- RBA
* New Mexico Bird Report
* January 15, 2007
* NMEX0701.15
Birds Mentioned and Counties:
Common Loon (Colfax, San Miguel, Sierra)
Horned Grebe (San Miguel, Quay)
Clark's, Grebe (San Miguel)
Double-crested Cormorant (Doņa Ana)
Great and Cattle Egrets (Doņa Ana)
White-faced Ibis (Valencia)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Socorro)
Cackling Goose (Colfax)
Cackling and Canada Geese (Doņa Ana)
Cinnamon Teal (Doņa Ana, Socorro)
White-winged Scoter (Colfax)
Long-tailed Duck (Colfax)
Barrow's Goldeneye (Colfax)
Common Goldeneye (Grant)
Hooded Merganser (Socorro)
Red-breasted Merganser (Quay)
Osprey (Sierra)
Bald Eagle (Colfax)
Zone-tailed Hawk (Doņa Ana)
Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk (San Miguel, Doņa Ana)
Rough-legged Hawk (Colfax, San Miguel, Torrance)
Ferruginous Hawk (San Miguel)
Merlin (Bernalillo)
Scaled Quail (Doņa Ana)
Northern Bobwhite (Quay)
Montezuma Quail (Hidalgo)
Sora and Common Moorhen (Doņa Ana)
Black-necked Stilt (Doņa Ana)
Dunlin (Otero)
California Gull (Sierra, Doņa Ana)
MEW GULL (Sierra, Doņa Ana)
Herring Gull (Sierra, Doņa Ana)
Thayer's Gull (Sierra)
ICELAND GULL (Doņa Ana)
White-winged Dove (San Miguel)
Common and RUDDY Ground-Doves (Hidalgo)
Western and Whiskered Screech-Owls. (Hidalgo)
Long-eared Owl (Hidalgo)
Anna's Hummingbird (Doņa Ana)
Lewis's Woodpecker (Colfax, Hidalgo)
Acorn Woodpecker (Doņa Ana, Hidalgo)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sierra, Socorro)
Red-naped Sapsucker (Sierra)
Arizona Woodpecker (Hidalgo)
Hammond's Flycatcher (Sierra, Hidalgo)
Eastern Phoebe (Doņa Ana, Socorro)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Sierra)
Northern Shrike (Colfax)
Cassin's and Hutton's Vireos (Doņa Ana)
Blue Jay (Colfax, Quay)
Western Scrub-Jay (Doņa Ana)
Pinyon Jay (Grant)
Common Raven and American Crow (Doņa Ana)
Mountain Chickadee (Doņa Ana)
Juniper Titmouse and Red-breasted Nuthatch (Doņa Ana)
Brown Creeper (Sierra)
American Dipper (Sierra)
Eastern Bluebird (Hidalgo)
Brown Thrasher (Quay)
Sprague's Pipit (Socorro, Doņa Ana)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Doņa Ana)
American Tree Sparrow (Bernalillo)
Rufous-crowned and Black-chinned Sparrows (Doņa Ana)
Slate-colored Fox Sparrows (Bernalillo, Socorro)
Lincoln's Sparrow (Doņa Ana)
Swamp Sparrow (Hidalgo, Doņa Ana, Quay)
White-throated Sparrow (Socorro, Sierra, Bernalillo, Doņa Ana)
Harris's Sparrow (Grant)
Lapland Longspur (Harding, Bernalillo)
Longspurs (Socorro)
Common Grackle (Hidalgo)
Bronzed Cowbird (Doņa Ana)
Rosy Finches (Bernalillo)
Pine Siskin (Doņa Ana)
Lawrence's Goldfinch (Hidalgo)
- Transcript
hotline: New Mexico
date: January 15, 2007
compiler Patricia R. Snider
Phone: 719-846-3174
Cell phone 505-803-1807
e-mail address _pinyonjay@aol.com_ (mailto:pinyonjay@aol.com)
I have moved to Colorado.
This is Pinyon Jay with the New Mexico Bird Report for January 15, 2007,
sponsored by the New Mexico Ornithological Society. When phone numbers are
given for private property, please call before going. Highlights: ICELAND GULL,
Mew Gulls, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Barrow's Goldeneye.
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. Check
_www.birder.com_ (http://www.birder.com) for earlier reports. For photos of
rarities and
directions to some birding sites check hometown.aol.com/borealowl.
