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CNMAS Field Trip Schedule
Including Thursday Birders
Last updated Sat, Jan 30, 2010. *** The area code for New Mexico is 505, unless otherwise specified as 575 ***
Thursday, February 4: Sandia Crest to look for the Rosy Finches
With Karen and Gary Boettcher: 281-6726, nmkestrel@yahoo.com
Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Sandia Ranger Station in Tijeras, NM, on Highway 337 to arrange car pooling. We can buy snacks or lunch at the crest restaurant as we wait inside for the Rosy-Finches to arrive at the feeders. (Parking fee or pass required.)
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CNMAS Field Trip
Saturday-Sunday, February 6-7: Maxwell & Las Vegas NWRs
Leader: Sei Tokuda, stokuda@juno.com, 505-266-2480
This will be a day or overnight trip. We will leave Albuquerque in the morning and drive directly to Maxwell where we will bird until mid afternoon. People who wish to make it a day trip can return to Albuquerque, and those remaining will spend the night in Las Vegas. We will resume birding on Sunday morning at the LVNWR before returning to Albuquerque. The target birds are the wintering waterfowl (Golden-eyes, mergansers, etc.), American Tree Sparrow, Rough-legged and Ferruginous Hawks, and Bald Eagle. Meet at 8:00 AM at the Far North Shopping Center parking lot (NE corner of San Mateo and Academy NE.) on Saturday, February 6. Bring lunch, snacks, water and dress appropriately for the very cold early February weather in northeast New Mexico.
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Thursday, February 11: View the Sandhill Crane fly-in at the Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area (WWCA) near Belen, NM
With Linda Heinze: 565-1441, manzanogal@gmail.com
Meet at 3:00 p.m. behind the Hawthorn Suites on Gibson and University. WWCA is located on Highway 47, one mile north of Reinkin Avenue (the main east/west street through Belen) and its intersection with Highway 47. We should be back in Albuquerque around 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 18: Hike in the Sandia Mountain foothills at the east end of Copper
With Mary Lou Arthur: 299-2565, marylarthur@yahoo.com
Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the trailhead. Copper is just north of Central. It is an easy, two mile walk.
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Annual CNMAS Birding Academy
The More You Know...
Thursday, February 18: Gray Vireo
With Michael Hilchey & Raymond VanBuskirk
Being bird lovers in the Southwest we are always hearing about the Gray Vireo, but most of us know surprisingly little about them. Michael and Raymond had the opportunity to work with these unique birds over the past year and will share some of what they have learned. They will be discussing where and when to look for this sought-after species, how to identify them, and some general breeding ecology about these juniper specialists.
For this year’s Audubon Birding Academy, pay $7.00 at the door per class, or pay in advance (see registration form - PDF). Classes held at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, NW corner of Copper and Jefferson NE, 7:15 PM (7:00 for refreshments).
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Thursday, February 25: Longspur and Sage Sparrow quest near San Antonio, NM
With Rebecca Gracey: 242-3821, maryrebeccagracey@gmail.com
Meet at 8:30 a.m. behind the Hawthorne Suites on Gibson and University to carpool to the sites 16 miles east of San Antonio on Highway 380. (North on A129 for the sparrows and north on A127 for the longspurs.) A folding chair will be useful as we wait for the brief visits of the longspurs to the water tank. Bring lunch.
Thursday, March 4: Corrales Bosque
With Lannois Neely: 890-7881, lfneely@aol.com
Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the shopping center north of Alameda Road and east of Coors/Corrales Road near Little Anita’s restaurant. The group will walk in the bosque on the south end of town and then go to Village Pizza for lunch.
Thursday, March 11: Hike Embudo Canyon
With Judy Liddell: 271-0912, jliddell5@earthlink.net
Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the trail head parking lot located at the east end of Indian School Road.
Thursday, March 18: Rio Grande Nature Center
With Sei Tokuda: 266-2480, stokuda@juno.com
Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Nature Center parking lot at the end of Candelaria N.W.
There is a $3 parking fee if you do not have a State Parks pass or Friends of the RGNC pass. Coffee or an early lunch afterwards at the Flying Star on Rio Grande Blvd.
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Annual CNMAS Birding Academy
The More You Know...
Thursday, March 18: Pinyon Jay
With Cole Wolf
The Pinyon Jay is one of the West’s most fascinating and sought-after bird species. Flocks of hundreds of birds lead nomadic lifestyles, often traveling many miles in search of piñon seeds. Unlike most of our birds, the Pinyon Jay usually begins its courtship in November and breeds during the winter. Like most aspects of its ecology, the exact timing of the breeding season is dictated by the abundance of piñon seeds. Cole has been working on Pinyon Jays on Kirtland Air Force Base for over a year. He will look at the unique ecology of the species, its dependence on the piñon pine, and how to find Pinyon Jays in New Mexico.
For this year’s Audubon Birding Academy, pay $7.00 at the door per class, or pay in advance (see registration form - PDF). Classes held at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, NW corner of Copper and Jefferson NE, 7:15 PM (7:00 for refreshments).
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Thursday, March 25: Pueblo Montaño Picnic Area and Sculpture Park
With Gale Owings: 255-8333
Meet at 8:45 a.m. in the parking lot on the south side of Montaño just west of the bridge over the Rio Grande and east of Coors Blvd. for a walk in the bosque.
