New Mexico Ornithological Society

New Mexico Statewide Hotline, June 28, 2007

This is Pinyon Jay with the New Mexico Bird Report for Thursday, June 28, 2007, sponsored by the New Mexico Ornithological Society. When phone numbers are given for private property, please call before going. Most places mentioned and a checklist of N.M. birds are in the N.M. Bird Finding Guide. Updates to the Bird Finding Guide are posted to the NMOS web page at www.nmosbirds.org/updates.html. All N.M. phone numbers are area code 505. For past RBA's check the NMOS web page at www.nmosbirds.org. For photos of rarities and directions to NM birding sites check hometown.aol.com/borealowl.

Highlights are Bronzed Cowbirds, Green Kingfisher, Black-Capped Gnatcatcher.

- Birds Mentioned and Counties:

      Eared Grebe (Colfax)
      Black-crowned Night-Heron (Taos)
      Mexican Mallard (Luna)
      Northern Harrier (Chaves, Eddy)
      Harris's Hawk (Eddy)
      Gray Hawk (Hidalgo, Eddy, Cochise, AZ)
      Zone-tailed Hawk (Grant, Hidalgo)
      Snowy Plover (Eddy)
      American Avocet (Colfax)
      Greater Yellowlegs (Chaves)
      Long-billed Curlew (Mora, Eddy, Colfax)
      Marbled Godwit (Eddy)
      Wilson's Phalarope (Colfax, Chaves, Otero)
      Least Tern (Eddy)
      Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Chaves)
      Barn Owl (Luna)
      Flammulated Owl (Bernalillo)
      Northern Pygmy-Owl (Grant, Hidalgo)
      Burrowing Owl (Chaves, Colfax)
      Long-eared Owl (Hidalgo, San Juan)
      Whip-poor-will (San Miguel)
      Black Swift (Sandoval)
      Chimney Swift (Curry, Chaves)
      Green Kingfisher (Grant)
      Lewis's Woodpecker (San Juan)
      Williamson's Sapsucker (Otero)
      Vermilion Flycatcher (Socorro)
      Bell's Vireo (Socorro)
      Hutton's Vireo (Doña Ana,Grant)
      Gray Vireo (Eddy)
      Red-eyed Vireo (Bernalillo)
      Purple Martin (Colfax, Otero)
      Golden-crowned Kinglet (Otero)
      Black-capped Gnatcatcher (Cochise, AZ)
      Veery (Taos)
      Gray Catbird (Socorro, Rio Arriba)
      Bendire's Thrasher (Santa Fe)
      Cedar Waxwing (Rio Arriba, Bernalillo)
      Chestnut-sided Warbler (Sandoval)
      American Redstart (Sandoval)
      Ovenbird (Cibola)
      Red-faced Warbler (Otero)
      Hepatic Tanager (Doña Ana)
      Cassin's Sparrow (Colfax, Doña Ana)
      Brewer's Sparrow (Colfax)
      Black-chinned Sparrow (Chaves)
      Black-throated Sparrow (Santa Fe)
      Lark Bunting (Mora, Colfax, Socorro)
      Indigo Bunting (Sandoval, Eddy, Doña Ana)
      Dickcissel (Colfax, Chaves)
      Bronzed Cowbird (Bernalillo, Doña Ana)
      Orchard Oriole (Quay)
      Hooded Oriole (Doña Ana)
      Scott's Oriole (Santa Fe)

In San Juan County:
      WW on June 27 had a LONG-EARED OWL south of Farmington. Go south on 371 to Navajo 3003. Take it for about two miles to 4055. The owl was at a ditch.
      WW on June 13 had two LEWIS'S WOODPECKERS in Riverside Park in Aztec north of Farmington.

In Rio Arriba County:
      At the Elkhorn Lodge in Chama on June 9 BH had four CEDAR WAXWINGS and four CATBIRDS.

In Sandoval County:
      DB on June 25 found the BLACK SWIFTS at Jemez Falls west of Los Alamos. DB on June 18 reported a singing CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER in the Corrales Bosque. On June 24 it was seen by DK and JR, and heard by JP north of the H.C. Jones Channel. JP also had an AMERICAN REDSTART female type and a singing male INDIGO BUNTING.

In Taos County:
      WW on June 27 in Orilla Verde Park on the Rio Grande near Pilar had a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON.
      On the Ojo Sarco BBS on June 2 JP had a VEERY on NM 75 near its junction with NM 518. Usually one has to be there very early (dawn) to find them.