For the Bird Records Committee and both Field Notes please send reports to
Dr. Sartor O. Williams, III, 1819 Meadowview NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104 or to
_sunbittern@earthlink.net_ (mailto:sunbittern@earthlink.net) .
In San Miguel County:
On January 5 CW, MH, and BT on Conchas Lake saw several HORNED GREBES. On
January 6 JP and WW saw three COMMON LOONS and a CLARK'S GREBE there. At the
Adobe Belle Resort there was a WHITE-WINGED DOVE.
MR and SF found most of the lakes at the Las Vegas Refuge frozen. There
were two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, up to five FERRUGINOUS HAWKS, and a HARLAN'S HAWK.
The Clabber Hill Ranch near Conchas Lake is now closed to birding.
In Harding County:
JP and WW on January 6 on Trigg Road north of Ute Lake found two LAPLAND
LONGSPURS.
In Colfax County:
Lake 13 on the Maxwell Refuge has been frozen. On January 1 DC saw 100
CACKLING GEESE.
On nearby Stubblefield Lake he found a few spots open on December 23 with
two COMMON LOONS. At the lake on December 28 he saw 28 BALD EAGLES. On
January 1 DC found the female LONG-TAILED DUCK, two BARROW'S GOLDENEYES, and the
female WHITE-WINGED SCOTER.
On NM 445 north of Maxwell there was a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. a LEWIS'S
WOODPECKER, NORTHERN SHRIKE, and a BLUE JAY January 1.
In Quay County:
At Ute Lake on January 6 JP and WW saw four RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, about
two HORNED GREBES, a BROWN THRASHER, two BLUE JAYS, two SWAMP SPARROWS, and a
BOBWHITE.
In Bernalillo County:
At the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque DP had a SLATE-COLORED FOX
SPARROW at the observation feeder. CW saw iton January 9, BV on January 13,
and JP on January 14.
JP had a MERLIN fly over his Albuquerque home near Juan Tabo on January 6
and saw another flying over the downtown on January 7. He had fly-over calling
LAPLAND LONGSPURS over Kirtland AFB on January 10.
JJ on the east side of the Rio Grande north of the Alameda bridge saw the
immature VERMILION FLYCATCHER, WHITE-THROATED and TREE SPARROWS on December 30.
At the Sandia Crest House east of Albuquerque there is a good number of
BLACK ROSY-FINCHES with a few BROWN-CAPPED and GRAY-CROWNED. The SNC banding
team reported that in spite of the cold and wind on January 14 they banded 127
ROSY FINCHES. 44 were GRAY-CROWNED, with of these there was an amazing 21 of
the HEPBURN'S race (47 so far this winter!). Also banded were two
BROWN-CAPPED and 81 BLACKS.
In Valencia County:
JP, WW, and MB on January 13 found the WHITE-FACED IBIS back at the Taco
Bell Marsh in Belen.
In Torrance County:
West of Encino on January 5 WW and JP had a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.
In Socorro County:
At Bosque del Apache Refuge near San Antonio at the visitor center on
December 29 CL found a slate-colored FOX SPARROW. On January 5 JP, WW, and LL
found the YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, Fox Sparrow, and two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS
at the visitor center. DP on January 7 saw the sapsucker, white-throated
sparrows with an EASTERN PHOEBE at the Flight Deck and seven HOODED MERGANSERS
at the Norton Blind. BV on January 13 found four WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and two
CINNAMON TEAL at the south end of the Farm Loop. JP, WW, and MB had the
phoebe at the Flight Deck January 13.
In the area 16 miles east of San Antonio on County Rd. 127 JP, WW, and LL on
January 5 found one SPRAGUE'S PIPIT with many longspurs.
JO has had three WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS at his home in Luis Lopez south of
Socorro.
In Sierra County:
At Percha Dam State Park JP, WW, and MB found the DIPPER still present with
an OSPREY, a calling HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, a BROWN CREEPER, a pair of
VERMILION FLYCATCHERS, and the immature YELLOW=BELLIED SAPSUCKER on January 13.
CL found an adult MEW GULL on Caballo Lake on December 29 at a road marked
Caballo Dam East. It was at Percha Flats below the dam for JP, WW, and MB on
January 13 with a COMMON LOON. At Riverside Park below the dam they found a
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER.
