Took a morning flight from
Heathrow to Atlanta and the onward connection to Albuquerque in New Mexico.
After picking up the rental car it only took us 15 minutes to arrive at a
wonderful hotel in the historic old town
of the city. The first of many fine meals followed at a charming ‘wild west’
style restaurant nearby and as we walked back to the hotel realised that there
was a distinct chill in the air – well we are at 1,619m (5,312 feet)…!
The following morning in the Hacienda gardens we saw an Audubon’s Warbler (a
recent 2-way split from Yellow-rumped Warbler) and a flyover Eastern Bluebird, before driving to the Rio
Grande Nature Centre about 10 minutes away. This lovely little reserve proved
to be a great place to start our birding in New Mexico, as along the trail to
the lake we found Downy Woodpecker,
both Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Oregon & Pink-sided Juncos, White-crowned
Sparrow, Spotted Towhee and White-breasted Nuthatch. Out on the
lake were numerous Wood Ducks, Ring-necked
Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, a cracking little female Bufflehead, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe and a Belted Kingfisher.
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| Rio Grande Nature Centre |
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| Wood Ducks were common |
We then took the
River Loop Trail, where we saw Northern
Flicker, House Finch and out on
the Rio Grande River were a pair of California
Gulls, 3 Killdeers, 3 Sandhill Cranes and a flock of Horned Larks. Returning to the lake
beside the Visitor Centre we spent a little while scanning through the
waterfowl which had now been joined by lots of Canada Geese. Across the parking lot is Candelaria Lake and I was
very pleased to finally nail Cackling
Goose. Also here was Green-winged
Teal, a few American WIgeon, American Kestrel, Say’s Phoebe and a confiding Bewick’s
Wren. So by now it was almost 11am and we decided that with the forecasted
snow for Sunday potentially affecting our plans to head up into the mountains,
we would drive up to Sandia Crest now. On the road out we stopped to admire a
large flock of some 25+ Bushtits.
The drive up to the turn
off into the Sandia Mountains only took half an hour and we headed the 13 miles
along the winding road to the parking area at the top, which is at an elevation
of around 10,263 feet. Once here we wasted no time in entering the famous
Sandia Crest House and scanning for rosy-finches.
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| Recent snowfall in the Sandia Mountains |
Despite the area being
shrouded in low cloud and a thick frost on the pine
trees we could watch Grey-headed
Juncos and Steller’s Jays from
the heated restaurant and shop complex. But we didn’t have to wait long before
a group of Black
Rosy-Finches flew to the feeder on the veranda just 10 feet away
from us.
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| At least 8 Black Rosy-Finches appeared at the feeders. |
All of a sudden the frozen fingertips were forgotten as 8 of these
beautiful gems totally enthralled us. So when they had flown away a hot cup of
coffee was called for before venturing outside again and around the car park
were many Red-breasted
Nuthatches and Mountain
Chickadees to keep us entertained. A flock of Red Crossbills flew in and landed nearby and on closer inspection
there was also a Pine Siskin
accompanying them.
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| Red-breasted Nuthatch |
Driving back down the
mountain we found a Hairy Woodpecker,
a huge congregation of several hundred American Robins and our first Townsend’s Solitaire. And that was our
mountain birding done for the day as we headed north to Santa Fe along a quiet
‘back’ road. Flocks of Western Bluebirds
adorned the telegraph wires as we drove through rolling hills until we couldn’t
take it any longer and frustration got the better of us and we pulled over at
the basically the first safe bit of parking space we came to. What a superb
decision this was as no sooner had we stepped out of the car than another American Robin appeared, but right next
to it was a female Cassin’s Finch. A lifer for yours truly and I took
my time studying the bird – not wanting to make an error in identification.
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| Female Cassin's Finch with an American Robin |
I
needn’t had worried as there were several others present, and at least one male
bird to clinch things. As if things couldn’t get any better, a Canyon Towhee appeared and shortly
after a pair of Sage Thrashers
showed nicely. A close Townsend’s Solitaire was pretty cool as well! So
that was it and with the light fading at 4.30pm we drove just under an hour to
Santa Fe and our base for the next two nights.
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