In Santa Fe County:
      MR on the Caja del Rio area in Santa Fe reported two SCOTT'S ORIOLES on June 9 in junipers. BW on June 18 found a pair of BENDIRE'S THRASHERS (Curve-billed also present), several BLACK-THROATED SPARROWS with young, and one of the orioles.

In Mora County:
      CR on June 9 at 13 miles east Wagon Mound on Hwy. 120 saw five LARK BUNTINGS and four LONG-BILLED CURLEWS at flooded areas on the north side of the road. There were two more buntings two miles south of Wagon Mound off I-25.

In San Miguel County:
      CR on June 10 had three WHIP-POOR-WILLS calling at dawn in Gallinas Canyon on Hwy. 65 between Montezuma and Gallinas.

In Colfax County:
      DC saw three WILSON'S PHALAROPES on the Maxwell Refuge at a playa on NM 505 between miles 3 and 4. On June 22 they were still there with five AVOCETS, a LONG-BILLED CURLEW, and 24 BURROWING OWLS in the area.
      On the upper lake at Stubblefield (Laguna Madre) he had many EARED GREBES with many LARK BUNTINGS, two singing CASSIN'S SPARROWS and three singing BREWER'S SPARROWS. There was also 17 BURROWING OWLS present in the area. Going south from mile 3 on hwy. C25 for a mile there were two DICKCISSELS with three more south on C25 and turning right on C23. He had another Dickcissel on the back road from the Maxwell Refuge to the Stubblefield Lake area on June 22.
      On June 6 DC found up to six PURPLE MARTINS on NM 555 to the Vermejo Ranch headquarters at a pond near mile marker 9.

In Quay County:
      DC on June 14 at Ute Lake saw two male ORCHARD ORIOLES singing in the cottonwoods at the headquartrs tent/picnic area.

In Cibola County:
      JT on June 20 had a singing male OVENBIRD in the western Zuni Mountains in Hausner Canyon.

In Bernalillo County:
      On May 27 and 28 MH found the RED-EYED VIREO behind the San Antonio de Padua Church south of Cedar Crest on NM14 in the eastern Sandias. REO. DK found the Red-eyed singing June 23 near the orchard. He also had seven CEDAR WAXWINGS.
      DB on May 22 at the Sandia Memory Gardens cemetery in northeast Albuquerque found a female BRONZED COWBIRD. BN and CR saw a courting pair on June 2.
      In the eastern Sandia Mountains DP on May 26 had the Flammulated calling at Capulin Springs. CL on June 1 had three Flammulated Owls.

In Curry County:
      At the Clovis Sewage Ponds be sure to advise them that you are there to bird. DB had five CHIMNEY SWIFTS over Main St. in Clovis.

In Socorro County:
      At Bosque del Apache Refuge near San Antonio CL on May 26 found several VERMILION FLYCATCHERS on the Marsh Loop, up to four CATBIRDS on the seasonal road, and a singing BELL'S VIREO near Audio Stop 9. JSt on May 30 saw the vireo at Audio Stop 9. CL on June 3 had two Catbirds.
      KSo on June 20 found six LARK BUNTINGS north of the refuge.

In Chaves County:
      JH on Bitter Lake Refuge has had two BURROWING OWLS on Unit 7. DB on June 18 saw a late male HARRIER and 11 female WILSON'S PHALAROPES. JH on June 21 had a calling YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO at headquarters. JP and WW on June 23 had a female Harrier, and five GREATER YELLOWLEGS. JH reported a DICKCISSEL on the west side of Unit6 on June 27.
      JP and WW had one CHIMNEY SWIFT over the NMMI campus in Roswell on June 23.
      West of Dunken JP reported BLACK-CHINNED SPARROWS June 23.

In Grant County:
      RSh on June 14 found a female GREEN KINGFISHER (photo) along the Gila River near the Bird Area on FS land near Bill Evans Lake on the road from Cliff. Where the road splits (to the lake) take the dirt road along the rio and go about 5 miles to an overlook. Contact RS for directions at 388-3441.
      RS had a ZONE-TAILED HAWK at Bitter Creek on June 23.
      At Cherry and McMillan Campgrounds north of Pinos Altos DBe reported Hutton's Vireo on a June 16 field trip. KSo reported a calling PYGMY OWL on June 19.

