Category: In the Field

New Mexico circuit: 8

It’s high time to wrap up the New Mexico trip reports.

Two trips to Randall Davey Audubon Center, just outside Santa Fe, turned up flocks of Common Ravens loudly kettling in the updrafts from the ridge, often in pairs. At times the birds swooped so low that I could hear wingbeats. Pretty cool.

I followed the loop trail just to where the ponderosa pines started to come in, at about 7425 feet. So I only got one observation, from a distance, and only good enough to ID to subsection. (I still remember the strawberry-scented pinebark from a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park a couple decades ago.)

Nice photos of Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) and Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea). More Rubber Rabbitbrush; I can understand why there was an effort to tap the plant for rubber—it’s all over the place.

Persistence pays: on my second visit I located Juniper Titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi) (honoring Robert Ridgway), another lifer for the trip.

better than the birdingDripping Springs Natural Area, in the mountains east of Las Cruces, is a BLM property. When the birds don’t cooperate, take pictures of the landscape, eh? This is a view of the Organ Mountains from La Cueva picnic area.

I spotted a second butterfly species for the trip (it was February, so I was impressed): a trio of Sleepy Oranges (Abaeis nicippe) on Woolly Locoweed (Astragalus mollissimus). And a few snaps of Fishhook Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus wislizeni).

Thank you to all the local iNat folks concurring with and correcting my IDs! I ratcheted my lifetime ratio of species to observations back up to 1:2. (Just in time for EDRR season.)

Seven new birds for my list, bringing my ABA Area total to 440. Plus one for next time: at White Sands, a Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) with photographs good enough for an observation, but I can’t say that I saw the bird well enough to count it for my list. My list, my hike, my rules.

New Mexico circuit: 6

Continuing to bounce around the state, let’s go to White Sands National Park next.

not snowI did the short walk on the Playa Trail, and then across the road I did the longer Dune Life Nature Trail (pic). I spotted a Southern Checkered White (Pontia protodice) (I was so surprised to find a butterfly in February that my first thought was that it must be a moth) and what turned out to be Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis). The sparrow would have been a lifer, but I can’t really say that I saw enough of it to make my own identification. So we’ll get it next time.

Much sand in my boots (sorry, cleaning staff!).

Also in the central-to-south part of the state is Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

I was too late in the season to find the cranes. The loop road is generously wide, a good thing with cars stopping at random to look at critters. 70 degrees and sun, but some cooling breezes off the impoundments. I found my first ever real live for-sure Coyote (Canis latrans). The birding highlight was seeing a small group of geese out of the water, drifting into the grass. Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) AND Ross’s Goose (Chen rossii) side by side! C. rossii is REALLY much smaller.

At the park: 151

An update on our nest boxes:

Another short report. Two new clutches; still only the one (box #4) incubating, but it’s possible that boxes #6, #1, and #67 will be incubating by next Sunday.

I will bring some kit to refresh the painted number on box #1.

We have a discrepancy in report for the species in box #1. Hopefully we can sort that out next Sunday….

In April, we’ll go to a fortnightly cycle. When we meet this coming Sunday, we’ll decide which Sundays to work in April. giving consideration to holidays and other events.

Thanks thanks!

New Mexico circuit: 5

follow the cairnsAbout a hour and a half east of Santa Fe is Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area (look sharp for the tiny sign for County Road 016-Loma Parda County Road, which leads to the parking area). The Juniper Trail is easy to follow across the grassland, marked by cairns; the cairns are a bit of a challenge to find when the trail follows the rocky cliff edge overlooking the Mora River.

I found twittery groups of Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus), a better observation of Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii), and Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides). And a first (for me) observation identified by scar only: Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana).

New Mexico circuit: 3

(You may have gathered that these trip reports are not in chronological order.)

The NPS’s driving directions to Chaco Culture National Historical Park read, in part, “13 miles (21 km) of rough dirt road (CR 7950). The 4.5 miles (7 km) before entering the park are very rough.” (Empasis added) “Very rough” means almost constant washboard conditions, 1 to 2 on my 5-point impassibility scale, mercifully little in the way of ruts, rocks, or potholes. This is not a place to drop in for a casual visit.

just thereBut O, it’s worth the drive. As the gravel road gives way to pavement within the park boundary, you’re confronted with Fajada Butte.

