Shipman's field notes, May 1998

How to read Shipman's field notes

1998-05-07: NM: Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs
Notable: Eurasian Collared-Dove; Scissor-tailed Flycatcher; Rose-breasted Grosbeak
1998-05-08: NM: Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad
Notable: Blue-winged Teal; Northern Waterthrush
1998-05-09: NM: Rattlesnake Springs

1998-05-07: NM: Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Notable: Eurasian Collared-Dove; Scissor-tailed Flycatcher; Rose-breasted Grosbeak

@Bit: Bitter Lake NWR

@CH: Chaves County

@LE: Lea County

@LI: Lincoln County

@Ros: Roswell area

@SocCo: Socorro County

@day: Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Goose, Canada

2 @Bitter Lake NWR

2 @Lincoln County

Grassy field near Picacho.

Gadwall # @Bitter Lake NWR

Wigeon, American # @Bitter Lake NWR

Mallard # @Bitter Lake NWR

Teal, Blue-winged 1♂ @Bitter Lake NWR

Teal, Cinnamon # @Bitter Lake NWR

Shoveler, Northern # @Bitter Lake NWR

Grebe, Pied-billed # @Bitter Lake NWR

Grebe, Western 1 @Bitter Lake NWR

Egret, Snowy 1 @Bitter Lake NWR

Egret, Cattle 1 @Bitter Lake NWR

Vulture, Turkey # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Harrier, Northern 1 @Chaves County

NM-249, E of Hagerman.

Hawk, Swainson's

1 @Socorro County

WSMR Stallion Site.

1 @Lea County

Near Lovington.

Hawk, Red-tailed 1 @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

NM-249, E of Hagerman.

Description: Light phase.

Kestrel, American # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Coot, American # @Bitter Lake NWR

Killdeer # @Bitter Lake NWR

Stilt, Black-necked # @Bitter Lake NWR

Avocet, American # @Bitter Lake NWR

dowitcher sp. # @Bitter Lake NWR

Phalarope, Wilson's # @Bitter Lake NWR

All over the south end.

Phalarope, Red-necked # @Bitter Lake NWR

Less numerous than Wilson's.

gull sp. # @Bitter Lake NWR

Pigeon, Rock # @Roswell area

Collared-Dove, Eurasian 1 @Roswell area

From Applebee's on north US-70 in Roswell, go east on 23rd. The first paved road going north from 23rd is Grand Street; this street is just west of Cole Street, which was mentioned in John Parmeter's instructions.

Description: A medium-sized, plain sand-colored dove with a sharply defined black nuchal bar; tail square with broad light terminal band.

My life bird.

Dove, White-winged 1 @Roswell area

Same location as the Collared-Dove.

Dove, Mourning # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Dove, Inca 1 @Roswell area

Same location as the Collared-Dove.

Roadrunner, Greater

1 @Lincoln County

1 @Bitter Lake NWR

Owl, Burrowing 1 @Chaves County

Perched on a telephone line between Dexter and Hagerman.

Kingbird, Western # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed @Chaves County

East of Hagerman, where NM-249 joins NM-172 and turns south. Not far from Maljamar.

Raven, Chihuahuan # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Lark, Horned # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Swallow, Barn # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Robin, American # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Mockingbird, Northern # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Sparrow, Lark 1 @Bitter Lake NWR

Near the refuge office.

Bunting, Lark # @Lea County

Grosbeak, Rose-breasted @Bitter Lake NWR

Near the refuge office.

Blackbird, Red-winged # @Bitter Lake NWR

Meadowlark, Western 1 @Bitter Lake NWR

Vocalizations: By song.

Blackbird, Yellow-headed 1♀ @Bitter Lake NWR

Grackle, Great-tailed # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Finch, House # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

Sparrow, House # @Socorro-Roswell-Hobbs

1998-05-08: NM: Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Notable: Blue-winged Teal; Northern Waterthrush

@All: Lea Co.: Allred Tank

@Hobbs: Hobbs area

@RS: Rattlesnake Springs

@day: Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Route Parked on Lea County Rte 21 and walked in to Allred Tank, arriving about 1100. Weather cool, nice breeze, getting gusty later. Since I last visited, many trees have been cleared, leaving only about ten of the biggest old willows and a cottonwood. The south pond had water, the north pond was just muddy. Rattlesnake Springs visited briefly during very windy afternoon.

Teal, Blue-winged @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

4♂ @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

5♀ @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Quail, Scaled @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Guessing Scaled by habitat; pretty dry out here.

Vulture, Turkey # @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Harrier, Northern # @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Hawk, Swainson's 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Eagle, Golden 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Killdeer 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Dove, Mourning # @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Roadrunner, Greater 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Flycatcher, Olive-sided ? @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

I was at a loss to ID this at the time, because the olive-sideds I've seen in Northern California never have yellow on the breast, but the pattern was otherwise the same, and I saw a pretty similar bird the next day at RS.

Wood-Pewee, Western 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Flycatcher, Gray 1 @Rattlesnake Springs

Flycatcher, Vermilion 1♂ @Rattlesnake Springs

Kingbird, Western # @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed 2 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Vireo, Plumbeous @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: Quite gray.

