Next / Previous / Contents / Home

Shipman's field notes, Feb 2004

 logo

How to read Shipman's field notes

2004-02-09: NM: Socorro

@day: Socorro
Scrub-Jay, Western @Socorro
Thrasher, Curve-billed @Socorro

2004-02-10: NM: Belen

@day: Belen
Crane, Sandhill @Belen

2004-02-10: NM: San Acacia

@day: San Acacia
Crane, Sandhill @San Acacia

2004-02-11: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch

@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch
Thrasher, Curve-billed @Socorro: 507 Fitch
Starling, European @Socorro: 507 Fitch
Sparrow, White-crowned @Socorro: 507 Fitch

2004-02-14: NM: Socorro

@day: Socorro
Warbler, Myrtle @Socorro

2004-02-17: NM: Socorro County

@Bel: Belen: fields SW
Newly graded (last year?) field just W of I-25 between mp189-190.
@SAca: San Acacia
@SocCo: Socorro County
Crane, Sandhill 
200+ @Belen: fields SW
3 @San Acacia

2004-02-17: NM: San Acacia

@day: San Acacia
Crane, Sandhill @San Acacia

2004-02-18: NM: Socorro

@NMT: Socorro: New Mexico Tech
@day: Socorro
@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch
Scrub-Jay, Western 1 @Socorro: 507 Fitch
Thrasher, Curve-billed 2 @Socorro: 507 Fitch
Behavior: Sitting together in the orchard.
Vocalizations: A few notes of that glorious song.
Warbler, Audubon's 2 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech
Goldfinch, American @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

2004-02-19: NM: Bosque del Apache

@day: Bosque del Apache
Goose, Snow @Bosque del Apache
Goose, Ross' @Bosque del Apache
Goose, Canada @Bosque del Apache
Shoveler, Northern @Bosque del Apache
Pintail, Common @Bosque del Apache
Teal, American Green-winged @Bosque del Apache
Crane, Sandhill @Bosque del Apache

2004-02-21: NM: Bosque del Apache

@day: Bosque del Apache
Merganser, Common 1 @Bosque del Apache
Towhee, Spotted @Bosque del Apache

2004-02-22: NM: San Acacia

@day: San Acacia
Crane, Sandhill 8 @San Acacia

2004-02-22: NM: San Antonio

@day: San Antonio
Collared-Dove, Eurasian @San Antonio

2004-02-22: NM: Socorro

@day: Socorro
Southwest arm of Turtle Bay is completely denuded of cover and underbrush.
First Mourning Cloak butterfly of the year.
Wigeon, American # @Socorro
Duck, Ring-necked 14 @Socorro

2004-02-22: NM: Bosque del Apache NWR

@BdA: Bosque del Apache NWR
Route Quick pass at the Bosque del Apache NWR to look for the reported European Green-winged Teal (no such luck). The reported location was a medium-sized pond east of NM-1 about 1.0-1.1 miles north of where the BNSF RR crosses NM-1, and about 1.8 miles south of the large refuge sign by NM-1 on the N boundary. Time not noted, but middle to late afternoon. Scoped that pond, the larger one a little ways north of there lying west of NM-1, the center route of the refuge loop, and the first half a mile or so of the farm loop going north, then returned by the same route.
Missed No European Green-winged Teal.
Film Two frames of KL (Kodachrome 200) around mid-roll, both in extremely poor light at around 1/125, of the Common Merganser.
Goose, Snow # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Plenty still on the refuge. Their mass panics are still reliable indicators of the movements of Bald Eagles.
Goose, Ross' 1+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
At least one for sure. Large flocks not scoped.
Goose, Canada # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Gadwall # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Mallard # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Teal, Cinnamon 2♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Shoveler, Northern @Bosque del Apache NWR
Second most numerous duck.
Pintail, Northern @Bosque del Apache NWR
Most numerous duck by far.
Teal, American Green-winged ~80♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Spent a good hour scoping all of these birds all over NM-1 and the refuge center road. Every male had the characteristic vertical white breast mark of the American form. Did not talk with any other birders who'd seen it. The European form was reported on 2-20.
Redhead ~20 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Inside Farm loop SE corner.
Bufflehead # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Merganser, Common 1♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Pond just E of NM-1 directly opposite refuge HQ parking lot.
Duck, Ruddy # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Pheasant, Ring-necked # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Cormorant, Neotropic 8+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Visible from NM-1 across from refuge HQ.
Eagle, Bald 
1a @Bosque del Apache NWR
N of loop center road.
Behavior: Perched.
1i @Bosque del Apache NWR
Near center rood.
Behavior: Harrassing the snow geese.
Harrier, Northern 1i @Bosque del Apache NWR
Behavior: Coursing inside the loop.
Hawk, Red-tailed # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Kestrel, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Coot, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Crane, Sandhill # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Killdeer 2 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Pond 1.1mi N of NM-1 x BNSF-RR.
Yellowlegs, Greater 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
N of loop center road.
Flicker, Red-shafted # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Phoebe, Black 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
raven sp. # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Pipit, American 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Same location as Killdeer.
Towhee, Spotted 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Center road, E end.
Sparrow, White-crowned # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Blackbird, Red-winged # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Meadowlark, Western # @Bosque del Apache NWR

