Shipman's field notes, Jul 2012

2012-07-22: NM: Socorro County
2012-07-28: NM: Socorro County: Nogal Canyon to Box Canyon

2012-07-22: NM: Socorro County

@BdA: Bosque del Apache NWR

@SocCo: Socorro County

@road1: A-101, Luis Lopez to San Antonio

@road2: NM-1, San Antonio to Bosque del Apache via Miera Road

Route First field trials for my new-to-me SUV. Generally Socorro to Bosque del Apache NWR and back, but spent some time on Miera Road in San Antonito as well as on NM-1.

Goose, Canada # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Quail, Gambel's # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Grebe, Pied-billed # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Description: Late immature, nearly adult size but showing some of the white facial stripe of the juvenile.

Grebe, Western # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Grebe, Clark's # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Cormorant, Neotropic 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Heron, Great Blue @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Great # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Snowy # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Heron, Green # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Vulture, Turkey @NM-1, San Antonio to Bosque del Apache via Miera Road

Kestrel, American # @A-101, Luis Lopez to San Antonio

Coot, American 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Killdeer 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Sandpiper, Spotted 2 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Near the Boardwalk.

Arboreal Spotted Sandpipers; what next? The Spiny Softshell in the foreground looks healthy, doesn't he?

Dove, Mourning

# @NM-1, San Antonio to Bosque del Apache via Miera Road

# @Bosque del Apache NWR

Roadrunner, Greater 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

See note under Barn Swallow.

Phoebe, Black # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Phoebe, Say's 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Kingbird, Western # @A-101, Luis Lopez to San Antonio

Raven, Chihuahuan 2 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Vocalizations: 'rack'

Swallow, Barn

# @A-101, Luis Lopez to San Antonio

# @Bosque del Apache NWR

Behavior: A small swarm of maybe five swallows were making close passes at a Greater Roadrunner as it walked across the Center Road. The cuckoo was acting as if it were intimidated, too, on several occasions ducking or weaving or doubling back to avoid them before it got clear across the road and back into some cover.

Robin, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Mockingbird, Northern @A-101, Luis Lopez to San Antonio

Thrasher, Curve-billed 1 @NM-1, San Antonio to Bosque del Apache via Miera Road

Miera Road, in “downtown” San Antonito.

Yellowthroat, Common # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Vocalizations: Not seen, but singing from several dense stands of cattail.

Chat, Yellow-breasted # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Vocalizations: I never saw any of these birds, but upon trying to describe to Jerry Oldenettel a suite of loud calls issuing from several different thickets around the tour loop, we agreed they were Chat noises. Then I remembered hearing many of these noises many times at Rattlesnake Springs when I could see the perpetrators. A loud, liquid 'wheerp'; a very dry 'whip'; and a machine-gun-like 'tik-tik-tik-tik-tik'.

Towhee, Spotted 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Vocalizations: 'ker-wheeee'; voice only

Grosbeak, Blue

1 @A-101, Luis Lopez to San Antonio

1♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR

1♀ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Blackbird, Red-winged # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Grackle, Great-tailed # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Finch, House # @Bosque del Apache NWR

2012-07-28: NM: Socorro County: Nogal Canyon to Box Canyon

@Grove: Socorro County: Nogal Canyon: Walnut grove

GPS: 335413.2n 1065807.8w East end of the grove

GPS: 335410.7n 1065814.1w West end of the grove

@Nogal: Socorro County: Nogal Canyon to Box Canyon

GPS: 335508.5n 1065249.9w Leave freeway ramp

GPS: 335435.5n 1065711.8w Enter the slot canyon

GPS: 335356.8n 1070013.9w Lots of butterflies at this seep.

GPS: 340028.1n 1065933.4w Box Canyon road joins US-60

Route

On 1985-05-17 I traveled this fascinating route with my neighbor Philip Johnson. From I-25 southbound, take the San Antonio exit. Just past the start of the ramp, as it starts to curve back to the left under the freeway, there is a large, obvious dirt road going to the right. At the first fork, bear left; at the second fork, bear right. This mostly good dirt road leads west through the middle of a narrow canyon in the middle of the Chupadera range.

Do not venture into the narrows without four-wheel drive! There are some stretches of fairly deep soft sand. This was my second day of field trials of my new-to-me SUV.

Emerging from the west end of the slot, there is an absolutely gorgeous oasis on the left with a stand of quite large old Arizona Walnuts, Juglans major. With my friend Josef Brown we explored this small tract and found lots of birds, including several I couldn't identify. The road continues twenty or thirty miles mostly through overgrazed ranchland and emerges through Box (One Oxcart Wide) Canyon.

New butterfly: Reikart's Blue, Echinargus isola. Also a couple of Queens and quite a number Sleepy Oranges.

Dove, Mourning # @Socorro County: Nogal Canyon to Box Canyon

Nighthawk, Common 2 @Socorro County: Nogal Canyon: Walnut grove

Description: The white blaze on the primaries is barely visible and well covered by the tertials. Overall pale grayish back with many large buff-colored spots.