New Mexico

Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow - by Marcel Such

Bottomless Lakes State Park, New Mexico

We drove from Fort Stockton, Texas to Las Vegas, New Mexico today.  We stopped in Roswell, NM, best known for its obsession with unidentified flying objects.  Nearby were two sites of interest to us … Bottomless Lakes State Park where we get out and stretch our legs with a good brisk hike.  This place is known for its small lakes, which are actually water filled sinkholes (17 to 90 feet deep).  There were lots of White-crowned Sparrows flitting about and some waterfowl on some of the larger lakes.  Our highlight bird was a Clark’s Grebe on Lea Lake.

We also stopped in at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge.  The birding was pretty slow here, but we met the manager of Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge who was here visiting for the day.  He told us that they still had thousands of Snow and Ross’s Geese at his reserve and that we’d likely be there all by ourselves to watch them fly away in the morning!

Last Day on the Rio Grande

Dawn on the Rio Grande - by Renee Haip

We were down at the river by Salineno by daybreak hoping to see Red-billed Pigeons, which are only seen as far north as the Rio Grande.  There were two other birders already waiting and as the mist burned off and the sun came up more people showed up!  At around 7:30 AM, the birds showed up on a towering snag on an island upstream.  They were there for about 10 minutes before they disappeared from view.

Anticipating the Red-billed Pigeons - by David Such

We again visited the feeders at Salineno and saw our first Bronzed Cowbird amongst the numerous Red-winged Blackbirds.  It was easiest to find by scanning through the flock in search of a ruby-eyed bird!  The keeper here said that the birds have dropped off a lot in the past few weeks, but that there was at least one representative of each of the normal species found here.  Only one Hooded Oriole was making an appearance anymore and he was only showing up 2-3 times per day.  Our time for this trip is running out and so we moved on without waiting for him.  As we headed out and drove through the small town, Marcel noted an oriole in a tree and on quick inspection called out …. Hooded Oriole!  It was in a tree out in front of a house and we all got a great look at this stunning bird!

Great Kiskadee (with a Red-winged Blackbird) - by Marcel Such

Olive Sparrow - by Marcel Such

Bronzed Cowbird with some Red-winged Blackbirds - by Joel Such

Head Detail of Bronzed Cowbird (note red eye)

White-winged Dove - by Joel Such

 Hooded Oriole - by Marcel Such

Upstream at Falcon Dam State Park presented a whole suite of new birds.  It was past prime birding time, as the quail species had already taken cover for the late morning.  We did see a lot of Greater Roadrunners, Pyrrhuloxia, a few Cactus Wrens,  Curve-billed Thrashers, and Chihuahuan Ravens. 

Pyrrhuloxia - by Joel Such

Cactus Wren - by Joel Such

As we drive north in a serious attempt to put miles behind us, we continued to see some Crested Caracaras and Harris’s Hawks.  By dark we were off the Rio Grande Valley in Fort Stockton, TX.

Moving up river...

We got up at 5 AM this morning to walk out and head over to Anzalduas County Park for a morning raptor watch.  On our way out we passed a couple of the harder core owlers hoping to hear their first Elf Owl of the year.  By the time we got to the parking lot, the Gambill’s (a couple of birders in their eighties) were getting ready to do their almost daily morning walk into the park.  They informed us that the park we were headed for doesn’t open until 8:30 AM!  We stood there all bleary eyed wondering what to do!  Marcel and Dad stayed at the car for a while and had some breakfast.  Joel and Mom went walking to listen for owls and eventually met up with the Gambill’s, who kindly let them tag along.  They heard the Eastern Screech again, and got some nice lessons on some of the other birds calling including a nesting pair of Gray Hawks!  By the time they got back to camp, tents and gear were almost all packed up.

Javelina - by Joel Such

Great Kiskadee - by Joel Such

At Anzalduas, the Gambel’s had told us that a Hook-billed Kite comes across the river from Mexico at 9:45 AM!  At 9:40 AM, five minutes early, there it was!

We spent the afternoon canoeing on the Rio Grande up river from Roma with a World Birding Center trip.  Highlights were Gray Hawk, Green Kingfisher, Ringed Kingfisher, and Muscovy Duck!  After taking out, we all spent a bit of time enjoying the feeders at Salineno before heading back to Roma where we spent the night.

