New Mexico - Arizona - Colorado Trip ~ March 6, 2006

On Monday, March 6th, Babe Webster and I flew to Albuquerque to try and see some of the rarities that were present in New Mexico and Arizona. Our target birds included Yellow Grosbeak, Black Rosy-Finch, Streak-backed Oriole, Rufous-backed Robin, and Gunnison Sage-Grouse, which we hoped might start visiting the lek before our week was over.

As soon as we got our small rental SUV, we headed over to the backyard of 1412 Las Lomas Road in Albuquerque. After about an hour-and-a-half wait, the Yellow Grosbeak popped up out of a vine-covered tree just outside of the yard and flew in to the feeders, giving us all the nice views we wanted.

Yellow Grosbeak at 1412 Las Lomas Road, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
This bird was photographed just outside the yard. This photo shows the large gray bill, large yellow head, all-yellow underparts, white spots on the black wings, and white spots in the dark tail.

Yellow Grosbeak at 1412 Las Lomas Road, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
This bird was photographed at the feeders. This photo shows the large yellow head, large bill (which has a slightly deformed upper mandible), yellow underparts with some dark flank streaks, white spots on the black wings, and dark-streaked back.

After enjoying the bird for about an hour, we headed up to Sandia Crest to check out the Rosy-Finches. There, at the Crest House, we saw all three species, including Babe's 'life' Black Rosy-Finch.

Black Rosy-Finch at Sandia Crest, near Albuquerque, New Mexico.
This bird was photographed at the Crest House feeders. This photo shows the dark head, back, and body with light gray head patch, rose-edged wings, and fainter rosy underparts. A Brown-capped Rosy-Finch is also in the upper left of this photo.

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch at Sandia Crest, near Albuquerque, New Mexico.
This bird was photographed at the Crest House feeders. This photo shows the dark forehead, light gray head patch, rose-edged wings, and fainter rosy underparts on an overall dark brown body.

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New Mexico - Arizona - Colorado Trip ~ March 7, 2006

The next morning, we made the long drive to Phoenix, Arizona. Along the way, we made a fuel stop and spent a minute "standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona", the spot made famous by the line from the Eagles song, "Take It Easy". We eventually got to the Gilbert Water Ranch near Phoenix, Arizona. It's a nice little refuge surrounded by suburban sprawl. While looking for the Streak-backed Oriole that had been sporadically reported there, we spotted Great and Snowy Egret, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Ring-necked Duck, Gambel's Quail, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitcher, Anna's Hummingbird, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Purple Martin, Verdin, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped "Audubon's" Warbler, Abert's Towhee, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Brewer's and Lincoln's Sparrows, and many "Gambel's" White-crowned Sparrows.

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New Mexico - Arizona - Colorado Trip ~ March 8, 2006

On the 8th, we spent the morning back at the Gilbert Water Ranch. Birds seen there in addition to ones mentioned before included Double-crested Cormorant, Peregrine Falcon, Least Sandpiper, Gila Woodpecker, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Violet-green and Cliff Swallows, Bewick's Wren, Curve-billed Thrasher, Wilson's Warbler, and Green-tailed and Abert's Towhees, but still no oriole.

Verdin at the Gilbert Water Ranch in Gilbert, Arizona.
This bird was photographed in a small mesquite tree. This photo shows the yellowish head, dark lores, tiny bill, the rufous shoulder patch exposed by the wind blowing the feathers, and the light gray breast and belly.

We left Gilbert around mid-day and drove up to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. There, new trip birds included Broad-billed Hummingbird, Red-naped Sapsucker, Hermit Thrush, Spotted Towhee, and an unusual bird for Arizona: a Brown Thrasher.

Brown Thrasher at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior, Arizona. This was the only photo I could get of this 'eastern' bird that was being sought after by the western birders.

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New Mexico - Arizona - Colorado Trip ~ March 9, 2006

Thursday, we spent the entire day at the Water Ranch looking for the Streak-backed Oriole but, once again, left without seeing it. Trip birds for the day were Pied-billed Grebe, Green Heron, Wilson's Snipe, Burrowing Owl, and Common Yellowthroat.

Burrowing Owl at the Gilbert Water Ranch in Gilbert, Arizona.
This photo was taken near one of the man-made nesting sites. It shows the pale eyebrows, speckled head, and spotted back. The barring on the flanks is barely visible.

Abert's Towhee at the Gilbert Water Ranch in Gilbert, Arizona.
This bird was phototgraphed as it furiously kicked up leaves. This photo shows the dark face contrasting with the pale bill and overall grayish face and body with pinkish tones on the breast and belly and tan undertail coverts.

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New Mexico - Arizona - Colorado Trip ~ March 10, 2006

On the 10th, we started the day at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Trip birds found there included Cooper's Hawk, Cactus and Canyon Wren, Phainopepla and, finally, Babe's 'life' Rufous-backed Robin.

We left Boyce Thompson and made the long drive to Gallup, New Mexico after being told by a secretary at the Gunnison office of the Colorado Division of Wildlife that grouse had been seen on the lek. Little did we know that, after many hours of driving and waiting, this information she gave us might have been incorrect.

