THURSDAY BIRDERS & CNMAS TRIP SCHEDULES - Summer 2015

[Rosyfinch]

 AUDUBON THURSDAY BIRDERS SCHEDULE     For Summer 2015

TO CHECK FOR POSSIBLE TRIP CANCELLATIONS go to the Audubon web site: http://www.newmexicoaudubon.org/cnmas.

 Click on TRIPS, then go to THURSDAY BIRDERS.

 JUNE 4

 Visit the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center in Cedar Crest, NM, with Melissa Howard: 505-453-6444, [e-mail]. Meet at 7:50 a.m. for an 8:00 departure from the far west side of the Four Hills Shopping Village on Central Avenue between Juan Tabo and Tramway Boulevard or 8:30 at the SMNH Center located in Cedar Crest, 2.6 miles from the I-40 exit, on Columbine Road. The center consists of 128 acres bordering the Cibola National Forest. It is owned by APS  and operated by the Museum of Natural History.  The walk will be 0.5 miles uphill and return downhill and will end before noon. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $1 at five cents per mile.

JUNE 11

Visit the Feltz family’s Jemez Mountain cabin near La Cueva with Lou Feltz: 505-856-1322, [e-mail]. The elevation is 8,600’ in case anyone has respiratory problems and one may view birds from the back deck if walking a mile is difficult. Meet at 6:50 a.m. for a 7:00 departure from the Far North Shopping Center located on the east side of San Mateo and the north side of Academy Boulevard. Meet in the center of the large parking lot. Bring lunch. The trip will end in the early afternoon. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $7 at five cents per mile.

JUNE 18

Walk in Tunnel Canyon south of Tijeras with Lannois Neely: 505-890-7881, [e-mail]. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Sandia Ranger Station on NM 337 to carpool 2.2 miles south to the canyon. (Tunnel Canyon is north of Otero Canyon.) Nesting Black-chinned Sparrows have been seen there in the past. Participants are encouraged to bring their spotting scopes. The group will walk one mile and the trip will end before noon.  

 JUNE 25

Explore spots along Hyde Park Road (NM 475) in the Santa Fe National Forest with Judy Liddell: 505-220-7998 Cell, [e-mail]. Meet at 7:20 a.m. for a 7:30 departure from the center of the parking lot at the Far North Shopping Center located north of Academy and east of San Mateo. There will be an alternative meeting spot in Santa Fe. Please contact Judy no later than June 23 if you wish to meet the group there so she may give you a time and location. Hyde Park Road is designated as the Santa Fe National Forest Scenic Byway and passes through four different life zones. Bring lunch and drinking water. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $6 at five cents per mile. The group will return to Albuquerque in the mid-afternoon.

JULY 2

Tour the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge south of Socorro, NM, with Rebecca Gracey: 505-242-3821, [e-mail]. Meet at 6:50 a.m. for a 7:00 departure from the parking lot behind the Hawthorne Suites on Gibson SE and University Boulevard. Bring lunch. A $5 entrance fee or Federal Pass is required per car. The trip should end in the late afternoon. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $10 at five cents per mile.
   

JULY 9

Hike Juan Tomas Open Space in the Manzano Mountains with Maurice Mackey: 505-897-0415 Home, 505-220-9003 Cell, [e-mail]. Meet at 7:50 a.m. for an 8:00 departure from the far west side of the Four Hills Shopping Village on Central Avenue between Juan Tabo and Tramway Boulevard. To reach the Open Space, exit I-40 at Tijeras and take NM 337 south. Drive south 9 miles to Oak Flats Road. Turn left and drive 2.5 miles to the Open Space sign and gate on the left side of the road. Park there. The group will walk along the Ponderosa Trail that is easy to moderate in difficulty. Bring lunch. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $1.25 at five cents per mile. The walk will end before noon.

JULY 16

Ojito de San Antonio Open Space in Cedar Crest with Rebecca Gracey:505-242-3821, [e-mail]. Meet at 8:20 a.m. for an 8:30 departure from the far west side of the Four Hills Shopping Village located on Central Avenue between Juan Tabo and Tramway. The Open Space is located behind the San Antonio de Padua Church. Take the Tijeras/Cedar Crest Exit from I-40, drive toward Cedar Crest and go one mile north on NM 14 after driving under I-40. For those not driving the shared gas expense is $1 at five cents per mile. The walk will end around 11:00, and then the group will have lunch at The Lazy Lizard, 4.8 miles north of Ojito on NM 14 by the Shell gas station.  

JULY 23

Visit the Simms Ranch and Bonnie Long’s house in the Manzano Mountains for hummingbirds, bluebirds, and a potluck meal with Bonnie Long: 505-379-1985, [e-mail]. Meet at 8:50 a.m. for a 9:00 departure from the far west side of the Four Hills Shopping Village on Central Avenue between Juan Tabo and Tramway or 9:50 at the entrance to the Simms Ranch on NM 337, six miles south of Chilili where Bonnie will meet people near her parked vehicle.

Since this event has grown in size to over 35 people, at least six people are asked to bring a main dishes such as lasagna, enchiladas, macaroni and cheese, meat or vegetable casserole, baked beans or sliced meat.  Please contact Bonnie if you can provide one of these main dishes. Other attendees should bring beverages and side dishes that would serve 8 – 10 people. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $3.50 at five cents per mile.

