Shipman's field notes, May 2014

2014-05-10: NM: Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count
2014-05-10: NM: Socorro County (non-NAMC)
2014-05-18: NM: Socorro County
Notable: Cordilleran Flycatcher; American Redstart
2014-05-20: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay
Notable: Gray Catbird
2014-05-29: NM: Socorro County
2014-05-31: NM: Socorro County
Notable: Zone-tailed Hawk

2014-05-10: NM: Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

@NAMC: Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Route

Effort: by car, 2.80 hours and 23.1 miles; by foot, 4.73 hours and 2.3 miles; total, 7.53 hours and 25.4 miles.

Started at Turtle Bay just before dawn, worked it fairly thoroughly, then drove briefly out into the scrublands west of town. Thence across I-25 to Riverine Parks #5 and #4, walking most of a mile around the latter.

Duck, Ring-necked 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Quail, Gambel's 7 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Vulture, Turkey 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Hawk, Cooper's 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Sandpiper, Spotted 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Riverine Park #4.

Pigeon, Rock 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Collared-Dove, Eurasian 6 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Dove, White-winged 9 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Dove, Mourning 14 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Roadrunner, Greater 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Hummingbird, Black-chinned 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Turtle Bay.

Breeding: Sitting on a nest.

Woodpecker, Ladder-backed 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Wood-Pewee, Western 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Empidonax sp. 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Phoebe, Black 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Phoebe, Say's 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Flycatcher, Ash-throated 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Kingbird, Western 17 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Vireo, Plumbeous 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Originally called a Cassin's but the photos clearly show the plain white edges to the secondaries, not greenish.

Vireo, Warbling 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Raven, Chihuahuan 7 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Swallow, Cliff 20 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Swallow, Barn 14 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Nuthatch, White-breasted 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Wren, Bewick's 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Thrush, Hermit 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Robin, American 20 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Mockingbird, Northern 6 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Starling, European 13 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Waxwing, Cedar 5 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Phainopepla 3 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Waterthrush, Northern 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Warbler, Orange-crowned 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Warbler, MacGillivray's 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Yellowthroat, Common 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Warbler, Yellow 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Warbler, Audubon's 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Warbler, Myrtle 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Warbler, Wilson's 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Sparrow, Chipping 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Sparrow, Brewer's 5 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Sparrow, Lark 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Sparrow, Black-throated 3 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Sparrow, Song 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Sparrow, Lincoln's 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Sparrow, White-crowned 13 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Tanager, Summer 3 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Tanager, Western 3 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Grosbeak, Black-headed 2 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Blackbird, Red-winged 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Grackle, Great-tailed 14 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Cowbird, Brown-headed 3 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Oriole, Bullock's 4 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Finch, House 18 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Goldfinch, Lesser 1 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

Sparrow, House 11 @Socorro Co.: North American Migration Count

2014-05-10: NM: Socorro County (non-NAMC)

@BdA: Bosque del Apache NWR

@Soc: Socorro (city)

@SocCo: Socorro County (non-NAMC)

@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch

Goose, Canada # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Mallard # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Teal, Cinnamon # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Shoveler, Northern # @Bosque del Apache NWR

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

Duck, Ruddy # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Cormorant, Neotropic 2 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Heron, Great Blue # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Great # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Snowy # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Ibis, White-faced # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Coot, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Avocet, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Phalarope, Wilson's # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Roadrunner, Greater 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Flycatcher, Vermilion

1♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR

1♀ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Swallow, Tree # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Thrasher, Curve-billed 1 @Socorro: 507 Fitch

Sparrow, Black-throated 1 @Socorro (city)

Tanager, Summer 1 @Socorro (city)

2014-05-18: NM: Socorro County

Notable: Cordilleran Flycatcher; American Redstart

@BdA: Bosque del Apache NWR

@FMS: San Antonio: Farm-Market Road south of US-380

@NMT: Socorro: New Mexico Tech

@SAnt: San Antonio area

@Seas: Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

@SocCo: Socorro County

@home: Socorro: 507 Fitch

Route

(partial route)

1400, afoot in Seasonal Road.

1520, rolling from the Pump House.

Goose, Canada # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Gadwall # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Mallard # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Teal, Blue-winged # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Teal, Cinnamon # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Shoveler, Northern # @Bosque del Apache NWR

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

Redhead

1♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR

1♀ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Duck, Ring-necked 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Duck, Ruddy # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Quail, Gambel's

# @San Antonio area

# @Bosque del Apache NWR

Turkey, Wild 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Grebe, Pied-billed 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Cormorant, Neotropic 8 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Heron, Great Blue 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Great # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Egret, Snowy # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Night-Heron, Black-crowned 1a @Bosque del Apache NWR

Vulture, Turkey 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Hawk, Swainson's 2 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Kestrel, American 1♀ @San Antonio: Farm-Market Road south of US-380

Coot, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Avocet, American # @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

First photo with the 300mm x 2; second with the 80-400mm.

Sandpiper, Spotted # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Sandpiper, Western # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Sandpiper, Least # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Dowitcher, Long-billed 7 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Collared-Dove, Eurasian # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Dove, White-winged # @Socorro: 507 Fitch

Dove, Mourning

# @San Antonio area

1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Hummingbird, Black-chinned 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Sapsucker, Red-naped @Bosque del Apache NWR

Woodpecker, Ladder-backed 1♀ @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Flycatcher, Cordilleran 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

These Empidonax with the big almond-shaped eyering always give me trouble. The lower mandible, orange to the tip, suggests Willow, but that's way too much eyering. Least can have a lavish eyering but one would expect a dark tip to the lower mandible. The shaggy crest and somewhat yellow general cast say Cordilleran to me.