CL on December 22 at Elephant Butte Lake's Rock Canyon Marina recorded a
CALIFORNIA GULL with several HERRING GULLS. JP, WW, and MB on January 13 had an
adult THAYER'S GULL on the breakwater with the Herring Gulls.
At Paseo del Rio Park below the Elephant Butte Dam there was another
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER.
In Grant County:
MC and TH found a HARRIS'S SPARROW in the Arenas Valley on Hwy. 180 through
December 25.
DBe reported 150 PINYON JAYS near the Bear Mt. Lodge north of Silver City on
December 21.
LM at Roberts Lake on December 28 found a COMMON GOLDENEYE.
In Hidalgo County:
NP and MB on January 5 at the San Simon Cienega north of Rodeo found at
least seven LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. The former marsh is at mile marker 16.7 on
US 80. Driving south, take a dirt road on the right at a cattle guard. MH,
CW, and BT did not find the goldfinches on January 13.
At Dunagan's Crossing on Cty. Hwy. 1 south of Animas MH, CW, and BT saw a
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER on January 13. On December 31 JP and WW saw four WESTERN
SCREECH-OWLS, six LONG-EARED OWLS, a male RUDDY GROUND-DOVE, three SWAMP
SPARROWS, and 28 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS there.
At Cotton City they saw a RUDDY GROUND-DOVE and a COMMON GROUND-DOVE on the
29th and December 30.
In Virden on December 29 JP and WW saw three LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS and a
COMMON GRACKLE.
In Clanton Canyon on December 30 JP reported a MONTEZUMA QUAIL on the road
and three ARIZONA WOODPECKERS. MH, CW, and BT on January 13 had four of the
woodpeckers, four WHISKERED SCREECH-OWLS and a LONG-EARED OWL.
County Hwy. 1 south of Animas crosses the Diamond A (Gray) Ranch. Because
of events with thoughtless birders, one must not go off the road.
In Dona Ana County:
JPa found a first winter ICELAND GULL on the Sunland Park racetrack pond
December 5. It stays on the water on the lake's east side with a HERRING GULL
and seems to appear in the late afternoon. JP advises that one needs to get
permission to look for it from the casino's office near the Jackpot Grill.
There is a platform from which one can scope. But JB and JO say that the
racetrack does not want ANY birders there when the horses are racing on Tuesdays,
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning at 12:15 p.m. JPa saw it on
January 8 with an adult MEW GULL. MS and JZ on January 12 found three adult
Calfornias and the Mew Gull. JP, WW, and MB on January 12 from outside the fence
on the north end saw the two adult CALIFORNIAS, an immature HERRING, and at
4:30 the Iceland, but no Mew Gull. Along the Rio Grande near the track they
saw four BLACK-NECKED STILTS, a GREAT EGRET, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, and two
MOORHENS.
CL had a ZONE-TAILED HAWK at the Mesilla Valley Bosque Park south of Mesilla
on January 6 with a SWAMP SPARROW. On January 7 he saw three CINNAMON TEAL
there. JZ and MS did not find the hawk on January 7, but did have a dark
HARLAN'S HAWK and a COMMON RAVEN.
On January 8 at Aguirre Springs SP east of the Organ Mts. MS and JZ found a
SCRUB JAY on the entrance road with a CASSIN'S VIREO and seven SCALED QUAIL,
RUFOUS-CROWNED and BLACK-CHINNED SPARROWS. On the Pine Tree Trail there were
several ACORN WOODPECKERS, two JUNIPER TITMICE, and two MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES,
with a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at the trail's head.
CL in Fillmore Canyon on the west side of the Organ Mts. on January 8 saw
two HUTTON'S VIREOS and two RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. JZ and MS in the canyon
near the spring saw the nuthatches, a SOLITAIRE, one Mountain Chickadee, and
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS.
At a ditch off of Snow Road near Mesilla and the NMSU Plant Science Center
CL has had an EASTERN PHOEBE. JZ and MS found it on January 7 with a SORA.
They had a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT at Burn Lake in Las Cruces on January 7.
And on January 11 they saw a CACKLING GOOSE at the lake with 37 CANADA
GEESE on January 12. LS had a large flock of CATTLE EGRETS near the lake on
January 10.