JULY 30

Visit Capulin Springs in the Sandia Mountains with Lefty Arnold: 505-514-9398, [e-mail]. Meet at 8:17 a.m. for an 8:27 departure from the far west side of the Four Hills Shopping Village located on Central Avenue between Juan Tabo and Tramway. Capulin Springs is located on NM 536, one mile beyond the Sandia Peak Ski Area. People may want to bring something to sit on as they wait for birds to arrive at the water source. A $3 parking fee or Federal Pass is required per car. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $2.50 at five cents per mile. The trip will end before noon.

AUGUST 6

Visit Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge with Becky Purvis: 505-877-2517, [e-mail]. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the refuge entrance on 2nd Street, by the refuge sign. To reach the refuge, drive south on I-25 and take the Rio Bravo Exit. Drive west on Rio Bravo to 2nd Street. Turn south on 2nd and drive 3.2 miles. The parking area is inside the fence on the refuge. The trip will end before noon.

AUGUST 13

 Visit Cienega Canyon in the Sandias with Gale Owings: 505-255-8333.

 Meet at 7:50 a.m. for an 8:00 departure from the west side of the Four Hills Shopping Village on Central Avenue between Juan Tabo and Tramway Boulevard. The group will park in the lower parking lot in Cienega Canyon and walk up the road to the spring at the upper parking lot and back for a total of 1 mile.  A $3 parking fee or Federal pass is required per car. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $1.50 at five cents per mile. The trip will end before noon.

 AUGUST 20

Walk in the Corrales bosque and view the Mississippi Kites in Corrales with Joe Schelling: 505-797-9018, [e-mail]. Meet at 7:50 a.m. for an 8:00 departure from the shopping area north of Alameda Road/NM 528 and east of NM 448/Coors/Corrales Road, near the Little Anita’s Restaurant. Participants should park away from the businesses. The group will carpool from there. All are invited to have lunch afterwards at Village Pizza in Corrales.

 AUGUST 27

Walk around the Rio Grand Nature Center State Park with Leah Henzler: 505-280-2085, [e-mail]. The park is located at the west end of Candelaria Boulevard NW. Meet at 8:00 a.m. by the parking lot blind. There is a $3 parking fee if one does not have a State Parks Pass or Friends of the RGNC Pass. Both passes may be purchased inside the Visitor Center after 10:00 a.m. The one-mile walk will end before noon.

OTHER BIRDING OPPORTUNITIES;

Central New Mexico Audubon Society has occasional weekend field trips. See CNMAS Schedule below. For information about these trips go to http://www.newmexicoaudubon.org/cnmas.

 From May through mid October there are Tuesday morning bird walks in the Sandia Mountains sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service. Meet at the Sandia Ranger Station at 8:00 a.m. by taking Exit 175 from I-40 and driving south one half mile on NM 337 to the ranger station on the left.

Saturday and Sunday morning bird walks starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park located at the far west end of Candelaria NW.  A parking fee of $3, State Parks pass, or Friends of the RGNC pass is required.
 
SOUTHWEST WINGS BIRDING & NATURE FESTIVAL: July 29 – August 1, in Sierra Vista, AZ. For more information go to http://www.swwings.org.

 THURSDAY BIRDER TRIP REPORTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

Judy Liddell’s Blog: http://www.wingandsong.wordpress.com

Joe Schelling’s Blog: https://joeschelling.wordpress.com and photo website: http://www.sandianet.com

 NM Rare Bird Alert: http://www.nmbirds.org

 Rare Bird Alerts for all states: http://www.birdingonthe.net

To report NM Rare Birds, contact Matt Baumann at 264-1052 or [e-mail]
 
 Wildlife Rescue for injured birds: Wildlife Rescue at the Rio Grande Nature Center, 344-2500.

To find where reported bird species have been sighted, go to http://www.ebird.com

Click on ‘Explore Data’, then choose one of the available options such as ‘Explore Hotspots”, “Species Maps’, or ‘Bar Charts’.


CNMAS Trips
 
CNMAS Trips occur roughly once a month on the weekends. Notice that some trips are overnight events.

Be sure and contact leaders before you attend!

SATURDAY MARCH 28 – PENA BLANCA AND COCHITI LAKE
 
Join Judy Liddell [e-mail], 271-0912 and Barbara Hussey to explore the back roads of Pena Blanca, the Osprey platform along NM-22, and Cochiti Lake.  In the flooded fields of Pena Blanca, there may be lingering Mountain Bluebirds and Brewer’s Blackbirds, as well as migrating gulls. At the lake early spring often brings a variety of grebes, as well as a variety of migrating waterfowl.

Meet at 7:50 a.m. for an 8:00 departure from the middle of the parking lot in the Far North Shopping Center on San Mateo, just north of Academy Boulevard. If you want to meet the group west of I-25 on NM 22 to Santo Domingo and Pena Blanca, contact Judy before March 27. Bring lunch. The trip should end in the mid afternoon. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $5 at five cents per mile.

SATURDAY MAY 16

BLM’s FORT STANTON-SNOWY RIVER CAVE NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA

Join Christopher Rustay to the little-known conservation area in Lincoln County between the villages of Capitan and Lincoln.  It includes large mid-elevation grasslands and healthy riparian areas.  Common Black-Hawk is expected along with a variety of migrants, including four species of Empidonax flycatchers, at least two Vireo species and the potential for a wide variety of warblers.  

We will meet at 7am at the Smokey the Bear National Historic Park marker, 118 Smokey Bear Blvd. in Capitan, NM.  Expect to be walking primarily for about half a day, with some brush or bush-whacking involved, but the latter should be minimal.  Capitan is about 2.5 – 3 hours from Albuquerque with camping in the National Forest nearby or Valley of Fires east of Carrizozo.  Motels can be found in Carrizozo or Ruidoso.