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Administrator
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Hi, Ken and Mary Lou,
My wife and I are thinking about making a pilgrimage to the Sandia Crest this winter to see the rosy-finches. I was just perusing the website when I came across your names with a suggestion to contact you about the best times to visit and how we would prepare, especially coming from sea level in Florida to ascend such great heights.
If you could reply with a few recommendations, I would be most appreciative.
With many thanks,
S--
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Hi, S--
You probably have read my page on health and safety precautions and advice to spend at least one night in Albuquerque before going up to the Crest unless for a brief visit without a lot of walking. Dress in layers for the cold and stay hydrated, especially if you plan to do any hiking. See: http://rosyfinch.com/sandia.html#DIRECTIONS_TO_SANDIA_CREST
"Do not confuse the base of the Sandia Peak Ski Area, at the 7 mile mark, with Sandia Crest, at 13.5 miles, the very top. There are no Rosy-Finch feeders at the Ski Area! The Tram from Albuquerque goes to the Peak, which is a mile south of the Crest. The 1.5 mile trail connecting the Peak and Crest should not be attempted by casual hikers, especially in winter."
I like to allow for the possibility of bad weather, so I give myself a couple of extra days when I visit. Of course there is good birding all around Albuquerque and down to Bosque del Apache. Weather at the top can be unpredictable, much colder and at times much worse than down in the city.
January and February are the best months for seeing the rosy-finches, usually all three species. Last season the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches were never captured by the banding team, and, although several observers reported seeing the species, no one has provided photographic evidence that they ever came in. Usually we see both the interior and Hepburn's subspecies, the latter in smaller numbers.
If you plan any birding the area, be sure to purchase Judy Liddell's book, "Birding Hotspots of Central New Mexico." It gives very explicit directions to where and when to find the great variety of birds in the area. Of course, follow the New Mexico RBA for current sightings and the Central New Mexico Audubon website and newsletter for current birding trips, including the weekly Thursday Birder excursions.
Be sure to register your sightings in the log at Sandia Crest House, and please get back to me if you have any further questions, and have a great trip!
Ken
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