AUDUBON THURSDAY BIRDERS SCHEDULE Winter 2019-2020

[Rosyfinch]

DECEMBER 5
Walk in the Calabacillas Arroyo area with Sarah and Tom
Peterson: 505-228-8091, [e-mail].
The group will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the parking lot on
the west side of the Rio Grande. The area is reached by
driving north on Coors, past Paseo Del Norte and Irving
Boulevard, then turning east on Westside Drive, the first
right 0.28 miles north of Irving Boulevard. Follow Westside
Drive about 0.2 mile to an open gate on the left. Go
through the gate and down the arroyo to the parking area.
If driving south on Coors from Corrales or Alameda, get
in the left lane and turn onto Westside Drive. The walk will
end before noon.

DECEMBER 12: 
Bird Walk and Holiday Potluck
Walk in Poblanos Fields Open Space with Linda
Otterson: 505-280-3123, lotterson300@comcast.
net. Meet at 9:30 a.m. in the open space parking
lot. To reach the parking lot turn north from
Montano Boulevard onto Tierra Viva Place, east
of the Rio Grande. It will be an easy one-mile
walk ending at 11:00 a.m. From there the group
will drive to the First Unitarian Church at 3701
Carlisle NE (the southwest corner of Carlisle
and Comanche NE) for the holiday pot luck in
the church’s Memorial Hall. The parking lot is on
Comanche. Rebecca Gracey will be hosting the
event, 505-362-5095, maryrebeccagracey@gmail.
com. Please bring your favorite holiday foods,
and Rebecca will furnish the drinks (sparkling fruit juices,
sparkling water, beer, wine and iced tea). The lunch should
be over by 2:30 p.m.

DECEMBER 19
Visit Pueblo Montano Open Space for a walk along the
bosque with Pauline and Bernie Morris: 505-369-1227,
[e-mail]. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the parking
lot on the south side of Montano and one block east of
Coors. It can be accessed from either street. The parking
lot is small, so some people may find it necessary to park
in the nearby shopping center on the south. This will be a
two-mile walk ending before noon.

DECEMBER 26
Participate in the Sandia Mountain Christmas Bird Count
in Bear Canyon, led by Joe Schelling: 505-205-7820,
[e-mail]. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Michial
M. Emery Bear Canyon Trailhead parking lot east of
Tramway on Spain. Spain is north of Montgomery and
south of Paseo del Norte. At the east end of Spain, turn
right on High Desert Place a short distance to the parking
lot. Participants will walk a two-mile loop and should be
through with the count by 11:30 a.m.
Join other participants in the Sandia Mountain Christmas
Bird Count at O’Niell’s Pub for the after-count compilation
dinner from 5:30-7:00 p.m. The pub is located at 3301 Juan
Tabo Boulevard between Comanche and Candelaria NE.

JANUARY 2
Walk in the Alameda Open Space
in the North Valley with Leah
Henzler: 505-280-2085, lfcairns@
gmail.com. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in
the open space parking lot on the
south side of Alameda Boulevard,
just east of the Rio Grande. The
one-mile walk will end before
noon.

JANUARY 9
Drive to see raptors on the eastern plains of Torrance
County with Bonnie Long: 505-379-1985, cantrade_1@
yahoo.com. Meet at 8:20 a.m. for an 8:30 a.m. departure
from the Tijeras Senior Center on NM 333/Route 66. To
reach the parking area, turn north on Tijeras Avenue, just
west of the Tijeras Library. A secondary meeting place is
the Pilot Travel Center on north NM 41 after the second
Moriarty exit from I-40. Meet there at 9:00 a.m. The group
will drive south of Moriarty on NM 41 and then east and
west on Clements Road to look for raptors. Lunch will be
at Chili Hills, on the far west side of Moriarty, just east of
the Motel 6. The group should be back in Tijeras by 3:00
p.m. For those not driving the shared gas expense is $5 at
five cents per mile.

JANUARY 16
Hike the Copper Trailhead Open Space at the east end
of Copper Avenue NE, east of Tramway Boulevard, in the
foothills of the Sandia Mountains with Barbara Hussey:
505-385-1165, [e-mail]. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the
small parking area. There is also parking along Copper. The
one-mile walk winds uphill and downhill on disintegrating
granite, so a walking stick might be helpful. The walk will
end before noon.

