Shipman's field notes, Jul 2011

2011-07-02: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch
2011-07-04: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech
2011-07-13: NM: Springer-Raton
2011-07-14: CO: Denver-Avon via I-70
2011-07-17: CO: Avon-Denver
2011-07-18: NM: Maxwell NWR
2011-07-22: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch
2011-07-30: NM: Bosque del Apache NWR
Notable: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

2011-07-02: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch

@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch

Verdin 1 @Socorro: 507 Fitch

2011-07-04: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

@NMT: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

No special birds, but I spotted a healthy-looking fox strolling along just south of the MSEC-III building on campus, about thirty minutes after the fireworks were over. Perhaps the hundreds of spectators disrupted his usual rounds.

2011-07-13: NM: Springer-Raton

@Spr: Springer-Raton

Hawk, Ferruginous 1 @Springer-Raton

2011-07-14: CO: Denver-Avon via I-70

@Avon: Avon

@road1: Denver-Avon via I-70

Hawk, Ferruginous 1 @Denver-Avon via I-70

Magpie, Black-billed # @Avon

2011-07-17: CO: Avon-Denver

@road1: Avon-Denver

Cormorant, Double-crested # @Avon-Denver

Flying over 470-W near some reservoirs.

Jay, Steller's 1 @Avon-Denver

2011-07-18: NM: Maxwell NWR

@Max: Maxwell NWR

Route 1410-1620: Exited I-25, drove to the refuge, drove around, drove out.

Missed Hoping to repeat my sightings of Grasshopper Sparrow on my last (and only) visit. Lots of weird-looking sparrows all turned out to be immature Vesper and Lark sparrows.

Goose, Canada # @Maxwell NWR

Heron, Great Blue # @Maxwell NWR

Ibis, White-faced 4 @Maxwell NWR

Vulture, Turkey 1 @Maxwell NWR

Harrier, Northern 1♂ @Maxwell NWR

Hawk, Swainson's 1 @Maxwell NWR

Eagle, Golden 1 @Maxwell NWR

Behavior: Just trundling along minding its own business when a Swainson's Hawk started making strafing passes at it from above.

Kestrel, American # @Maxwell NWR

Gull, Ring-billed # @Maxwell NWR

Dove, Mourning # @Maxwell NWR

Wood-Pewee, Western # @Maxwell NWR

Phoebe, Say's # @Maxwell NWR

Immature, judging by the soft mouth corners.

Flycatcher, Ash-throated 1 @Maxwell NWR

Kingbird, Cassin's # @Maxwell NWR

Kingbird, Western # @Maxwell NWR

Kingbird, Eastern # @Maxwell NWR

Raven, Chihuahuan 1 @Maxwell NWR

Vocalizations: 'rack'

Lark, Horned 1 @Maxwell NWR

First photo actually shows the “horns.”

Swallow, Cliff # @Maxwell NWR

Robin, American 1i @Maxwell NWR

Mockingbird, Northern # @Maxwell NWR

Sparrow, Vesper # @Maxwell NWR

Lots of birds that I'm calling this species did not show the complete eyering; perhaps these are younger birds. In any case, the rusty shoulder patches on several of these, as well as the white outer rectrices, make me fairly sure of the ID of at least these photos.

Sparrow, Lark # @Maxwell NWR

Grosbeak, Blue # @Maxwell NWR

Blackbird, Red-winged # @Maxwell NWR

Meadowlark, Western # @Maxwell NWR

2011-07-22: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch

@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch

Kingbird, Cassin's @Socorro: 507 Fitch

Normally I don't see these migrants in my yard until the second half of August or early September, so this is early. The ID is a bit soft, but I call it a Cassin's based on the sharp division between the white chin and the gray throat.

2011-07-30: NM: Bosque del Apache NWR

Notable: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

@BdA: Bosque del Apache NWR

Finally, my state Yellow-crowned Night-Heron! Thanks to Gary Froehlich for finding this bird.

Cormorant, Neotropic 20+ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Great # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Heron, Green 2 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Night-Heron, Black-crowned @Bosque del Apache NWR

1i @Bosque del Apache NWR

In the “old rookery” at the east end of the central road.

The last photo shows the bird scratching direct.

2i @Bosque del Apache NWR

Two other immatures were near the Yellow-crowned Night-heron.

Night-Heron, Yellow-crowned 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

On the seasonal road, proceed past the pump station to the second flooded unit on the right. The bird and other night-herons were along the north dike.

Description: Conveniently located foraging very close to an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron, this bird was conspicuously lankier in the body and longer-legged, and darker overall. Bill heavier, rounded at the tips compared to the straight taper of BCNHER's more pointed bill. Tiny white spots along the margin of the folded wing, compared to broader white blobs on a paler tan background of the BCNHER. Actively feeding in a marshy spot.