Birdwatching on the Rio Grande - by David Such

Bentsen-Rio Grande, Santa Ana, McAllen

Clay-colored Robin - by Joel Such

We awoke today to the sound of a Ferrugious Pygmy Owl!  Shortly after, a group of Chachalaca began their chattering chorus.  When the sky began to lighten, there was a whole symphony of different birds …. Northern Cardinal, Green Jay, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great-tailed Grackle, Northern Mockingbird, etc.!  We spent the morning hiking and birding around the park.  Down on the Rio Grande, we spotted a gorgeous Ringed Kingfisher on the Mexican shore, which eventually launched off and flew straight up the middle of the river and disappeared.  At the Kiskadee Blind we saw a Indigo Bunting, Green Jays, and the other typical feeder birds for this area.  On our way out of the park for the afternoon, we stopped at the gate to watch for Clay-colored Robins, and we weren't disappointed!

Green Jay - by Joel Such

Orange-crowned Warbler - by Renee Haip

Mexican Bluewing - by Renee Haip

We spent the afternoon at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge.  We walked different trails, saw a very large Texas Indigo Snake (longest snake in the US) and Texas Spiny-backed Lizards, and enjoyed the Spanish Moss covered trees!  Along the Rio Grande about 30 Turkey Vultures were roosting in trees on the opposite shore.  Periodically, they would rise up, circle, and settle in again.

Spanish Moss at Santa Ana - by Renee Haip

On our way back to Bentsen-Rio Grande, we looked for Green Parakeets (life bird #400 for Marcel) in McAllen.  We got pretty turned around, but eventually found them staging as the light began to dim.  There were hundreds of them on the power lines and even more of them arriving.  There calling was deafening!  We also noticed a few Red-Crowned Parrots flying over.

Green Parakeets - by Joel Such

More State Park Adventures

Curve-billed Thrasher at Estero Llano Grande - by Joel Such

We’re back at Estero Llano Grande for our morning birdwalk with Huck.  We did see the Rose-throated Becard today, as well as a Tropical Parula, and some other more typical birds.

Mid-day we birded Frontera Audubon Sanctuary where we spent most of our time waiting for a Crimson-collared Grosbeak to make her appearance.  It was very hot and humid and hunger finally drove us onward without seeing this rare bird.

Black-throated Green Warbler - by Joel Such

Black-crested Titmouse - by Joel Such

By evening, we have our tents set up in Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.  The only way into this primitive campsite is by foot or by a tram that can drop you in the general vicinity.  As it was getting dark, we joined a guided nighttime wildlife watch.  The trip began right outside our campground where the group was looking at an Eastern Screech Owl in a snag.  Since this trip is booked up for a good month in advance and the van was full, we were invited to hurry along with another family by foot.  At their next stop, they actually couldn’t get the van door open, and the “older” people inside had to climb out over the back and front seats to get out.  Carol Navarro, the park ranger, ended up going back to headquarters to exchange the van for a tram.  This was a turn of good luck for us and for the other family, because now there was room for all of us!

Jim, our other guide, stayed with us and pointed out a distant Great Horned Owl.  When Carol got back with the tram, we all loaded up and continued on.  We used a “bat box” which picked up bat radar.  When we heard a bat flying over, a light was shined up and we’d catch a glimpse of a Mexican Free-tailed Bat flying by.  Walking down the dark roads, a flashlight beam would catch the orange eyeshine of Common Pauraques.  Down near a resaca, we heard the sound of amphibians and one of the sounds was new to the park folks.  They were thinking that maybe the native Cane Toad had made its way here.  In a grassy area, Carol showed us how to find spiders by putting a light up next to our eye.  The light reflects off the eight eyes of the spiders.  Indeed that works and the grass lit up!  It looked like someone had tossed a handful of small diamonds out in front of us.  If you follow the sparkle to its source, there you’d find a spider!  With a black light bulb in a small flashlight, scorpions showed up as glow in the dark figures in crevasses.  Joel found a leafcutter ant trail and we watched the ants as they stripped the leaves off a tree and carried them off down a trail and down into the ground to their underground farm.  Carol told us that they compost these leaves to make fungus.  They actually eat the fungus, not the leaves.  People often mistake these leafcutters for fire ants and unfortunately destroy them.  After 3 ½ or so hours of this fun, we went back to camp, crawled into our tents, and fell asleep to the sounds of crickets, the Eastern Screech Owl, and Common Paraque.