Audubon Thursday Birders Schedule Winter 2016—2017

[Rosyfinch]

Audubon Thursday Birders Schedule
Winter 2016—2017

DECEMBER 1
Hike down Bear Canyon with Rebecca Gracey: 505-242-3821, [e-mail] , followed by a holiday potluck lunch at the home of Liz and Larry Kuo.
Meet at 10:00 a.m. in the Michael Emery Trailhead parking lot east of Tramway on Spain. (Spain is north of Montgomery and south of Paseo del Norte.) Follow Spain until it ends at High Desert Place. Turn right for a short distance to the parking lot. The group will walk a mile and then go to the Kuo’s nearby home for lunch. Soup and coffee will be provided. Everyone else should bring other dishes and beverages to share with the group. Directions to the Kuo’s home will be handed out at the hike. If not attending the walk, contact Rebecca for directions.

DECEMBER 8
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 that is located on the south side of Montano and one block east of Coors. It can be accessed from either street. This will be a two-mile walk ending before noon.

DECEMBER 15
Walk around the Tingley bosque ponds with Linda Otterson: 505-280-3123, [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 at the stop sign, turn right 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. The group will go to the Barelas Coffee
House at 1502 4th St. SW for lunch.

DECEMBER 22
Walk in the Open Space Visitor Center and nearby bosque with Sara Jayne Cole: 505-503-5599, [e-mail]
Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the center’s parking lot on the east side of Coors Boulevard. The entrance road, Bosque Meadows Road, is located north of Montano Road and south of Paseo del Norte. It will be a one-mile walk ending before noon.

DECEMBER 29
Walk in the Durand Open Space in the South Valley with Maurice Mackey: 505-897-0415, [e-mail]
Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the open space parking lot at 4812 Isleta SW. To reach the open space, drive south on I-25 and exit on Rio Bravo. Drive west on Rio Bravo and turn south onto Isleta Boulevard. Drive two miles to the property on the east. The walk will be about one mile in length. The group will go to lunch at Abuelita’s New Mexican Kitchen at 6083 Isleta SW.

JANUARY 5
Hike around the Sandia Ranger Station and Otero Canyon with Lannois Neely: 505-890-7881, [e-mail]
Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the parking lot of the Sandia Ranger Station on NM 337 in Tijeras. The group will carpool from there to the canyon, 3.5 miles south on NM 337. The one-mile walk will end before noon. The trails in both locations are uneven so a walking stick might be helpful.

JANUARY 12
Drive to see raptors on the eastern plains of Torrance County with Bonnie Long: 505-379-1985, [e-mail]
Meet at 7:50 a.m. for an 8:00 departure from the parking lot on the west side of the Tijeras Senior Center on NM 333/ Rt. 66. To reach the parking area, turn north on Tijeras Avenue, just west of the Tijeras Library. The group will drive south of Moriarty and Estancia to look for raptors. Lunch will be at the Old Mill in Estancia. The group should be back in Tijeras in the late afternoon. For those not driving the shared gas expense is $5 at five cents per mile

SATURDAY JANUARY 14
Also a Central New Mexico Audubon Weekend  Field Trip to Sandia Crest
Meet Lefty Arnold < [e-mail]  > in the north parking lot of the Sprouts at Tramway and Central for a 7:30 a.m. departure. Our main goal will be to search for all three species of Rosy-finch in the comfort of the Crest House Cafe. We will then head out onto the trails looking for other specialties such as Red Crossbill, American Three-Toed Woodpecker, Cassin’s Finch, and Pine Grosbeak. The trip will conclude by 1 p.m.  Lunch can be bought in the Crest House, but if people choose not to buy food, please respect their “no outside food” policy. Questions? Please email or call me at 505-514-9398.

JANUARY 19
Drive to Sandia Crest to look for the Rosy-Finches with Barbara Hussey: 505-385-1165, [e-mail]
Meet at 9:50 a.m. for a 10:00 departure from the west side of the Four Hills Shopping Village located on Central Avenue between Tramway and Juan Tabo. Snacks or lunch may be bought at the Crest House restaurant as the group waits inside for the Rosy-Finches to arrive at the feeders. A $3
parking fee or federal pass is required per car. For those not driving the shared gas expense is $3 at five cents per mile. The trip should end in the early afternoon.

JANUARY 26
Walk in the Alameda Open Space in the North Valley with Gale Owings: 505-255-8333. 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 River. The one-mile walk will end before noon.

FEBRUARY 2
Visit the Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Belen with Linda Heinze: 505-565-1441, [e-mail]
Meet at 8:50 a.m. for a 9:00 departure from the parking lot behind the Hawthorne Suites on Gibson and University Boulevard or 9:45 at WWCA on NM 47. The walk will be about 1.5 miles in length. Lunch will be at Rutilio’s Restaurant, 2350 Main St. NE, in Los Lunas near the intersection of NM 47 and NM 6/Main. For those not driving the shared gas expense is $4 at fivecents per mile.

FEBRUARY 9
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 departure from the parking lot behind the Hawthorne Suites on University Boulevard and Gibson. A secondary meeting place will be McDonald’s in Socorro at 9:15 for a quick rest stop and just enough time to get food to go. Please tell Judy 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 in the late afternoon. For those not driving the shared gas expense is $10 at five cents per mile.

FEBRUARY 16
Walk around the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park with Leah Henzler: 505-280-2085, [e-mail]
Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Candelaria wetland blind in the northeast corner of the Nature Center parking lot. A $3 parking fee, State Parks Pass, or Friends of the RGNC pass is required per car. The visitor center opens at 10:00. After that time one may use the restrooms and or purchase either
parking pass. The walk will be about one mile in length followed by lunch at Village Pizza located at 3851 Rio Grande NW, at the corner of Rio Grande Boulevard and Griegos.  

FEBRUARY 23
Walk in the Willow Creek Bosque in the Rio Rancho Bosque Open Space with Becky Purvis: 505-688-1998, [e-mail].  
Meet at 9:00 in the open space parking lot. For people not living on 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 to the entrance just past Spruce Mountain Loop on an unpaved road that follows an arroyo to the parking lot. The one-mile walk will end before noon.