At Fairview on the west side of the Rio Grande she had a large flock of
CROWS on January 10.
Exiting I-10 onto county rd. C01 they found in tobosa grass near a tank four
SPRAGUE'S PIPITS near NM 549.
JP, WW, and MB at the NMSU cattle pens on January 13 saw a male and three
female BRONZED COWBIRDS.
JZ and MS at their home near Radium Springs have had immature male ANNA'S
HUMMINGBIRDS. Three males were still seen on December 25, but not afterwards.
A female appeared January 9 with a PINE SISKIN January 12.
In Otero County:
At the Holloman Lakes near Alamogordo the "no access" signs are for hunters
only. The entire shore is open to birding. A board has been installed for
birders to list their sightings. On January 12 JP, WW, and MB found the DUNLIN
still at the lakes.
INITIALS USED:
MB, Matt Bauman; DBe, David Beatty; JB, Jim Black; MC, Mark Cantrell;
DC, David Cleary; SNC, Steve and Nancy Cox; SF, Steve Fettig; MH, Michael
Hilchey; TH, Trish Hurley; JJ, Jim Joseph; LL, Lane Leckman; CL, Carl
Lundblad; LM, Larry Malone; JO, Jerry Oldenettel; DP, Danny Paez; JP, John
Parmeter; JPa, James Paton; NP, Nick Pederson; MR, Mary Ristow; MS. Marcy
Scott; BT, Bill Talbot; BV, Brad Vaughn; WW, Bill Wittman; CW, Cole Wolf;
JZ, Jimmy Zabriskie.
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 January 18 the trip is to the Los Poblanos Open Space off Montaņo
with Mary Lou Arthur, and on January 25 to Cochiti Lake with Sei Tokuda.
The next banding dates for the Sandia Crest rosy finches will be on Sundays,
January 21 and 28.
Central Audubon will bird the Las Vegas and Maxwell Refuges on the weekend
of January 20-21. Contact is Sei Tokuda at 266-2480 or Sonia Santa Anna at
688-0688.
Southwestern Audubon will bird Lake Roberts on Saturday, January 20. Call
534-1450 for information.
- End transcript.
* New Mexico Bird Report
* January 15, 2007
* NMEX0701.15
Birds Mentioned and Counties:
Common Loon (Colfax, San Miguel, Sierra)
Horned Grebe (San Miguel, Quay)
Clark's, Grebe (San Miguel)
Double-crested Cormorant (Doņa Ana)
Great and Cattle Egrets (Doņa Ana)
White-faced Ibis (Valencia)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Socorro)
Cackling Goose (Colfax)
Cackling and Canada Geese (Doņa Ana)
Cinnamon Teal (Doņa Ana, Socorro)
White-winged Scoter (Colfax)
Long-tailed Duck (Colfax)
Barrow's Goldeneye (Colfax)
Common Goldeneye (Grant)
Hooded Merganser (Socorro)
Red-breasted Merganser (Quay)
Osprey (Sierra)
Bald Eagle (Colfax)
Zone-tailed Hawk (Doņa Ana)
Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk (San Miguel, Doņa Ana)
Rough-legged Hawk (Colfax, San Miguel, Torrance)
Ferruginous Hawk (San Miguel)
Merlin (Bernalillo)
Scaled Quail (Doņa Ana)
Northern Bobwhite (Quay)
Montezuma Quail (Hidalgo)
Sora and Common Moorhen (Doņa Ana)
Black-necked Stilt (Doņa Ana)
Dunlin (Otero)
California Gull (Sierra, Doņa Ana)
MEW GULL (Sierra, Doņa Ana)
Herring Gull (Sierra, Doņa Ana)
Thayer's Gull (Sierra)
ICELAND GULL (Doņa Ana)
White-winged Dove (San Miguel)
Common and RUDDY Ground-Doves (Hidalgo)
Western and Whiskered Screech-Owls. (Hidalgo)
Long-eared Owl (Hidalgo)
Anna's Hummingbird (Doņa Ana)
Lewis's Woodpecker (Colfax, Hidalgo)
Acorn Woodpecker (Doņa Ana, Hidalgo)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sierra, Socorro)
Red-naped Sapsucker (Sierra)
Arizona Woodpecker (Hidalgo)
Hammond's Flycatcher (Sierra, Hidalgo)
Eastern Phoebe (Doņa Ana, Socorro)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Sierra)
Northern Shrike (Colfax)
Cassin's and Hutton's Vireos (Doņa Ana)
Blue Jay (Colfax, Quay)