The centerpiece of the park is the (reconstructed) remains of Pueblo Bonito, a ginormous complex of what once comprised 600 rooms and 40 kivas, according to the NPS brochure. It’s so vast that trying to capture it in a photo or two seemed futile. So I snapped a Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) instead.

windows and supportsHungo Pavi is of a much smaller scale. I was taken by the rhythm of small windows and openings for the roof supports.

no cornersCasa Rinconada is a large kiva, roofless but otherwise restored to grandeur.

Turning Maria back to base, I abruptly stopped for a small herd of Wapiti (Cervus canadensis).

The next day, I visited another unit that is managed with CHCU. Aztec Ruins National Monument is much more accessible by vehicle, and more interactive, if you will. A walking path takes you through the fully rebuilt Great Kiva, as well as a series of rooms—it’s not a walk for the claustrophobic.

On the grounds just outside the monument, Gunnison’s Prairie Dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) were keeping an eye on things.

And then on to Navajo Dam State Park, for a stop that wasn’t too fruitful, before moving on to Santa Fe. But I did find a second species of ground squirrel, Rock Squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus) and a life bird, Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii).

At the park: 150

From this week’s nest box report:

Ice on the ponds, so we made like the icebreaker ships.

Predictably, we already have one Hooded Merganser nest started, with 6 eggs.

We used nearly all of the chips in the shed, and what’s left we’re going to use to top up a couple boxes next week. So we’ll need a new package of chips in several weeks for replenishing boxes that hatch early this season.

Your coordinator took a tumble climbing out of the new pool by the tower, significantly scraping his dignity….

Thank you, and see you on the 9th!

New Mexico circuit: 2

I had plans for long excursions out of Las Cruces, but after the schlep from Santa Fe, followed by a round trip to White Sands NP the next day, I looked in Howe et al.’s New Mexico Bird Finding Guide (4/e, 2021) for some choice spots locally in Doña Ana County. Howe suggested Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, also known locally as the “Old Refuge.” Like many of the sites I visited on this trip, there were bird feeders out front before the visitor center/park office buildings, mixed in with the usual scrub, with a courtyard and garden behind, enclosed by the low-slung buildings. Many White-crowned Sparrows at the feeders; WCSPs were almost ubiquitous in New Mexico.

Just off the courtyard/garden, there was a simple blind (just panels with viewports cut out) looking on to an open lot. Merlin reported that it heard Gambel’s Quail (Callipepla gambelii), a secondary target bird for this trip, in the vicinity of the blind. Hmm. Intriguing, but no quail to be seen.

Two park staff strolled by, and explained that a Great Horned Owl had snagged a skunk, its remains hanging somewhere in the courtyard. “Ah, that explains the sewer smell I’m getting.”

I started following the park trails, and after about half a mile I saw some distant bird activity scratching around under the scrub. Not a good look, but maybe I was looking at quail?

Some time later, I noticed another bird also scratching under some scrub. This turned out to be a Crissal Thrasher (Toxostoma crissale), an unexpected lifer.

I continued around the Upland Trail. I found a mysterious plant, green fleshy leaves, in a loose basal rosette, and with a pale central vein. It just looked out of place and possibly exotic, so I snapped some pics and took a precise GPS reading.

Nearing the end of the Upland Trail loop, I spotted a prime target bird, Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus). This was not a lifer, but the only other time I’d seen a roadrunner was a “B” look, many years ago, and I couldn’t absolutely affirm that I had seen my bird then. This time at MVBSP, it was an “A,” and I got good photos to document it.

So I was feeling pretty good for the trip, and I headed back toward Maria the Ford Edge.* Back at the blind, I found the second of two Common Side-blotched Lizards (Uta stansburiana). Apparently this species has a fan club. My observations were featured in an iNat post by Pete Zani.

I was still curious about the green plant standing out among the dust and tan and sage green. So I stuck my head into the park office to ask about it. (I didn’t see any other doors with activity behind them.) I was greeted by one of the park staff who had gleefully called out the skunk carcass; he said, “I can help you outside.” (Apparently a faux pas to barge into to the office uninvited.) Out in the courtyard, my staffer explained that my plant was some species of native dock. “They start sprouting in February-March, but they’re a bit stunted because it’s been so dry.” In the end, iNat and my Audubon guide identified it as Canaigre Dock (Rumex hymenosepalus).