JANUARY 23
Visit the Belen Marsh and Whitfield Wildlife
Conservation Area with Rebecca Gracey: 505-362-5095,
[e-mail]. Meet at 8:50 a.m. for
a 9:00 a.m. departure from the parking lot behind the
Hawthorn Suites on Gibson and University Boulevard SE
or 9:30 at the Belen Marsh. To reach the marsh, take the
first Belen exit from I-25, Exit 195. Then drive east one
mile, turning south at the Taco Bell and parking in that
parking lot. After birding at the marsh, the group will visit
WWCA on NM 47 on the east side of the Rio Grande.
The walk will be 1.5 miles in length. For those not driving
the shared gas expense is $4 at five cents per mile. The
group should be back in Albuquerque by 1:00 p.m.

JANUARY 30
Tour the Bernardo Waterfowl Management Area, part of
the Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex, with Ken Zaslow:
512-576-5309, [e-mail]. Meet at 8:20 a.m.
for an 8:30 a.m. departure from the parking lot behind the
Hawthorn Suites located on the north side of Gibson and
west side of University Boulevard SE. If you are not going
to this meet-up location, please call Ken to let him know
that you will meet the group at Bernardo. Bring lunch. For
those not driving, the shared gas expense is $5 at five cents
per mile. The group should be back in Albuquerque by 3:00
p.m.
Directions: Drive south on I-25 about 51 miles to exit
175 Bernardo-Mountainair (US 60E). Proceed east for
a short distance and then turn north on NM 116 at the
intersection just east of the I-25 overpass. Follow NM 116
north for 1.7 miles to the wildlife area entrance on the
right where the group will meet. Carpooling is encouraged.

FEBRUARY 6
Visit the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge with
Judy Liddell: 505-220-7998, [e-mail]. Meet at 7:50
a.m. for an 8:00 a.m. departure from the parking lot behind
the Hawthorn Suites on University Boulevard and Gibson
SE. A secondary meeting place will be the McDonald’s in
Socorro at 9:15 a.m. for a quick rest stop and just enough
time to get food to go. Please tell Judy by February 5 if
you plan to meet the group in Socorro. The group will
depart for the Bosque del Apache at 9:30. Bring lunch. A $5
entrance fee or federal pass is required per car. The group
should be back in Albuquerque by 5:00 p.m. For those not
driving the shared gas expense is $10 at five cents per mile.

FEBRUARY 13
Gather in the El Oso Grande Park and walk the Bear
Canyon Recreation Trail with Glenda and Jim Morling:
269-420-8322, [e-mail]. Meet at 9:00
a.m. in the parking area just north of the CNM parking
lot off Morris, east of Eubank and north of Montgomery
Boulevard NE. The one-mile walk will end before noon.

FEBRUARY 20
Walk in the Willow Creek Bosque in the Rio Rancho
Bosque Open Space with Ginny Davis: 719-229-4432,
[e-mail]. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the open
space parking lot. For people not driving from the west
side of the river, go north on I-25 and take the exit to
Bernalillo/US 550. Drive west on 550 to the traffic light at
NM 528. Turn south on 528 for 1.8 miles. Turn east at the
traffic light on Willow Creek Road. Drive three blocks past
Spruce Mountain Loop, turning left on the unpaved road
down the arroyo to the parking lot. The one-mile walk will
end before noon.

FEBRUARY 27
Walk around the Tingley bosque ponds with Sara Jayne
Cole: 505-503-5599, [e-mail]. Meet at 9:00
a.m. at the north end of the Tingley Beach parking lot. To
reach the area, drive west on Central Avenue past Rio
Grande Boulevard, then turn left on Tingley Drive. Take the
first right from Tingley Drive, and then turn right again to
the dirt overflow parking lot. This leaves the few parking
spots by the concession stand for people who want to
fish. The walk will be about one mile in length and will end
before noon.

For more information about  other CNMAS field trips, visit

Burrowing Owl Newsletter