Western Scrub-Jay (Doņa Ana)
Pinyon Jay (Grant)
Common Raven and American Crow (Doņa Ana)
Mountain Chickadee (Doņa Ana)
Juniper Titmouse and Red-breasted Nuthatch (Doņa Ana)
Brown Creeper (Sierra)
American Dipper (Sierra)
Eastern Bluebird (Hidalgo)
Brown Thrasher (Quay)
Sprague's Pipit (Socorro, Doņa Ana)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Doņa Ana)
American Tree Sparrow (Bernalillo)
Rufous-crowned and Black-chinned Sparrows (Doņa Ana)
Slate-colored Fox Sparrows (Bernalillo, Socorro)
Lincoln's Sparrow (Doņa Ana)
Swamp Sparrow (Hidalgo, Doņa Ana, Quay)
White-throated Sparrow (Socorro, Sierra, Bernalillo, Doņa Ana)
Harris's Sparrow (Grant)
Lapland Longspur (Harding, Bernalillo)
Longspurs (Socorro)
Common Grackle (Hidalgo)
Bronzed Cowbird (Doņa Ana)
Rosy Finches (Bernalillo)
Pine Siskin (Doņa Ana)
Lawrence's Goldfinch (Hidalgo)
- Transcript
hotline: New Mexico
date: January 15, 2007
compiler Patricia R. Snider
Phone: 719-846-3174
Cell phone 505-803-1807
e-mail address _pinyonjay@aol.com_ (mailto:pinyonjay@aol.com)
I have moved to Colorado.
This is Pinyon Jay with the New Mexico Bird Report for January 15, 2007,
sponsored by the New Mexico Ornithological Society. When phone numbers are
given for private property, please call before going. Highlights: ICELAND GULL,
Mew Gulls, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Barrow's Goldeneye.
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. Check
_www.birder.com_ (http://www.birder.com) for earlier reports. For photos of
rarities and
directions to some birding sites check hometown.aol.com/borealowl.
For the Bird Records Committee and both Field Notes please send reports to
Dr. Sartor O. Williams, III, 1819 Meadowview NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104 or to
_sunbittern@earthlink.net_ (mailto:sunbittern@earthlink.net) .
In San Miguel County:
On January 5 CW, MH, and BT on Conchas Lake saw several HORNED GREBES. On
January 6 JP and WW saw three COMMON LOONS and a CLARK'S GREBE there. At the
Adobe Belle Resort there was a WHITE-WINGED DOVE.
MR and SF found most of the lakes at the Las Vegas Refuge frozen. There
were two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, up to five FERRUGINOUS HAWKS, and a HARLAN'S HAWK.
The Clabber Hill Ranch near Conchas Lake is now closed to birding.
In Harding County:
JP and WW on January 6 on Trigg Road north of Ute Lake found two LAPLAND
LONGSPURS.
In Colfax County:
Lake 13 on the Maxwell Refuge has been frozen. On January 1 DC saw 100
CACKLING GEESE.
On nearby Stubblefield Lake he found a few spots open on December 23 with
two COMMON LOONS. At the lake on December 28 he saw 28 BALD EAGLES. On
January 1 DC found the female LONG-TAILED DUCK, two BARROW'S GOLDENEYES, and the
female WHITE-WINGED SCOTER.
On NM 445 north of Maxwell there was a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. a LEWIS'S
WOODPECKER, NORTHERN SHRIKE, and a BLUE JAY January 1.
In Quay County:
At Ute Lake on January 6 JP and WW saw four RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, about
two HORNED GREBES, a BROWN THRASHER, two BLUE JAYS, two SWAMP SPARROWS, and a
BOBWHITE.
In Bernalillo County:
At the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque DP had a SLATE-COLORED FOX
SPARROW at the observation feeder. CW saw iton January 9, BV on January 13,
and JP on January 14.
JP had a MERLIN fly over his Albuquerque home near Juan Tabo on January 6
and saw another flying over the downtown on January 7. He had fly-over calling
LAPLAND LONGSPURS over Kirtland AFB on January 10.
