Shipman's field notes, Mar 2012

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2012-03-01: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch
2012-03-04: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech
2012-03-05: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch
2012-03-06: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech
2012-03-09: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech
2012-03-10: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech
2012-03-14: NM: Socorro County
Notable: Greater White-fronted Goose; blue phase Ross' Goose; Greater Scaup
2012-03-17: NM: Bosque del Apache NWR
2012-03-24: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech
2012-03-25: NM: Socorro County

2012-03-01: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch

@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch

Thrasher, Curve-billed 1 @Socorro: 507 Fitch

Lurking around the same chollas where they have nested in former years.

2012-03-04: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

@NMT: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Raven, Chihuahuan # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Vocalizations: Low, flat croaks.

Raven, Common 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Vocalizations: 'rack'

2012-03-05: NM: Socorro: 507 Fitch

@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch

Route New thistle feeder, instantly popular. Pogonomyrmex ants out for the first time this year in the beautiful weather.

Siskin, Pine # @Socorro: 507 Fitch

Goldfinch, American # @Socorro: 507 Fitch

2012-03-06: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

@NMT: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Hawk, Cooper's 1a @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

2012-03-09: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

@NMT: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Hawk, Cooper's 1a @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

2012-03-10: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

@NMT: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

@Terry: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake

Duck, Ring-necked # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake

Duck, Ruddy # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake

Coot, American # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Terry Lake

Phainopepla 1♂ @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

2012-03-14: NM: Socorro County

Notable: Greater White-fronted Goose; blue phase Ross' Goose; Greater Scaup

@A101: Socorro Co.: Farm-Market Road

@BdA: Bosque del Apache NWR

@SocCo: Socorro County

@WC: Magdalenas: Water Canyon

@WCRd: Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road

@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch

Route

0820, leave Socorro.

0840, Water Canyon Road.

0910, on foot. Up Langmuir Road to #13 trailhead; down from the picnic area a short hop; and a short walk up the North Fork Road, which looks passable to the picnic area now.

1205, rolling.

1220, US-60^E.

1400, Bosque del Apache Marsh Loop.

1510, leaving the refuge.

D300 time hacks: this camera has been on daylight time since I got it in spring 2008. Today it was running about 2:30 fast. Set against my Casio watch (which synched with WWVB last night) at 08:43:00.

First Mourning Cloak butterfly of the year.

Goose, Greater White-fronted 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Goose, Blue 5 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Goose, white Snow 45 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Goose, Ross' 500 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Where the routes divide at the south end, in the flooded unit that I called Happy Mallard Corner in previous years.

Once again we see this pattern: late in the winter, Ross's outnumber Snows.

Goose, blue phase Ross' @Bosque del Apache NWR

1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

The first bird never pulled his head out of his wing. It was right in the middle of a group of Ross's and looked to be the same size.

1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

The bill seems a bit longer than a Ross's but shorter than a blue. Maybe an intergrade?

Goose, Canada # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Gadwall # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Mallard # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Teal, Cinnamon # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Shoveler, Northern # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Pintail, Northern # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Teal, American Green-winged # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Canvasback 1♀ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Redhead # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Duck, Ring-necked # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Scaup, Greater

1♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR

1♀ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Scaup, Lesser 1♀ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Bufflehead # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Grebe, Pied-billed # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Cormorant, Neotropic 8 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Heron, Great Blue @Socorro Co.: Farm-Market Road

Behavior: I've frequently seen these herons standing on a tall tree. This one was about 15' off the ground.

Harrier, Northern 2ϕ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Behavior: Soaring in a thermal. It always throws me when I see this species more than ten feet off the ground: what is this long-tailed, stripey bird of prey up there?

Hawk, Red-tailed

1a @Socorro Co.: Farm-Market Road

1 @Socorro Co.: Farm-Market Road

Kestrel, American # @Socorro Co.: Farm-Market Road

Coot, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Killdeer 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Dowitcher, Long-billed # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Roadrunner, Greater 1 @Socorro Co.: Farm-Market Road

Sapsucker, Red-naped # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

The second photo shows well the nape patch after which this species is named.

Woodpecker, Hairy 2 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

This was one of a pair working close together.

Phoebe, Say's

1 @Socorro Co.: Farm-Market Road

1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Shrike, Loggerhead 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road

Scrub-Jay, Western # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Crow, American 12 @Socorro Co.: Farm-Market Road

Raven, Common 2 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Vocalizations: I have no proof that this species was doing it, but I heard a strange low gurgling call that sounded like the gurgle call that Chihuahuan Ravens give, but much lower in pitch and with flat intonation.

Swallow, Northern Rough-winged 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Nuthatch, Red-breasted # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Several near the restrooms.

Nuthatch, White-breasted 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Vocalizations: Rapid 'yatta-yatta' sequence.

Kinglet, Ruby-crowned 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Bluebird, Western # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Vocalizations: 'byerp' while flying overhead.

Robin, American # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Thrasher, Curve-billed 1 @Socorro: 507 Fitch

Vocalizations: In full song mornings and sometimes evenings.