Phoebe, Black # @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Phoebe, Say's # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Flycatcher, Vermilion

1♂ @San Antonio area

4♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

1♀ @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Flycatcher, Ash-throated 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Kingbird, Western 1 @Socorro: 507 Fitch

Vireo, Warbling 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Raven, Chihuahuan # @Bosque del Apache NWR

Swallow, Barn # @San Antonio area

Robin, American # @Socorro: 507 Fitch

Catbird, Gray 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Catbird Corner, where the second leg of the Seasonal Road turns from eastbound to northbound.

Mockingbird, Northern

# @San Antonio area

1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Phainopepla # @San Antonio area

Waterthrush, Northern 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Warbler, MacGillivray's 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Yellowthroat, Common 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Redstart, American 1♀ @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Warbler, Yellow

1♀ @Socorro: 507 Fitch

1 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Warbler, Audubon's 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Warbler, Wilson's

# @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

1 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Chat, Yellow-breasted # @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Towhee, Spotted # @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Sparrow, Lincoln's 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Sparrow, White-crowned

# @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

# @Bosque del Apache NWR

Tanager, Summer 1 @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Tanager, Western 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Grosbeak, Black-headed 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Grosbeak, Blue 1♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR

Bunting, Lazuli

1♂ @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

1♀ @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Blackbird, Red-winged # @Bosque del Apache NWR: Seasonal Road

Grackle, Great-tailed # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Cowbird, Brown-headed # @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Oriole, Bullock's 1 @San Antonio area

Finch, House

# @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

1 @Bosque del Apache NWR

Goldfinch, Lesser 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

Sparrow, House 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech

2014-05-20: NM: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay

Notable: Gray Catbird

@TBay: Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay

Catbird, Gray 1 @Socorro: New Mexico Tech: Turtle Bay

South end of the Turtle Bay Bridge.

Vocalizations: Singing!

2014-05-29: NM: Socorro County

@Lem: Lemitar area

@SocCo: Socorro County

@SocNA: Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Route

1540, Lemitar.

1545, Socorro Nature Area, walked the hiking loop.

1650, rolling.

See pictures elsewhere of flowers and attractive orange fruit of Pale Wolfberry, Lycium pallidum, according to one the nice interpretive plaques on the hiking loop.

Mallard # @Lemitar area

Quail, Gambel's # @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Kestrel, American

1u @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

1♂ @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Collared-Dove, Eurasian 1 @Lemitar area

Dove, White-winged # @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Dove, Mourning

1 @Lemitar area

# @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Hummingbird, Black-chinned 2♂ @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Breeding: Shallow, symmetrical pendulum display.

Flycatcher, Ash-throated 1 @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Kingbird, Western 1 @Lemitar area

Swallow, Barn # @Lemitar area

Mockingbird, Northern 1 @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Phainopepla 1 @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Towhee, Spotted 1 @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Tanager, Summer

1♂ @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

This one was way off and hard to key out in the field. It took looking at the photos to realize it was a male Summer Tanager in the mottled transitional plumage.

1♂ @Lemitar: Socorro Nature Area

Blackbird, Red-winged # @Lemitar area

Grackle, Great-tailed # @Lemitar area

Sparrow, House # @Lemitar area

2014-05-31: NM: Socorro County

Notable: Zone-tailed Hawk

@Box: Box Canyon (off US-60 west of Socorro)

@SocCo: Socorro County

@US60: US-60, Water Canyon to Socorro

@WCRd: Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

@WCyn: Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Route

0830, leave Socorro.

0845, Water Canyon Road, which is also route FR 235.

0920, Water Canyon proper.

0930, walked around near the end of the pavement, above and below the road.

Vulture, Turkey 2 @US-60, Water Canyon to Socorro

Hawk, Zone-tailed 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Gliding down the canyon; it was around 1030 or so when it crossed the main road.

Description: My first impression: why is that vulture flying so directly? Then I saw the two white bands in the tail.

Dove, Mourning # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Swift, White-throated # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Woodpecker, Acorn 4 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Wood-Pewee, Western # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Phoebe, Say's 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Kingbird, Western # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Until I looked over the photos very carefully, I was quite convinced this was a Cassin's Kingbird, mainly due to the quite dark head and breast, and the well-marked white chin patch that shows in the second photo. However, the white outer retrices show clearly in both photos, and the coverts were not as white-edged as shown in the new Sibley guide. A very good quiz photo of a quite fresh Western, I now think.

Vireo, Plumbeous # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Vireo, Warbling 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Scrub-Jay, Western 2 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Raven, Chihuahuan 4 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Raven, Common # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Lark, Horned 2 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Swallow, Violet-green # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Nuthatch, White-breasted 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Wren, Rock 1 @Box Canyon (off US-60 west of Socorro)

Thrush, Hermit 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Mockingbird, Northern 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Warbler, Grace's 2 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Vocalizations: churr^{3-5}, fast jit-jit-jit-jit-jit

Towhee, Canyon 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Sparrow, Chipping # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Sparrow, Black-chinned 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Near the large group shelter there is a huge culvert that takes the flow of North Fork under the road. I walked through the culvert and heard the unmistakable song coming from the hillside at the far end.

Vocalizations: A few high chirps accelerating to a trill.

This is only the second of this species I've seen in my life, and I never actually saw it. The other was maybe a half-mile down the canyon on 1988-05-04.

Sparrow, Lark 1 @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Tanager, Hepatic

1♂ @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Description: Duller red than a Summer Tanager.

1♀ @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Tanager, Western # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Grosbeak, Black-headed 1♂ @Magdalenas: Water Canyon

Grosbeak, Blue ♂ @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)

Finch, House # @Magdalenas: Water Canyon Road (FR-235)