JJ on the east side of the Rio Grande north of the Alameda bridge saw the
immature VERMILION FLYCATCHER, WHITE-THROATED and TREE SPARROWS on December 30.
At the Sandia Crest House east of Albuquerque there is a good number of
BLACK ROSY-FINCHES with a few BROWN-CAPPED and GRAY-CROWNED. The SNC banding
team reported that in spite of the cold and wind on January 14 they banded 127
ROSY FINCHES. 44 were GRAY-CROWNED, with of these there was an amazing 21 of
the HEPBURN'S race (47 so far this winter!). Also banded were two
BROWN-CAPPED and 81 BLACKS.
In Valencia County:
JP, WW, and MB on January 13 found the WHITE-FACED IBIS back at the Taco
Bell Marsh in Belen.
In Torrance County:
West of Encino on January 5 WW and JP had a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.
In Socorro County:
At Bosque del Apache Refuge near San Antonio at the visitor center on
December 29 CL found a slate-colored FOX SPARROW. On January 5 JP, WW, and LL
found the YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, Fox Sparrow, and two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS
at the visitor center. DP on January 7 saw the sapsucker, white-throated
sparrows with an EASTERN PHOEBE at the Flight Deck and seven HOODED MERGANSERS
at the Norton Blind. BV on January 13 found four WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and two
CINNAMON TEAL at the south end of the Farm Loop. JP, WW, and MB had the
phoebe at the Flight Deck January 13.
In the area 16 miles east of San Antonio on County Rd. 127 JP, WW, and LL on
January 5 found one SPRAGUE'S PIPIT with many longspurs.
JO has had three WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS at his home in Luis Lopez south of
Socorro.
In Sierra County:
At Percha Dam State Park JP, WW, and MB found the DIPPER still present with
an OSPREY, a calling HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, a BROWN CREEPER, a pair of
VERMILION FLYCATCHERS, and the immature YELLOW=BELLIED SAPSUCKER on January 13.
CL found an adult MEW GULL on Caballo Lake on December 29 at a road marked
Caballo Dam East. It was at Percha Flats below the dam for JP, WW, and MB on
January 13 with a COMMON LOON. At Riverside Park below the dam they found a
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER.
CL on December 22 at Elephant Butte Lake's Rock Canyon Marina recorded a
CALIFORNIA GULL with several HERRING GULLS. JP, WW, and MB on January 13 had an
adult THAYER'S GULL on the breakwater with the Herring Gulls.
At Paseo del Rio Park below the Elephant Butte Dam there was another
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER.
In Grant County:
MC and TH found a HARRIS'S SPARROW in the Arenas Valley on Hwy. 180 through
December 25.
DBe reported 150 PINYON JAYS near the Bear Mt. Lodge north of Silver City on
December 21.
LM at Roberts Lake on December 28 found a COMMON GOLDENEYE.
In Hidalgo County:
NP and MB on January 5 at the San Simon Cienega north of Rodeo found at
least seven LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCHES. The former marsh is at mile marker 16.7 on
US 80. Driving south, take a dirt road on the right at a cattle guard. MH,
CW, and BT did not find the goldfinches on January 13.
At Dunagan's Crossing on Cty. Hwy. 1 south of Animas MH, CW, and BT saw a
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER on January 13. On December 31 JP and WW saw four WESTERN
SCREECH-OWLS, six LONG-EARED OWLS, a male RUDDY GROUND-DOVE, three SWAMP
SPARROWS, and 28 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS there.
At Cotton City they saw a RUDDY GROUND-DOVE and a COMMON GROUND-DOVE on the
29th and December 30.
In Virden on December 29 JP and WW saw three LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS and a
COMMON GRACKLE.
In Clanton Canyon on December 30 JP reported a MONTEZUMA QUAIL on the road
and three ARIZONA WOODPECKERS. MH, CW, and BT on January 13 had four of the
woodpeckers, four WHISKERED SCREECH-OWLS and a LONG-EARED OWL.
County Hwy. 1 south of Animas crosses the Diamond A (Gray) Ranch. Because
of events with thoughtless birders, one must not go off the road.
In Dona Ana County:
JPa found a first winter ICELAND GULL on the Sunland Park racetrack pond
December 5. It stays on the water on the lake's east side with a HERRING GULL
and seems to appear in the late afternoon. JP advises that one needs to get
permission to look for it from the casino's office near the Jackpot Grill.
