
Hooded Merganser (Colfax)
Osprey (Sierra)
Bald Eagle (Quay, Lincoln, Sierra, Otero, Colfax)
Harris's Hawk (Otero)
Merlin (Socorro)
Peregrine Falcon (Bernalillo)
Virginia Rail and Common Moorhen (Doņa Ana)
Sandhill Crane (Grant)
Least Sandpiper (Colfax, Doņa Ana)
Dunlin (Colfax)
Wilson's Snipe (Doņa Ana)
Bonaparte's Gull (Colfax)
Franklin's Gull (Doņa Ana)
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)
White-throated Swift (Doņa Ana)
Broad-billed Hummingbird (Eddy)
Anna's Hummingbird (Grant, Doņa Ana)
Rufous and Black-chinned Hummingbirds (Eddy)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (San Miguel)
Ladder-backed and Lewis's Woodpeckers (Colfax)
Eastern Phoebe (Sierra)
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Sierra)
Plumbeous Vireo (Sierra)
Blue Jay (Quay)
Pinyon Jay (Grant, Torrance, Valencia, Lincoln))
Chihuahuan Raven (Bernalillo)
Black-capped Chickadee (Colfax)
House Wren (Socorro, Sierra)
American Dipper (Lincoln)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Doņa Ana)
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Doņa Ana))
Eastern Bluebird (Sierra, Lincoln, Colfax, Bernalillo)
Sage Thrasher (Doņa Ana, Lincoln)
Brown Thrasher (Grant)
Sprague's Pipit (Socorro)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Sierra)
PINE WARBLER (Bernalillo)
Common Yellowthroat (Doņa Ana)
Black-chinned Sparrow (Doņa Ana)
Fox Sparrow (Doņa Ana, Quay, Bernalillo)
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)
Common Grackle (Colfax)
Bronzed Cowbird (Doņa Ana)
ROSY-FINCHES (Bernalillo)
- Transcript
hotline: New Mexico
Date: December 11, 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 11, 2005,
sponsored by the New Mexico Ornithological Society. When phone numbers are given
for private property, please call before going. Highlights are White-fronted
Geese, Rosy-Finches, Glaucous Gulls, LeConte's Sparrows, Pine Warbler. In
spite of the cold spell, some late migrants were seen.
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 in Los Alamos. A female COMMON GOLDENEYE
was on the Rio Grande below the Overlook Park in White Rock.
In San Miguel County:
JP, JO, WW, and LL on December 10 at Conchas Lake saw an immature
RED-THROATED LOON in the northeast arm south of the café and North Marina. In the
old Corp of Engineers residence area there was an immature YELLOW-BELLIED
SPSUCKER. Also on the lake were six COMMON LOONS, and a HORNED GREBE. MB and NP
saw the Red-throated on December 11.
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. JP, JO, WW, and LL again found two or three Leconte's at the
ranch on December 10, going downhill from the pond and about 150 yards from the
road in reeds. CACKLING GEESE were in fields back at the main lake.
BLa on November 27 found a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE on McAllister Lake
near Las Vegas. It was seen by JO on December 1.
In Mora County:
JO on December 2 had two adult TUNDRA SWANS on the Charette Lakes near
Colmar.
In Colfax County:
DC counted 28 BALD EAGLES in the Maxwell Refuge and Stubblefield Lake
area on December 10 capturing coots. On Stubblefield on December 4 he found a
DUNLIN, a LEAST SANDPIPER, and two COMMON LOONS.
DC on December 9 on NM 204 going north along the Poņil stream just east
of Cimarron found a WINTER WREN at mile marker 6 and a LADDER-BACKED WOODPCKER
at mile marker 4. Two LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS were at the Chase Ranch sign. He
had four EASTERN BLUEBIRDS at the birdge just below the St. James hotel in
Cimarron on December 10.
Lake 13 of the Maxwell Refuge is still mostly ice-free. 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 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.
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. It was seen by JO, LL, and WW there
and later by NP and MB on December 8 near Hodgin Hall. It was not found in a
search on December 10.
WK on December 10 had a FOX SPARROW and an EASTERN BLUEBIRD in the
Corrales Bosque near barrel 5.9 from the Romero entrance.
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. NC and RV reported
that60 were banded on December 11, mostly BLACKS (43) with 11 GRAY-CROWNED
(including two HEPBURN'S) and six BROWN-CAPPED.
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 Bravo/Sen. Dennis Chavez in the West Mesa.
At the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque 318 CACKLING GEESE have
been seen on the pond by the parking lot. BLA saw the WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at
the main feeder on November 27.
WK saw two WHITE-FRONTED GEESE 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. JP reported five SPRAGUE'S PIPITS
with CHESTNUT-COLLARED and MCCOWN'S LONGSPURS. BLa 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 a MERLIN. CL saw an immature HARRIS'S SPARROW at the visitor center feeder
on December 4. CR and BN on December 10 saw the Harris's sparrow in front of
the visitor center and a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW on the west side of the Farm
Loop. JSt, JP, and WW on December 9 had an immature TUNDRA SWAN on the refuge
north of the Flight Deck.
JO at his Luis Lopez home south of Socorro reported on November 30 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, and 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:
BN and CR on December 11 saw an OSPREY over the Rio Grande bridge at
Hatch.
JP and WW on December 9 had a quite late calling ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
in Riverside Park below the Caballo Dam.
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, 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:
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
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 Park Race Track pond near Santa Teresa 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, JPt, and BZ found it in the afternoon. JP and
WW saw it early on December 9; MB, NP, and CL on December 9 in the afternoon
found TWO immature GLAUCOUS GULLS on the lake. CL also reported a late
FRANKLIN'S GULL. BN and CR on December 10 had the two Glaucous with two Herrings,
and two California Gulls.
CR and BN on December 10 found a SWAMP SPARROW at a pond on the west side
of the Rio Grande north of Radium Springs. They saw a pair of YELLOWTHROATS
there on December 11. On Swan Pond further north there was three MOORHENS, a
VIRGINIA RAIL, 12 GREAT EGRETS, a SNIPE, and a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON.
KS at Burn Lake in Las Cruces on December 9 had four COMMON GOLDENEYES.
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. CR and BN saw two there on December 11. 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. KS at the Mesilla
Valley Bosque Park (alias Old Refuge) on December 8 had two YELLOWTHROATS, a
few WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS, a SWAMP SPARROW, 75 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and one ROSS'S
GOOSE. The goose was seen by BN and CR there on December 11.
CL on November 19 had a BURROWING OWL on the NMSU campus in Las Cruces
near the livestock pens. JN saw 10 BRONZED COWBIRDS in the fields across from
the NMSU Police Station on November 30. JP and WW had 3 cowbirds at the cattle
pens on December 9, BN and CR saw four on December 11.
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 at his home in Carlsbad on
November 26. It was still seen on December 9 with a female BLACK-CHINNED and
a male RUFOUS.
On November 27 SW and TJH found four LONG-EARED OWLS at Bottom Lake south
of Whites City.
Initials Used:
MB, Matt Baumann; 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; LL, Lane Leckman; CL, Carl Lundblad; LM, Larry Malone; JN,
Josh Nemeth; BN, Bruce Neville; JO, Jerry Oldenettel; DP, Danny Paez; JP,
John Parmeter; JPt, James Paton; NP, Nick Pederson; CR, Chris Rustay; MS,
Marcy Scott; KS, Ken Stinnett; JSt, James Stuart; PT, Patricia Taber; RV,
Raymond VanBuskirk; 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 24.
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