2004-02-29: NM: Socorro-Bosque del Apache

Notable:  Clark's Grebe; American White Pelican; Greater Yellowlegs; Least Sandpiper; Ring-billed Gull
@A101: Socorro County A-101 (Farm-Market Road)
@BdA: Bosque del Apache NWR
@LL: Luis Lopez area
@SAnt: San Antonio area
@day: Socorro-Bosque del Apache
Route Left Socorro at 1410, drove NM-1 to Luis Lopez, A101 to US 380 to San Antonio, NM-1 to Bosque del Apache NWR, around both loops of the refuge, ending at 1800 with failing light.
Missed No herons; no shrikes.
Film Started around fr. 16 of a roll of KL (Kodachrome 200); finished that around 1630, shot another entire roll of KL, camera now empty.
Goose, Snow 200+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Goose, Ross' 
For some time now I've been working on the conjecture that the proportion of Ross's Goose in the white geese at the Bosque increases steadily through the winter, becoming over half somewhere around February. Today's observations fit.
400 @Bosque del Apache NWR
One tight flock, all Ross's, no Snows.
~10 @Bosque del Apache NWR
About half of a mixed flock of 20.
1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Description: One bird that had some dark color on its shoulders; I've hardly ever seen the blue morph of Ross's.
Goose, Canada 40+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Description: Mostly big ones, a fair number of the smaller races.
Gadwall @Bosque del Apache NWR
Numbers up, second most numerous duck, almost equal to Pintail.
Mallard 40+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Description: Photographed one pair in a ditch that both had the mottled female-style contour plumage, but one had a distinctly greenish-banana-colored bill with no dark markings on it, the other with a bright orange bill with a dark saddle. The pictures were shot at 1/60 and 1/125 and so probably won't be sharp, but I'd like to run these bill colors by some experts. I have yet to see a for-sure Mexican Duck here.
2004-02-29-00282004-02-29-0029
Teal, Cinnamon ~10 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Shoveler, Northern @Bosque del Apache NWR
Good numbers, maybe 3rd most common dabbler.
Pintail, Northern # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Most numerous dabbler.
Teal, American Green-winged 200+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Description: It's probably safe to assume that I'll be checking this species for the European type from now on. There were a dozen or so birds in the pond 1.1 miles north of the railroad crossing on NM-1 where the European was alleged last 2/23.
Canvasback 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
S end Marsh Loop.
Duck, Ring-necked 60+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Especially in ditches along both loops on the E side.
Scaup, Lesser 2♀ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Bufflehead 20+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Duck, Ruddy # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Description: Some males with brown bills, most males with bright blue bills.
Quail, Gambel's @Bosque del Apache NWR
Vocalizations: Heard at HQ building.
Pheasant, Ring-necked # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Aechmophorus sp. 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Visible from the Boardwalk.
Description: Stayed in 'tape dispenser' position never revealing its bill. Eye appeared to be centered in a gray band, not clearly in black or white. Extreme range through the scope. See Clark's Grebe, this date, for a closeup photo of the 'tape dispenser' position (20040229.31).
Grebe, Clark's @Bosque del Apache NWR
Very close to the Marsh Loop.
2004-02-29-00272004-02-29-0031
Cormorant, Neotropic 4 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Pelican, American White 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Inside Farm Loop late in the day.
Eagle, Bald 2a @Bosque del Apache NWR
2004-02-29a0031
Harrier, Northern 
2ϕ @Bosque del Apache NWR
1♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Hawk, Red-tailed 
1a @Socorro County A-101 (Farm-Market Road)
Description: Dark phase.
2 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Description: One light phase, one intermediate phase.
Kestrel, American @Bosque del Apache NWR
Coot, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Crane, Sandhill 200+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Inside the Farm Loop.
Killdeer # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Yellowlegs, Greater 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Description: Total length greater or equal to adjacent teal; plenty of slightly recurved bill.
Sandpiper, Least @Bosque del Apache NWR
Near the Greater Yellowlegs.
Description: Yellow-green legs.
Snipe, Wilson's 2 @Bosque del Apache NWR
E side of the Farm Loop.
2004-02-29-00072004-02-29-00172004-02-29-0020
Allowing fairly close approach with the car but giving scarcely any clear shots.
Gull, Ring-billed 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Scoped from the center road.
Pigeon, Rock # @San Antonio area
Collared-Dove, Eurasian 1 @San Antonio area
Dove, Mourning # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Near NM-1 railroad crossing on the refuge.
Flicker, Northern @Bosque del Apache NWR
Phoebe, Say's 
@Luis Lopez area
@Socorro County A-101 (Farm-Market Road)
@Bosque del Apache NWR
Crow, American 
300+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
Various farm fields.
@Socorro County A-101 (Farm-Market Road)
Sichler farm.
Behavior: Following a plow.
swallow sp. ? @Bosque del Apache NWR
Today's rarity list at refuge HQ shows a number of Violet-green Swallows. I got a brief look at one bird that may have been a swallow.
Starling, European ~30 @Socorro County A-101 (Farm-Market Road)
Sichler farm.
Towhee, Spotted 3 @Bosque del Apache NWR
In plain sight from the window at the E end of refuge HQ. If anyone wants to see this species, send them here.
Sparrow, Song 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR
Sparrow, White-crowned # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Hordes everywhere.
Junco, Dark-eyed 
# @Socorro County A-101 (Farm-Market Road)
# @Bosque del Apache NWR
Blackbird, Red-winged # @Bosque del Apache NWR
Meadowlark, Western 80+ @Bosque del Apache NWR
One big group in a stubble field at the Sichler Farm.
2004-02-29-00252004-02-29-0026
Next: Mar 2004
Previous: Jan 2004
Contents: Shipman's Field Notes
Home: Shipman's Home Sweet Homepage
Last updated: 2011-05-23 18:54 MDT