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Shipman's field notes, Oct 2006

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2006-10-02: NM: New Mexico Tech

@NMT: New Mexico Tech
Kingfisher, Belted 1 @New Mexico Tech
First addition to my Speare office window list since I moved from Speare 119 to Speare 146. Fly-by.

2006-10-03: NM: Socorro

Notable:  Juniper Titmouse
@Soc: Socorro
@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch
Vulture, Turkey 20+ @Socorro
Dove, Inca 1 @Socorro: 507 Fitch
Titmouse, Juniper @Socorro
A few days previously, I'd heard rumors that a number of these were seen on campus. Species #47 on my Speare office window list.

2006-10-07: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay

@TBay: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Route 1050, arrive at Turtle Bay.
domestic goose sp. 4 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Description: Two white, two brown.
Wigeon, American x domestic duck sp. ? @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Description: At least two wigeons persisted through last winter here, which makes me suspect that this individual is a product of a mating with one of the domestic quackers that live here, perhaps from the Mallard-Peking Duck lineage. This bird looks like a normal female American Wigeon except that its left folded wing is mostly white, with a large roughly rectangular blue patch in the middle. Its other wing looks like a usual American Wigeon wing. Usually it closely accompanies one of the female American Wigeons. Maybe this is Mom?
domestic duck sp. # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Wigeon, American ♀ @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Duck, Ring-necked ϕ? @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Description: After several weeks of dithering about the ID of this bird, I'm now reasonably well-convinced that this is a young female Ring-necked. Today I observed a subtle lightish band around the middle of the otherwise plain middle-gray bill. This band has a clinal color gradient, a slightly lighter gray at its proximal margin, darkening toward its distal edge back to the gray base color. The part distal to that band is roughly 3/8 of the bill length. See tomorrow's notes for more observations.
Coot, American 7 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
raven sp. @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Vocalizations: 'gurgle' call
Warbler, Yellow-rumped 3 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Warbler, Audubon's 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay

2006-10-08: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay

Notable:  Cassin's Vireo; Juniper Titmouse
@Soc: Socorro
@TBay: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch
Wigeon, American x domestic duck sp. 1? @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Wigeon, American 2ϕ @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Duck, Ring-necked 1ϕ? @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Description: After poring over my Sibley guide for a few minutes looking for more marks for my mystery Aythya, I did observe that this bird has a light grayish cheek. I also saw the 'faint spur' discussed in Sibley, a subtle finger of lighter color at the front of the sides. I've tried for weeks to make this into several different species, but I can't see any reason to doubt this ID at this point.
Coot, American 7 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Dove, Inca 2 @Socorro: 507 Fitch
Description: One is tailless.
Vireo, Cassin's 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Southwest corner of the trees around the clearing.
Description: Thick white spectacles on a lightish gray head. Back greenish. Lots of yellow on the flanks. Wings a bit yellowish.
Titmouse, Juniper 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Southwest corner of the trees around the clearing.
Description: Small, plain gray, smallish crest. Active.
Vocalizations: Various 'chee-chee-chee' and 'dah-dah-dah' notes.
Warbler, Audubon's # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay

2006-10-09: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch

@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch
Crow, American [fide Richard LeRoy] @Socorro: 507 Fitch
His pecan trees at 501 Fitch are a consistent attractor of crows. This is the first arrival of the fall he's noticed.
Thrasher, Curve-billed 1 @Socorro: 507 Fitch

2006-10-10: NM: Socorro County

Notable:  Willet
@IHF: San Acacia: Indian Hill Farms
West of I-25 and north of the San Acacia exit on the frontage road, two large fields are flooded and make for temporary duck and shorebird habitat.
@SocCo: Socorro County
@TBay: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Teal, Green-Winged # @San Acacia: Indian Hill Farms
Killdeer 10+ @San Acacia: Indian Hill Farms
Willet ? @San Acacia: Indian Hill Farms
Description: Big, plain, long slightly decurved bill.
Yellowlegs, Lesser # @San Acacia: Indian Hill Farms
Dowitcher, Long-billed # @San Acacia: Indian Hill Farms
Chickadee, Mountain @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
First of the fall.

2006-10-14: NM: Socorro

@Soc: Socorro
Crane, Sandhill 3 @Socorro
First of the season.

2006-10-15: NM: Socorro

@Soc: Socorro
Crow, American @Socorro
First of the season; see also second-hand report 2006-10-09.

2006-10-22: NM: Socorro County

@SocCo: Socorro County
Eagle, Golden @Socorro County
Over I-25, near Polvadera.
raven sp. 2 @Socorro County
Behavior: Harassing the Golden Eagle.

2006-10-25: NM: New Mexico Tech

@NMT: New Mexico Tech
Chickadee, Mountain 1 @New Mexico Tech
Weir Hall area.

