Shipman's field notes, Jul 2009

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2009-07-21: NM: Socorro County
2009-07-29: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

2009-07-21: NM: Socorro County

@A101: Socorro Co. A-101 (Farm-Market Road)

@BdA: Bosque del Apache NWR

@Board: Bosque del Apache NWR: Boardwalk Pond

@LL: Luis Lopez: Oldenettel residence

@SAnt: San Antonio area

@SocCo: Socorro County

Route Left Socorro around 1415, drove to the Bosque refuge via Luis Lopez and County A-101. Marsh Loop, seasonal road, Farm Loop, and a quick look at the ponds visible from NM-1 south of the loop entrance.

Missed American Coot, Green-winged Teal. Generally short on puddle ducks, shorebirds, and swallows.

Dr. David Mundie visiting; he got two lifers, Clark's Grebe and Chihuahuan Raven. As usual in the summer, there was no accessible shorebird habitat on the entire refuge loop. Mosquitoes pretty light for this season and location.

Goose, Canada # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Teal, Blue-winged # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Teal, Cinnamon # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Lots of teal in eclipse plumage or getting there.

Pintail, Northern # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Duck, Ruddy 1♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Quail, Gambel's # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Pheasant, Ring-necked # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Grebe, Pied-billed # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Grebe, Western 6 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Boardwalk Pond

Grebe, Clark's 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Cormorant, Neotropic 6 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Boardwalk Pond

Pelican, American White 25+ @Bosque del Apache NWR: Boardwalk Pond

Pond visible from NM-1.

Heron, Great Blue 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Great 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Snowy # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Cattle 8+ @San Antonio area

Ibis, White-faced # @San Antonio area

Vulture, Turkey 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Hawk, Swainson's 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Hawk, Red-tailed 1 @Socorro Co. A-101 (Farm-Market Road)

Kestrel, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Killdeer 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Stilt, Black-necked 1 @San Antonio area

peep sp. # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Group of seven or so wheeling over a flooded unit seen from the seasonal road. Might have been dowitchers, but they seemed a bit too white and a bit small. This unit was flooded over grass; not a proper mudflat.

Sandpiper, Spotted 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Phalarope, Wilson's 2? @San Antonio area

Collared-Dove, Eurasian # @San Antonio area

Dove, Mourning # @Socorro County

Hummingbird, Rufous # @Luis Lopez: Oldenettel residence

Phoebe, Black 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Phoebe, Say's # @Socorro Co. A-101 (Farm-Market Road)

Kingbird, Western # @Socorro County

raven sp. # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Raven, Chihuahuan 4 @Socorro Co. A-101 (Farm-Market Road)

Swallow, Barn # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Mockingbird, Northern # @Socorro County

Sparrow, Lark # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Blackbird, Red-winged # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Blackbird, Yellow-headed ~10 @San Antonio area

Grackle, Great-tailed

# @San Antonio area

# @Bosque del Apache NWR

Sparrow, House # @Socorro County

2009-07-29: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

@NMT: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Hawk, Cooper's i @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Lawn just southwest of the MSEC-III building.

I noticed this young hawk jumping around on the lawn, picking up a House Finch carcass, tossing it around and dropping it. I think it was learning how to plume prey items. After a few minutes of this strange and macabre dance, it picked up the carcass and flew off to the west with it.