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CNMAS Field Trip
Saturday, March 27: Percha Dam State Park, Caballo Lake, and Animas Creek
Leader: Cole Wolf, colejwolf@gmail.com
Meet by the Percha entrance gate at 7:30 AM (there are hotels available in T or C, about half an hour away). We’ll spend most of the morning at Percha where we hope to find Vermilion Flycatcher, Lucy’s Warbler, and Phainopepla. After checking Caballo for waterbirds we’ll bird Animas Creek for Acorn Woodpecker and Bridled Titmouse. We’ll finish the trip around Elephant Butte Lake looking for more waterbirds and desert species. |
Thursday, April 1: Pena Blanca and Cochiti Lake
With Rebecca Gracey: 242-3821, maryrebeccagracey@gmail.com
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the middle of the parking lot in the Far North shopping center on the north east quadrant of the San Mateo and Academy intersection. Bring lunch.
Thursday, April 8: Hike in the Elena Gallegos Open Space
With Donna Royer: 869-6882, dlroyer@earthlink.net
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking area that is at the end of the road that runs straight north from the entry station. Look for the parking lot for Cottonwood Trail. There is a $1 entry fee per car. This is an easy 1.5 mile walk.
Thursday, April 15: Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Belen and Belen Marsh
With Linda Heinz: 565-1441, manzanogal@gmail.com
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot behind the Hawthorne Suites on Gibson and University or 8:50 a.m. at WWCA on Highway 47 on the east side of the Rio Grande River. Lunch at Fat Slat’s Grill near the marsh.
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Annual CNMAS Birding Academy
The More You Know...
Thursday, April 15: Demystifying the Misidentified
With Christopher Rustay
Learning to tell the difference between different types of birds is a learned skill. Learning to tell the differences between look-alike species can be very difficult, but there is a lot of learning involved in this as well. Christopher, who has reviewed many a rare bird picture or heard descriptions, will offer some insights into commonly misidentified birds; even some that come from completely different families! His focus will be on birds often misidentified in New Mexico and some tools of the trade for identifying these birds in the future.
For this year’s Audubon Birding Academy, pay $7.00 at the door per class, or pay in advance (see registration form - PDF). Classes held at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, NW corner of Copper and Jefferson NE, 7:15 PM (7:00 for refreshments).
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Thursday, April 22: Manzano Pond and Quarai National Monument
With Bonnie Long: 379-1985, cantrade_1@yahoo.com
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the Four Hills shopping Center north of Hollywood Video or at 8:50 a.m. at the junction of Highway 337 and Highway 55. Bring lunch.
Thursday, April 29: The Thursday Birder Birdathon
Lead by Rebecca Gracey: 242-3821, maryrebeccagracey@gmail.com
Meet at 4:45 a.m. in the parking lot behind the Hawthorne Suites on Gibson and University or 6:15 a.m. at the McDonald’s in Socorro. This will be an intensive day of birding that will end after dark. The itinerary will be Water Canyon, Box Canyon, Turtle Bay on the NM Tech campus, and the Bosque del Apache. At 7:30 p.m. the group will have dinner at Sofia’s Kitchen in Socorro to talley the number of species seen. After dinner participants are on their own to either spend the night in Socorro or return to Albuquerque that evening.
Contact Rebecca if you need transportation or can provide transporation. Bring snacks, lunch and water.
ALL Thursday Birders and EVERYONE on the Thursday Birder email list is encouraged to make a financial contribution to Central New Mexico Audubon Scoiety in this fund raising event. Mail your check to CNMAS, PO Box 30002, Albuquerque, NM 87190 and indicate you are supporting the Thursday Birder team. The team raised $1,357 for the Birdathon in 2009 and the goal is to beat that in 2010.
Thursday, May 6: Hike Otero Canyon
With Karen and Gary Boettcher: 281-6726, nmkestrel@yahoo.com
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Sandia Ranger Station in Tijeras on Highway 337. The trail is fairly level.
Thursday, May 13: Hike in the Tres Pistolas Open Space in Tijeras Canyon
With Mary Lou Arthur: 299-2565, marylarthur@yahoo.com
A walking stick would be helpful with the uphill trail. Meet at 7:00 a.m. in the Four Hills shopping center on Central, west of Tramway, near Hollywood video to carpool since parking is limited at the trailhead.
Thursday, May 20: Ojito de San Antonio Open Space in Cedar Crest
With Melissa Howard: 286-9365, nmflicker@swcp.com
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the Four Hills shopping center on Central and west of Tramway near the Hollywood Video.
Thursday, May 27: Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve
With Sandra MacGillivray: 505-699-4966, mcglvry@hotmail.com
Meet at 7:00 a.m. in the middle of the parking lot in the Far North shopping center at San Mateo and Academy or 8:00 at the preserve. The preserve is located south of Santa Fe near La Cienega, exit 271 from I-25. It is sponsored by the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens. A docent will show us around the gardens. Bring lunch. Their web site is www.santafebotanicalgarden.org
All Central New Mexico Audubon Society regular meetings and sponsored field trips are open to the public.
Central New Mexico Audubon Society assumes no responsibility for injuries, personal or otherwise, incurred while attending society-sponsored activities and will not be held liable for such accidents. You attend at your own risk.
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Central New Mexico Audubon Society
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