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New Mexico - Arizona - Colorado Trip ~ March 11, 2006

When we woke up Saturday, it was snowing with a few inches of snow already on the ground. We worked our way to Colorado through the towns of Durango and Ouray and over the mountain passes to Gunnison. Along the way, we saw Common Merganser, Steller's Jay, Black-billed Magpie, Mountain Bluebird, Dark-eyed "Oregon" Junco, and a flock of Brown-capped Rosy-Finches.

Mountain Bluebirds at Ridgway State Park near Ouray, Colorado.
This pair posed on the fence along Highway 550. This photo shows the electric blue male and the duller female with her turquoise blue rump and grayish head with white eye accent.

A late afternoon scouting visit to the Waunita lek site produced a Golden Eagle perched on the fence right next to the road.

Golden Eagle near Gunnison, Colorado.
This mottled bird was photographed at the Waunita lek site. It clearly shows the 'golden' hackles on the head. Using the car as a blind, we were able fairly close to this bird, take some photos, and slowly leave without it ever flushing off its perch.

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New Mexico - Arizona - Colorado Trip ~ March 12, 2006

We were at the lek very early the next morning but never saw any grouse, although we're sure we heard a few cackling to each other. Surprisingly, an adult Bald Eagle was seen flying over the lek area.

We left the lek in the late morning and drove all the way down through Colorado and Albuquerque to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. There, new trip birds included American White Pelican, Snow Goose, Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, a "Harlan's" Hawk, Ring-necked Pheasant, Say's Phoebe, and Brewer's Blackbird.

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New Mexico - Arizona - Colorado Trip ~ March 13, 2006

On our last day there, an Albuquerque native mentioned that we got to see all four seasons of the year in just one week. We had 80-degree weather in the beginning of the week, hail and snow with temperatures down in the teens in the middle of the week, followed by 'white-outs' caused by 50-mph wind-driven snow near the end. Needless to say, it was a memorable week weatherwise.

For those of you interested in seeing many more photos from New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado, you can go to my New Mexico Photos Album, Arizona Photos Album, and Colorado Photos Album.

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New Mexico - Arizona - Colorado Trip List ---- March 6th to 13th, 2006

1) Pied-billed Grebe
2) American White Pelican
3) Double-crested Cormorant
4) Great Blue Heron
5) Great Egret
6) Snowy Egret
7) Green Heron
8) Black-crowned Night-Heron
9) Snow Goose
10) Canada Goose
11) Wood Duck
12) Green-winged Teal
13) Mallard
14) Northern Pintail
15) Blue-winged Teal
16) Cinnamon Teal
17) Northern Shoveler
18) Gadwall
19) American Wigeon
20) Canvasback
21) Ring-necked Duck
22) Lesser Scaup
23) Bufflehead
24) Common Merganser
25) Ruddy Duck
26) Turkey Vulture
27) Bald Eagle
28) Northern Harrier
29) Sharp-shinned Hawk
30) Cooper's Hawk
31) Red-tailed Hawk
32) Golden Eagle
33) American Kestrel
34) Peregrine Falcon
35) Ring-necked Pheasant
36) Gambel's Quail
37) Common Moorhen
38) American Coot
39) Killdeer
40) Black-necked Stilt
41) American Avocet
42) Greater Yellowlegs
43) Least Sandpiper
44) Long-billed Dowitcher
45) Wilson's Snipe
46) Ring-billed Gull
47) Rock Dove
48) White-winged Dove
49) Mourning Dove
50) Inca Dove
51) Burrowing Owl
52) Broad-billed Hummingbird
53) Anna's Hummingbird
54) Belted Kingfisher
55) Gila Woodpecker
56) Red-naped Sapsucker
57) Ladder-backed Woodpecker
58) Northern Flicker
59) Black Phoebe
60) Say's Phoebe
61) Ash-throated Flycatcher
62) Horned Lark
63) Purple Martin
64) Violet-green Swallow
65) Northern Rough-winged Swallow
66) Cliff Swallow
67) Steller's Jay
68) Western Scrub-Jay
69) Black-billed Magpie
70) American Crow
71) Common Raven
72) Mountain Chickadee
73) Verdin
74) Bushtit
75) Red-breasted Nuthatch
76) Cactus Wren
77) Canyon Wren
78) Bewick's Wren
79) Marsh Wren
80) Ruby-crowned Kinglet
81) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
82) Mountain Bluebird
83) Hermit Thrush
84) Rufous-backed Robin
85) American Robin
86) Northern Mockingbird
87) Brown Thrasher
88) Curve-billed Thrasher
89) Phainopepla
90) European Starling
91) Orange-crowned Warbler
92) Yellow-rumped Warbler
93) Common Yellowthroat
94) Wilson's Warbler
95) Northern Cardinal
96) Yellow Grosbeak*
97) Green-tailed Towhee
98) Spotted Towhee
99) Abert's Towhee
100) Brewer's Sparrow
101) Vesper Sparrow
102) Song Sparrow
103) Lincoln's Sparrow
104) White-crowned Sparrow
105) Dark-eyed Junco
106) Red-winged Blackbird
107) Western Meadowlark
108) Yellow-headed Blackbird
109) Brewer's Blackbird
110) Great-tailed Grackle
111) Brown-headed Cowbird
112) Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
113) Black Rosy-Finch
114) Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
115) House Finch
116) Lesser Goldfinch
117) American Goldfinch
118) House Sparrow

* Denotes a 'life bird'.

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