Jay, Blue 2 @Hobbs area

The yard of our ancestral home at 1107 West Gold.

Raven, Chihuahuan # @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Swallow, Barn # @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Wren, Cactus 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Mockingbird, Northern @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Waterthrush, Northern 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Warbler, Orange-crowned ? @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Description: Yellow below including undertail, light streaking on breast, but couldn't tell if it was red or gray.

Warbler, MacGillivray's 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Warbler, Audubon's 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Warbler, Wilson's # @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Sparrow, Cassin's # @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Several parachuting and showing white tail corners.

Sparrow, Chipping

1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

# @Rattlesnake Springs

Bunting, Lark 30+ @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Most common bird here by far. Many singing males.

Sparrow, White-crowned 2a @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Pyrrhuloxia # @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Grosbeak, Blue 1 @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Grackle, Common # @Hobbs area

Grackle, Great-tailed # @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Oriole, Bullock's # @Lea Co.: Allred Tank

Finch, House # @Hobbs-Allred Tank-Rattlesnake Springs-Carlsbad

Sparrow, House # @Rattlesnake Springs

1998-05-09: NM: Rattlesnake Springs

@RS: Rattlesnake Springs

Met Steve West and Jonalyn Yancey, who were doing an IMDB migration count.

Pheasant, Ring-necked [uncountable] @Rattlesnake Springs

Vocalizations: The familiar 'kwaa-kwuk' call.

Steve West says these are recent introductions.

Turkey, Wild 2+ [uncountable] @Rattlesnake Springs

Heron, Green 1 @Rattlesnake Springs

Vulture, Turkey # @Rattlesnake Springs

Dove, Mourning # @Rattlesnake Springs

hummingbird sp. 1♀ @Rattlesnake Springs

Woodpecker, Ladder-backed 1♀ @Rattlesnake Springs

Flycatcher, Olive-sided 1 @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: Large size, pattern of light center streak up breast between dark flanks—the yellowish “waistcoat” threw me because N. Calif. birds are white here; assistance from JY in ID

Wood-Pewee, Western # @Rattlesnake Springs

Flycatcher, Willow ? @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: A very non-yellow empid, perched over the aqueduct with running water in it; reminds me of a bird I photographed in this same microhabitat years ago and later Hubbard said it was a Willow

Flycatcher, Least ? @Rattlesnake Springs

Vocalizations: Dry 'che-bek' call heard all day

Flycatcher, Vermilion

2+♂ @Rattlesnake Springs

1+♀ @Rattlesnake Springs

Kingbird, Cassin's # @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: Entire dorsal head and face a medium-dark gray; sharply defined oval white patch on chin, laterally extended, contrasts with dark chest; tail with lighter terminal band and no white outers.

Vocalizations: “ber-eer,” longer and louder than the similar pewee call.

All but two of the many kingbirds were this species.

Kingbird, Western 2 @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: White outer rectrices, gradient from chin-throat-chest-belly more gradual and lighter overall; dorsal head and face light brown rather than dark gray of Cassin's or light gray of Socorro birds; “fast forward” babbling.

Vireo, Bell's 1 @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: white line from lores over eye, ending just posterior to eye; no yellowish cast; small size.

Vocalizations: Song with phrases in rising/falling vireo pattern, but much longer than Solitary phrases.

Vireo, Plumbeous @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: No yellow; complete eye pothook.

Raven, Chihuahuan # @Rattlesnake Springs

swallow sp. @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: White underparts, shallow tail fork, not Barn.

Swallow, Barn # @Rattlesnake Springs

Wren, Bewick's 1 @Rattlesnake Springs

Thrush, Hermit # @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: Breast with dark brown to blackish spots on a pale cream background. Those whose tails I could see in good light looked reddish; the rest looked brown.

Easy to find if you stick your head into the thicket by the stream.

Robin, American # @Rattlesnake Springs

Mockingbird, Northern # @Rattlesnake Springs

Warbler, MacGillivray's # @Rattlesnake Springs

Yellowthroat, Common 1♂ @Rattlesnake Springs

Warbler, Yellow #♂ @Rattlesnake Springs

Warbler, Audubon's 2+ @Rattlesnake Springs

Warbler, Wilson's # @Rattlesnake Springs

Chat, Yellow-breasted 3+ @Rattlesnake Springs

Towhee, Canyon 1 @Rattlesnake Springs

Description: Slightly more rufous crown; some pale marks on throat; dorsum solid brown; underparts light except buffy around vent.

Sparrow, Chipping # @Rattlesnake Springs

Sparrow, Lark 2 @Rattlesnake Springs

Sparrow, White-crowned # @Rattlesnake Springs

Tanager, Summer #♂ @Rattlesnake Springs

Tanager, Western 2♂ @Rattlesnake Springs

Cardinal, Northern 3♂ @Rattlesnake Springs

Grosbeak, Blue # @Rattlesnake Springs

Bunting, Painted #[fide Steve West] @Rattlesnake Springs

Blackbird, Red-winged # @Rattlesnake Springs

Oriole, Bullock's # @Rattlesnake Springs

Finch, House # @Rattlesnake Springs

Sparrow, House # @Rattlesnake Springs