I thanked him and walked out front. The Gambel’s Quail were at the feeders! With one bird perched on the roof of a building, keeping an eye on things. The birds on the ground were rather shy—I got one usable photo.

One of seven new birds for me for this trip.

*Maria will be introduced more fully in a forthcoming post.

New Mexico circuit: 1

A new place to explore! The Land of Enchantment, or (to judge from the snazzy new black license plates) The Land of Red and Green (Chilies).

I debarked (detrained?) in Albuquerque, and scheduled some light touristy activity to get used to the altitude. First order of business was picking up my prepaid rental car at the Hertz office next to the Amtrak station. Except—no Hertz office. One of the train station staff told me, oh, yeah, that building burned down and they never replaced it. We keep telling Hertz to remove it from their listings.

So, after a somewhat tense call to Hertz to book a car at the airport, and a quick ride to same provided by Anthony, I was on my way to my Old Town motel.

first stopAfter a day of finding all the yummy food and taking a guided tour of Old Town ABQ, I was ready to get out in the field. Sevilleta NWR is two counties south, along the Rio Grande. The loop trail from the visitors center has some very helpful ID markers for some of the desert plants, but that didn’t stop me from misidentifying Rubber Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa): the stuff is everywhere, short and tall. I found two life birds: Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris) and Chihuahuan Raven (Corvus cryptoleucus). I got a lucky shot with my long lens and caught one of the birds with white throat feathers ruffling in the wind.

Next day was a disappointment: I rode the Sandia Tramway to the peak, only to figure out that the way to the spot with the bird feeders was a snowy 2-mile hike away from the tram terminal. So no rosy-finches this time. I moved on to my next city, Farmington.

Front desk staff at my Albuquerque motel gave me two great restaurant recommendations: Church Street Cafe (tasty “Q” salad) and Sawmill Market, a food hall with too many good choices. And I found Flying Roadrunner Bakery around the corner from my tour guide’s kiosk. The things they do with blueberries there…

My year in hikes and field trips, 2024

Another middling successful season of monitoring nest boxes at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, Va. I performed invasive management at Elklick Woodlands Natural Area Preserve, Fred Crabtree Park, and Fraser Preserve, Fairfax County, Va.; Clifton Institute, Fauquier County, Va; and an few other places in Fairfax County that I don’t remember.

Christmas Bird Count 2024: Seneca and Central Loudoun

One more time leading Seneca’s sector 14 (fourth time) and Central Loudoun’s “Old Ashburn” sites in sector 11 (third time).

We found 49 species in the Seneca sector on a day that ended with rain and sleet; my feeder watchers detected Orange-crowned (good documentation) and Black-throated Blue Warblers (notes but no photo). Our American Robin count was way down, and we were shut out on Cedar Waxwing. Stream reconstruction at Lake Fairfax Park is ongoing.

We were scuffling with rain in Ashburn as well, but the Graves Lane ponds turned up Redhead (Aythya americana), Bufflehead, Gadwall, and an intriguing pair of ducks that were likely Mallard hybrids, and the pond at Ashburn Library yielded a pair of American Black Ducks (Anas rubripes). One of our private property sites has changed owners, so we didn’t make it to that location.

Machicomoco follow-up

Per a presentation by Karl Kratzer at yesterday’s Virginia Herpetological Society meeting, I understand more about what the deal is with Machicomoco State Park. The property was a working farm as late as 2008. When residential development failed to materialize, Dominion Energy bought it and proffered it to the commonwealth this decade. The park does not yet have a master plan. (It doesn’t have a Wikipedia page, either.) Hence, the soybean fields in the middle of the ring road.

But, to unbury the lede, Machicomoco is an active breeding site for Northern Diamond-backed Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin ssp. terrapin). By Kratzer’s reasoning, due to their site fidelity, the turtles and farmers have been coexisting for quite some time.

Clearwater Nature Center mushrooms

Saturday, Megan Romberg and Georgie Hardesty led a collecting foray for mycologists of various experience levels at Cosca Regional Park’s Clearwater Nature Center. The building itself, perched on a rise, has an attractive series of walk-ups/ramps leading to it, with a water feature. Most interesting finds (to me) were a nifty bolete, Retiboletus ornatipes (pending iNat confirmation) and a wee scatter of Fenugreek Stalkball (Phleogena faginea).