There is a platform from which one can scope. But JB and JO say that the
racetrack does not want ANY birders there when the horses are racing on Tuesdays,
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning at 12:15 p.m. JPa saw it on
January 8 with an adult MEW GULL. MS and JZ on January 12 found three adult
Calfornias and the Mew Gull. JP, WW, and MB on January 12 from outside the fence
on the north end saw the two adult CALIFORNIAS, an immature HERRING, and at
4:30 the Iceland, but no Mew Gull. Along the Rio Grande near the track they
saw four BLACK-NECKED STILTS, a GREAT EGRET, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, and two
MOORHENS.
CL had a ZONE-TAILED HAWK at the Mesilla Valley Bosque Park south of Mesilla
on January 6 with a SWAMP SPARROW. On January 7 he saw three CINNAMON TEAL
there. JZ and MS did not find the hawk on January 7, but did have a dark
HARLAN'S HAWK and a COMMON RAVEN.
On January 8 at Aguirre Springs SP east of the Organ Mts. MS and JZ found a
SCRUB JAY on the entrance road with a CASSIN'S VIREO and seven SCALED QUAIL,
RUFOUS-CROWNED and BLACK-CHINNED SPARROWS. On the Pine Tree Trail there were
several ACORN WOODPECKERS, two JUNIPER TITMICE, and two MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES,
with a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at the trail's head.
CL in Fillmore Canyon on the west side of the Organ Mts. on January 8 saw
two HUTTON'S VIREOS and two RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. JZ and MS in the canyon
near the spring saw the nuthatches, a SOLITAIRE, one Mountain Chickadee, and
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS.
At a ditch off of Snow Road near Mesilla and the NMSU Plant Science Center
CL has had an EASTERN PHOEBE. JZ and MS found it on January 7 with a SORA.
They had a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT at Burn Lake in Las Cruces on January 7.
And on January 11 they saw a CACKLING GOOSE at the lake with 37 CANADA
GEESE on January 12. LS had a large flock of CATTLE EGRETS near the lake on
January 10.
At Fairview on the west side of the Rio Grande she had a large flock of
CROWS on January 10.
Exiting I-10 onto county rd. C01 they found in tobosa grass near a tank four
SPRAGUE'S PIPITS near NM 549.
JP, WW, and MB at the NMSU cattle pens on January 13 saw a male and three
female BRONZED COWBIRDS.
JZ and MS at their home near Radium Springs have had immature male ANNA'S
HUMMINGBIRDS. Three males were still seen on December 25, but not afterwards.
A female appeared January 9 with a PINE SISKIN January 12.
In Otero County:
At the Holloman Lakes near Alamogordo the "no access" signs are for hunters
only. The entire shore is open to birding. A board has been installed for
birders to list their sightings. On January 12 JP, WW, and MB found the DUNLIN
still at the lakes.
INITIALS USED:
MB, Matt Bauman; DBe, David Beatty; JB, Jim Black; MC, Mark Cantrell;
DC, David Cleary; SNC, Steve and Nancy Cox; SF, Steve Fettig; MH, Michael
Hilchey; TH, Trish Hurley; JJ, Jim Joseph; LL, Lane Leckman; CL, Carl
Lundblad; LM, Larry Malone; JO, Jerry Oldenettel; DP, Danny Paez; JP, John
Parmeter; JPa, James Paton; NP, Nick Pederson; MR, Mary Ristow; MS. Marcy
Scott; BT, Bill Talbot; BV, Brad Vaughn; WW, Bill Wittman; CW, Cole Wolf;
JZ, Jimmy Zabriskie.
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 January 18 the trip is to the Los Poblanos Open Space off Montaņo
with Mary Lou Arthur, and on January 25 to Cochiti Lake with Sei Tokuda.
The next banding dates for the Sandia Crest rosy finches will be on Sundays,
January 21 and 28.
Central Audubon will bird the Las Vegas and Maxwell Refuges on the weekend
of January 20-21. Contact is Sei Tokuda at 266-2480 or Sonia Santa Anna at
688-0688.
Southwestern Audubon will bird Lake Roberts on Saturday, January 20. Call
534-1450 for information.
- End transcript.