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Sangre de Cristo Audubon Society

Santa Fe & Northern New Mexico

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Public Comment on Draft General Management Plan and Environmental Assessment, Valles Caldera National Preserve

by | Aug 28, 2025 | Conservation in Focus

Since the original Valles Caldera Trust’s inception, the Sangre de Cristo Chapter has advocated for preservation and public ownership of this land and regards this management plan as an important blueprint for the future of the preserve. After reviewing both the management plan and environmental assessment, we believe that the New Appropriate Facilities Alternative offers the best option for encouraging the public to enjoy Valles Caldera’s beauty and serenity without compromising the preserve’s natural, cultural and historic values.

– see complete comment
– see planning documents
– submit a comment

 

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County in Illinois Rules That Homes Must Prevent Bird Collisions – A National First

by | Jun 2, 2025 | Conservation in Focus

May 21, 2025 · American Bird Conservancy

A local ordinance passed in Lake County, Illinois, is taking aim at one of the most worrying threats to declining birds: collisions with glass windows. More than a billion birds die in the U.S. in such collisions annually, contributing to the loss of 3 billion birds from North American populations since 1970. The ordinance is a national first and follows two years of collaboration between Lake County’s Planning, Building and Development Department and American Bird Conservancy (ABC), which commenced after local bird conservation advocate Donnie Dann asked the county to consider adopting a bird-friendly building policy.

Initial conversations centered on how to address bird collisions at County-owned buildings and about adopting a policy for new County construction and collisions at existing buildings. The next step was tackling something no municipality had done before: passing a bird-friendly building ordinance solely for new residential construction, including single-family homes.

“We’re hoping this groundbreaking homeowner collisions requirement could become trendsetting for other cities, especially since our latest study revealed that over 1 billion birds die from window collisions in the U.S. annually, with over 40 percent happening at homes. Together we can build a future in which glass is no longer a leading threat to birds,” said Bryan Lenz, ABC’s Glass Collisions Program Director.

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Hawk Watch at Capilla Peak, Manzano Mountains

by | Oct 5, 2025 | Upcoming Field Trips

Saturday, October 11, 2025
9:00 am – Leave Santa Fe;   11:15 am – 4:00 pm at Hawk Watch
Leader: Rick Rockman   rockmanrjr@gmail.com

This full-day field trip’s destination is at a high-altitude lookout on Capilla Peak, elevation of 9,379 feet in the Manzano Mountains. The 12-mile road from the town of Manzano to the summit is gravel and is usually in good condition. Approximately half a mile of moderate to steep hiking will bring us to the rocky HawkWatch site, a raptor watching and banding station. The primary objective of HawkWatch is to track long-term population trends of diurnal raptors throughout North America, primarily in western states. The lookout site may offer up to 18 kinds of raptors during fall migration.

This field trip will last until 4 pm at the HawkWatch site, so bring a sturdy pair of shoes or boots, a raincoat and hat, water, lunch or snacks, sun protection and a pair of binoculars. Weather conditions can change quickly, so bring layers of clothing. You might also consider bringing a soft cushion to sit on, as the Capilla Peak lookout is situated on a shadeless rocky ledge.
This trip is appropriate for all levels of birders, especially those interested in raptors.

Meet at parking lot next to Pecos Trail Café in Santa Fe at 9:00 am in order to arrange carpooling to HawkWatch, approximately 2 ¼ hours away. Please park on Calle Espejo, off Old Pecos Trail. This trip is limited to 10 participants. Contact Rick Rockman at rockmanrjr@gmail.com or (505) 660-9972 to reserve your spot.

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Los Luceros Historic Site

by | Oct 1, 2025 | Past Field Trips

Sunday, October 5, 2025
7:00 am – Leave Santa Fe;   8:00 am – Meet at Los Luceros Visitor Center
Leader: Jerry Friedman – jerry_friedman@yahoo.com

This is an easy walk at a restored historic ranch featuring gardens, pastures, orchards and riparian woodland trails that make it an Important Bird Area (IBA), north of Española on the Rio Grande. Species should include migrants, especially songbirds and probably waterfowl, as well as residents such as Lewis’s Woodpeckers. We will meet at 7 am at DeVargas Mall in Santa Fe, in front of Starbucks, or at 8 am at Los Luceros. There is a limit of 12 people on the number of participants for this field trip.

A list of species observed month by month is available here. Entry is free for New Mexico residents (you may be asked for your zip code or even to show an ID) because it’s the first Sunday of the month, when the site also opens early to accommodate birders and others. In Pojoaque, take US Hwy 285 north to Espanola. At the intersection near Dandy Burger, continue straight despite the detour signs, which apply to people going west toward Los Alamos or Chama. Take State Rd. 68, north about eleven miles to Alcalde. On your left, you’ll see the sign for Los Luceros Road, County Rd. 48. Turn left off 68 to Los Luceros, in Alcalde. The trip should be over by 11 AM, but some people may want to stay and do the self-guided tour of the ranch house and other buildings. Picnic tables are available. For first-timers, the trip will be an enjoyable introduction to an area that provides good birding year-round, including a small flock of Sandhill Cranes, November to February, the closest wintering cranes to Santa Fe and parts north. Contact Jerry Friedman at jerry_friedman@yahoo.com or (505) 929-6925.

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Upper Los Alamos Canyon — Field Trip Report

by | Jun 2, 2025 | Past Field Trips

May 24, 2025 — Rene Laubach, Leader

Six registrants, my wife Christyna and myself enjoyed stellar weather conditions, lovely scenery, and fine birding during this field trip. Although detecting birds mostly by sound in the beginning, we were eventually treated to good looks at a variety of colorful and interesting species–43 in all, including Acorn Woodpecker, Warbling and Plumbeous Vireos, a rare-flagged Gray Catbird, Hermit Thrush, Northern House Wren, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Bullock’s Oriole, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, and five species of warblers–Virginia’s, MacGillivray’s, Yellow, Grace’s, and Wilson’s. 

eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S242140912

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