In Hidalgo County:
      NP and MB on June 27 had a BLACK-CAPPED GNATCATCHER in the Arizona part of Guadalupe Canyon 3/4 of a mile west of the N.M. border and in the area of the corral. They also had two GRAY HAWKS in the AZ part and another at the ranch in N.M.
      CL and CBr on June 24 had up to three ZONE-TAILED HAWKS in Clanton Canyon with three LONG-EARED OWLS at the camp site. At the Blackwater Hole in the canyon there were two PYGMY OWLS.
      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 Luna County:
      On June 11 LM at the wastewater ponds in Deming had 18 adult and 39 young MEXICAN MALLARDS with a BARN OWL.
      Katfish Kove is no longer open to birders.

In Doña Ana County:
      In Fillmore Canyon in the Organ Mts. near the La Cueva Picnic area on May 27 CL found a HUTTON'S VIREO. DG on June 26 in the canyon had a HEPATIC TANAGER, the vireo, and a singing male INDIGO BUNTING on June 14. There were CASSIN'S SPARROWS then at the Dripping Springs.
      On June 18 DG had a HOODED ORIOLE at the Mesilla Valley Bosque Park south of Mesilla. And on June 18 to 22 he had BRONZED COWBIRD at his Las Cruces home.

In Otero County:
      CL on June 16-17 in Scott Able Canyon of the Sacramento Mts. saw a RED-FACED WARBLER and up to four GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS. Near the east end of the canyon he found four PURPLE MARTINS along Agua Chiquita Rd. At a mile west of NM 130 along Forest Rd. 5661 he saw a male WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER.
      At the Holloman Lakes JP and WW found on June 23 15 WILSON'S PHALAROPES. At the Holloman Lakes near Alamogordo the "no access" signs are for hunters only. The entire shore is open to birding. Due to vandalism the sightings list and box have been removed.

In Eddy County:
      DB on June 18 along NM 31 in Loving saw two HARRIS'S HAWKS.
      At the salt flats along NM 128 at Laguna Grande he saw 12 breeding SNOWY PLOVERS.
      RD on June 8 at Brantley Lake found at the point north of the state park a SNOWY PLOVER and two LEAST TERNS. On June 22 JP and WW saw the two terns, a female HARRIER, MARBLED GODWIT, and a LONG-BILLED CURLEW. RD on June 21 had the curlew.
      At Rattlesnake Springs JP and WW on June 22 had a GRAY HAWK and a singing male INDIGO BUNTING.
      Also in the Lincoln NF in the Guadalupe Mts. DB had on NM 137 near mile post 25 north of Dark Canyon many GRAY VIREOS.
      JL on June 20 had a GRAY VIREO in Slaughter Canyon.

- Initials Used:

      MB, Matt Baumann; DBe, David Beatty; DB, Devin Bosler; CBr, Charles Britt; DC, David Cleary; RD, Rob Doster; DG, David Griffin; MH, Michael Hilchey; BH, Bill Howe; JH, Jeff Howland; DK, David Krueper; JL, Jerry Langren; CL, Carl Lundblad; LM, Larry Malone; BN, Bruce Neville; JO, Jerry Oldenettel; DP, Danny Paez; JP, John Parmeter; NP, Nick Pederson; MR, Mary Ristow; CR, Chris Rustay; JR, Janet Ruth; RS, Robert Shantz; RSo, Roland Shook: KSo, Krista Sorra; JSt, James Stuart; JT, John Trochet; BW, Bill West; WW, Bill Wittman.

- Field Trips

Central Audubon in Albuquerque has Thursday field trips. No trip is planned for July 5. On July 12 the trip is a hike on the 10K Trail in the Sandias with Mary Lou Arthur, 299-2565, on July 19 to the Simms Ranch and Bonnie Long's home in the Manzano Mts. for a potluck lunch, 379-1985. The July 26 trip has been cancelled.

The trip for Sangre de Cristo Audubon on Saturday, July 22 is to Capulin Springs in the Sandias. Contact Gary and Carol Johnson at 466-1303.

On July 13 to 15 is the Osprey Festival at Heron Lake. Information at 588-7410.

Until October there are Tuesday guided hikes in the Sandia Mts. Meet at 8 am at the ranger station in Tijeras. Also at the Rio Grande Nature Center there are Saturday and Sunday bird walks at 8 am.

- For Bird Records Committee and Field Notes, send reports to

      Dr. Sartor O. Williams, III
      1819 Meadowview NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104
      sunbittern@earthlink.net

- Messages can also be left with your bird reports at pinyonjay@aol.com.