Day 2 (Thursday) – Bosque del Apache

Up a little after 6 to be at the Bosque close to 7. We quickly loaded the car, then stopped at the gas station up the street for some breakfast. Ended up with prepackaged donuts, but good enough.

The view from hotel

We got down to the Bosque by 7, but decided to drive up the road a little ways first. That wasn’t all that exciting, but we did get our first flickers and the only Loggerhead Shrike of the trip on the way back. We eventually stopped at one of the ponds along the road, and started working through several species of ducks. Lots of Redheads and a few Canvasbacks made up the big part of the flock, but there were quite a few other species as well.

Ducks

We then entered the refuge proper (I was surprised that there was noone manning the gate at the busiest season, not that it mattered with my duck stamp) and went down to the Flight Deck. There were plenty of cranes, dabbling ducks (mostly Northern Shoveler), and quite a few coots. Once we walked out to the observation deck, we got a good look at an adult Bald Eagle sitting above everything.

Flight Deck View 1

Flight Deck View 2

After the Flight Deck, we turned around and started for the Marsh Loop, first stopped as several Western Meadowlarks flushed off to the side.

We stopped at each of the ponds along the beginning of the loop, picking up more ducks and a few other birds including a Merlin, a Bonaparte’s Gull and a Say’s Phoebe (the first one I’ve actually seen well.)

At the Lagoon, we got out and walked. Across the boardwalk, we saw many coots and Pied-billed Grebe. There were also lots of Aechmorphus grebes, although I wasn’t completely convinced that they were Western. About halfway down the boardwalk, a male Yellow-headed Blackbird flew over, my first lifer of the trip. I would have liked a longer and better view, but it was pretty unmistakable.

Coot

We took a brief walk up the hill beyond the lagoon and ended up chasing some small birds around for a while. One was a Bewick’s Wren (only one of the trip), but the rest didn’t want to cooperate. There were also a few lizards around.

Before we got back in the car, we walked along the front of the lagoon a bit, getting better looks at the ducks (ring-necks and redhead mostly) and grebes. A Clark’s came up very close, which was enough to confirm that at least some of the others were Western, life bird #2. We also had a very cooperative Black Phoebe and a couple Orange Sulphurs.

Black Phoebe

I stopped at the portapotty, but upon seeing the rather large wasp walking around the seat, I decided I could wait.

We continued around and saw lots more of the same. Lots of dabbling ducks, mostly shoveler and pintail. At the trails, we started to walk and people returning warned us about the mosquitoes. We kept going anyway.

That may have been a mistake as they were quite bad (I should have snapped a couple shots of Ethan’s back entirely covered). The birding was slow here (it was probably 10:30) with a few flyby cranes and lots of juncos (mostly Gray-headed with some Oregon). The butterflying was quite good and there were a few Variegated Meadowhawks flying around (although they didn’t cooperate very much for the camera). I ended up with 8 species of butterflies here: Cabbage White, Clouded Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Ceraunus Blue, Western Pygmy-Blue, Common Buckeye, Monarch, and Common/White Checkered-Skipper.

Variegated Meadowhawk

Ceraunus Blues (male dorsal, male ventral, female ventral)

We then joined the Farm Loop, where we promptly saw 3 coyotes (no pictures unfortuantely). At the various lookouts, we got more than enough views of cranes. One had a small group of Mule Deer and some photographers that told us where the best spots for the evening flight would be.

Mule Deer

Around the bend we found those fields. There were already several hundred cranes feeding. And, as we pulled over, a Prairie Falcon was circling overhead. After getting a brief look to confirm, I grabbed the camera and hopped out. It apparently had flown off in the meantime and given that everyone else pulled was staring at the cranes through a camera, I didn’t even bother asking where it went.

Cranes

We enjoyed the cranes for a while, along with Southern Dogface that was fluttering around the car, and then finished the loop. Back at the flight deck were incredible numbers of Snow Geese. I picked out a few smaller-looking birds but couldn’t say for sure any were Ross’s. On the other side, where the meadowlarks were earlier, a Cattle Egret was working.

Southern Dogface

Southern Dogface

Geese

Cattle Egret

After finishing the loop, we hit the visitor’s center and gift shop. At the feeders was a Spotted Towhee and not much else. We decided to eat lunch at the picnic tables. While carrying the cooler over, a sapsucker flew into the trees right at the doorway. Unfortunately, it disappeared by the time I put the food down and ran back.

We ate and I then wandered around the parking lot while Ethan read the paper. There wasn’t too much around, mostly White-crowned Sparrows, but I did find a single Verdin, as well as some type of Lady (butterfly) and a Common Green Darner.

Walking back to the car, I added a Sleepy Orange and got a nice shot of a grasshopper.

Sleepy Orange

Grasshopper

We worked our way around the Farm Loop again, getting ready for the evening flight. First, however, we stopped at the flight deck again, so I could get my Menotomy shirt pic.

Menotomy and Geese

We made a couple stops on the way to the fields, picking up another eagle and a definite Painted Lady, but nothing too exciting. A perched Buteo had us going for a few minutes, but unable to find any reason for it not to be a Red-tail, we kept going. At the fields, we just sat back and waited. Lots of cranes with blackbirds, crows, pipits, and mourning doves mixed in. I tried to find some Brewer’s Blackbirds in the flock but couldn’t find any I was confident about.

Eventually, the geese started coming in.

Flying Geese

Geese and Cranes

Scanning through with the scope, I found the stubby, warty bill of a Ross’s (life bird #4 on the day) but didn’t find the bird to go with it. I did eventually find another, but it took some effort.

The noise was spectacular, we were calling people and just holding up the phones. I’m not going to attempt to describe the experience in words, just will say that it’s something that everyone should do at least once in their life.