2006-10-26: NM: Socorro County

Notable:  Downy Woodpecker
@Lang: Magdalenas: Langmuir Lab Road
@SocCo: Socorro County
@WC: Magdalenas: Water Canyon
Route Opening ceremonies for the Magdalena Ridge Observatory (MRO), over 10,000' near South Baldy. An abysmal day for birds and humans alike due to cold and wind. On top, 18F, wind chill -6F, 30-40 knot winds. After returning to Water Canyon around 1445, I walked briefly around the old campground near the stream crossing of the Langmuir Road.
Woodpecker, Downy 1♀ @Magdalenas: Water Canyon
Chiseling away at a snag a few yards north of the Langmuir Road, near the streambed.
Description: Plain white back. Folded wing plain back with just a few tiny spots. Tiny bill. Black nape. Black crest and line through eye; white supercilium; lower part of face white.
raven sp. 
1 @Socorro County
From US-60 just below Sedillo Hill.
1 @Magdalenas: Langmuir Lab Road
Near Lone Pine Turn. Literally the only bird I saw during the 15 or so road miles from Water Canyon to MRO and back.
Kinglet, Ruby-crowned 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon
Warbler, Audubon's 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

2006-10-27: NM: New Mexico Tech

@NMT: New Mexico Tech
Junco, Dark-eyed 1 @New Mexico Tech
Near Speare Hall.
First of the fall.

2006-10-28: NM: Socorro

Notable:  Wood Duck; Juniper Titmouse
@Hilltop: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Hilltop
I've been visiting this site for many years, but its days as good bird habitat are numbered. It's just west of the campus greenhouse, on a rise overlooking Terry Lake. Karyn DeBont, the campus arborist, says that for many years someone left a faucet running up here all the time. Lately she's been turning it off, hating to waste water, so the already compromised trees are dying.
GPS: 340357.1n 1065502.9w None
@NMT: New Mexico Tech
@Riv4: Socorro: Riverine Park: Site #4
@Riv5: Socorro: Riverine Park: Site #5
@Soc: Socorro
@TBay: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
@Terry: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
Route Brief walk from near the greenhouse, around the lake.
Around 1250 MDT, a tiny brown bat was flying over water. He landed in a tree and hung there for a while. Arrived at Riverine Park #4 around 1445, did some clerical work by the river until about 1730.
Duck, Wood 2 @Socorro: Riverine Park: Site #4
Pair flying downriver about 1715 MDT.
Wigeon, American 
3 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
~40 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Duck, Ring-necked 5 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
Harrier, Northern i @Socorro: Riverine Park: Site #4
Description: Clear buff underparts.
Hawk, Sharp-shinned 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
Hawk, Red-tailed 1i @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Coot, American 
53 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
23 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Crane, Sandhill # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
Flyovers.
Kingfisher, Belted 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Flicker, Northern 1 @Socorro: Riverine Park: Site #4
Phoebe, Black @Socorro: Riverine Park: Site #5
Crow, American # @Socorro: Riverine Park: Site #4
Raven, Chihuahuan 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
Vocalizations: By 'rack' call.
Titmouse, Juniper 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Wren, Bewick's 1? @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
Vocalizations: Wrenlike buzzing. Scrub habitat.
Kinglet, Ruby-crowned 
1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Hilltop
Description: Complete with crown flash.
1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Robin, American # @Socorro: Riverine Park: Site #4
Warbler, Yellow-rumped # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Warbler, Audubon's 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
Sparrow, Chipping 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Hilltop
Sparrow, White-crowned # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake
Junco, Pink-sided 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Goldfinch, Lesser 6 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Hilltop

2006-10-29: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch

Notable:  Juniper Titmouse
@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch
Titmouse, Juniper 1 @Socorro: 507 Fitch
Probably new to my yard list.

2006-10-30: NM: Belen: Taco Bell Marsh

@TBM: Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
Records from this spot have been frequent in the Rare Bird Alert lately. About halfway between I-25 and the Wal-Mart north of Belen, there is a Taco Bell on the south side of the road; Don Felipe Road runs from there roughly southwest. Our wet summer and fall left many of the fields along this road flooded, and there are lots of waterbirds in and amongst the broken bottles and trash.
Shoveler, Northern # @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
Duck, Ruddy 1 @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
Grebe, Pied-billed 1 @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
Egret, Snowy 1 @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
Ibis, White-faced # @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
Coot, American # @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
peep sp. # @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
Phoebe, Black 1 @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh

2006-10-31: NM: Belen: Taco Bell Marsh

@TBM: Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
See 2006-10-30 for location details.
Egret, Snowy 1 @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
Egret, Cattle 3 @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
Kingfisher, Belted 1♀ @Belen: Taco Bell Marsh
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Last updated: 2011-05-23 18:54 MDT