Finally, a little after 5 (probably close to 2 hours at the fields), the bugs started getting to be too much so we headed off for the night. Quite a day.

Back at the hotel, we just went to the El Camino. I got the chicken-fried steak, which was quite good. Still waiting for the soup that came with the meal though.

Ethan wanted to send a postcard to a friend, so we went to the gas station to get one. Not only did they not stock any, but the clerk and his friend didn’t seem to know what they were. We went across the street, where not only did they have some, but they gave us detailed directions to the post office and probably would have given us a stamp if they had one.

Daily totals: 59 species (including 4 life and 30 for New Mexico, along with Goldfinch sp, and Sapsucker sp). Also 11 butterflies (5 new) and 2 dragonflies (1 new)

New Mexico Day 1 (Wednesday, 11/6) – Getting to Socorro

Today I flew out of Hartford with my uncle Ethan. Up at 5:15, grabbed breakfast in the hotel lobby, caught the shuttle at 6. Absolutely pouring out, but we were picked up and dropped off under cover, so no getting wet for us. Picked up the first birds of the trip, European Starlings, in the light towers.

Easy flight to Minneapolis, although we circled several times after being told we’ll be landing shortly. This was the only flight of the trip that wasn’t close to full. A little over an hour at the airport between flights, although I couldn’t find any pigeons or anything walking around the terminal.

Another easy flight to Albuquerque and we were in a little after 1PM. Something goofy with the baggage claim though, as it took almost 45 minutes to get our bags. I don’t expect that anywhere but Logan. The small hole in mine was now a big hole, but nothing appeared to have fallen out. Quick taxi ride and we were at Ethan’s house.

Our plan was to grab lunch, hit a supermarket, and then head down to Socorro. We were on the way, stopping at Rudy’s for lunch and buying extra meat for tomorrow as well. Not too bad, although I don’t care for barbecue too much.

The first major problem was that the brakes in Ethan’s jeep sounded horrible. While at Rudy’s, he called one of the car rental places and they said they’ll call right back to let us know if they have something available. We stopped at the supermarket, grabbed rolls, soda, vegetables, and stuff, and still hadn’t heard. Ethan drove down Lomas and pulled into the first car rental place we found, an Enterprise. A few minutes later, we had a fairly crappy but new and running Chevy Cobalt. We did find some amusement in the place, however. The business cards at Enterprise were quite funny. One for the Accounts Manager, Branch Manager, Assistant Manager, Manager-in-Training, and Intern. Not much of a middle ground there.

I drove the car back to Ethan’s, where we quickly shuffled some of the luggage around, and then headed for Socorro. Got the first decent bird of the trip flying down Ethan’s street, a Cooper’s Hawk (we had lots of House Sparrows, American Crows, Rock Pigeons, and Starlings first).

Getting to the highway, we added Great-tailed and Common Grackles. There was a bit of traffic, and we were amused by the Highway Safety car that we kept passing, with the driver on the phone for the entire hour she was in sight. Ethan got the car up to 90 without realizing it, so we made fairly good time.

Even though it was getting dark, we decided to see if we could make it to the Bosque (we did get a glimpse of a few cranes on the way down). We drove straight down and didn’t quite get there. It was a bit too dark to see anything, but when we stopped to turn around, we rolled down the windows and could hear large numbers of birds.

We went back to Socorro and checked into our hotel (the San Miguel Inn). Not a bad room, it had a minifridge and a microwave. The fridge was nice, since we were able to put our food and water in and didn’t need to keep running out for ice.

Not wanting to get back in the car, we walked down the main street to find a place to eat. We considered the El Camino Family Restaurant across the street, but ended up at what we thought was the Roadrunner Steakhouse. It turned out to have a different name (I have no idea what it was), but we sat down anyway. First we had to answer a question neither of us had heard in years: Smoking or nonsmoking?

The food was pretty good (I had steak fajitas and Ethan had a ribeye), but the service was interesting. They were going for fancy, but weren’t quite capable of that. Every single thing they brought out was on a cart (which kept bumping into me) and the waitress was a bit off (staring at me as she took Ethan’s order). A little pricey, but nothing wrong with it either.

We got back to the hotel and crashed pretty quickly.

Totals for the day: 12 species, 2 State birds

Merlin at Hardy Pond

Posted to ArlingtonBirds:

I stopped by Hardy Pond for my lunch break today to scout out a bit for the CBC. It’s almost entirely open still (apparently the only
partially frozen spot is the sliver visible from my house). Started
with 2 Great Blue Herons. Lots of mergansers still around (about 10
Common and 20 Hooded). Didn’t notice any other ducks (beyond
mallards), although there have been Ruddies, Ring-necks, and Wigeon
around the last week or so. There were two coots and at least 5
swans fairly close (2 of which were up on land, heading straight for
one of the houses) and lots of gulls on the rocks in the far corner.

I walked away from the scope to check the close corners and
immediately noticed something splashing away at the edge of the boat
ramp. It was fairly dark and Green Heron popped into my head, but I
quickly realized it was a falcon. I grabbed the scope and was able
to confirm it as a Merlin and then watched it splash around. I was
able to watch for a few minutes (no idea how long it had been there
before I noticed it) and got to see it dunk its head and wings and
turn around several times. The most interesting part was that there
were 4-5 mallards right there. They were paying attention, but in a
curious way. One female swam to within a couple feet of the bird. I
wish I had a good camera with me, but I did manage to get my
cameraphone up to the scope. I’ve yet to get an acceptable picture
out of that, but this one may have worked. I’ll see tonight and with
any luck will have something to show.

The Merlin eventually took off directly from the water, made a very
short circle over the water, and then headed off over the baseball
fields. I had to take off, but that was a very good lunch break.


And the cameraphone did work somewhat:
Merlin