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Sangre de Cristo Audubon Society

Santa Fe & Northern New Mexico

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Pecos Monastery — Field Trip Report

by | May 19, 2025 | Past Field Trips

Leaders: Albert Shultz & Rick Rockman
 
Sixteen chapter members enjoyed a beautiful spring morning on Saturday, May 17, 2025, for a leisurely birding walk around the Monastery grounds. Bird activity was fairly good, and we were rewarded with views and songs of many summer birds and a few lingering migrants. The new leaves of the cottonwoods kept Yellow Warblers and Warbling Vireos mostly hidden, but Bullock’s Orioles made a good appearance. Circling swallows put on a great airshow over the more open parts of the trail — and scope views of perched birds revealed a couple of Northern Rough-winged Swallows among the dozens of Violet-green Swallows. Western Wood-Pewees were numerous, but except for a very obliging Black Phoebe at the riverside, other flycatchers were scarce, perhaps not yet returned from the tropics. Red-winged Blackbirds and Great-tailed Grackles loudly dominated the cattail pond and marsh, and flyover Great Blue Herons and Pinyon Jays were a pleasant surprise. Near the end of the walk we spotted a pair of Northern House Wrens, busy tidying up a potential knothole nest cavity, unbothered by us onlookers.   — Albert Shultz
 
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Melrose Woods — Field Trip Report

by | May 5, 2025 | Past Field Trips

Shane Woolbright, trip leader

Eleven Sangre de Cristo Audubon members made the trip out to Melrose Woods migrant trap east of Fort Sumner on May 3-4.   Unfortunately, migrant traps depend upon the weather cooperating, and on these days a strong southerly wind took the migrants northward.   We did find a few fallouts such as Olive-Sided Flycatcher, Indigo Bunting and Parula Warbler along with a Brown Thrasher.  Local birds included Cave Swallow, Chihuahuan Raven, Ferruginous Hawk, Lazuli Bunting, Bullock’s Oriole, Green Tailed Towhee.

The May 3 date may have been a little early this year;  however, it was a good day for wildflowers as a recent rain had brought out a surprising amount of color in the area.   

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Pecos Monastery

by | Apr 18, 2025 | Uncategorized

Saturday, May 17, 2025  — 8:15 am
 
Leaders: Albert Shultz & Rick Rockman
 
 
We’ll meet at 8:15 am at the Benedictine Monastery, just north of the town of Pecos. An easy walk of less than a mile beside meadows, streamside trees, thickets and a small cattail pond should provide a good variety of local breeding songbirds, including several species of flycatchers and woodpeckers, Violet-green Swallow, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow Warbler and possibly American Dipper. We should be finished before noon. Bring binoculars, a sun hat, rain gear, drinking water, and a snack. Trip will be limited to 15 participants.
 
Contact Albert prior to May 15 for details and to register: shultzaw@gmail.com — 505-699-1521(cellphone)
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Upper Los Alamos Canyon

by | Apr 18, 2025 | Uncategorized

Saturday, May 24th – 7:30am

Leader: René Laubach, renelaubach@gmail.com

We will walk 3.8 miles (round-trip) from scenic upper Los Alamos Canyon to Los Alamos Canyon Reservoir and back. The service-road grade is fairly easy and permits good group viewing. We will be seeking Red-naped Sapsucker, flycatchers, vireos and warblers as well as resident species such as Acorn Woodpecker and Stellerʼs Jay. Limited to 8 participants. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the junction of West Road and Omega Road (just east of the Los Alamos County Ice Rink), where there is ample parking.

Contact René prior to May 24th for details and to register at renelaubach@gmail.com

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Nambé Lake and Falls area

by | Apr 28, 2025 | Uncategorized

Sunday, May 11th – 7:30 am

Leader: Ken Bales, kbales2003@gmail.com

The Nambé Recreation Area has a wide variety of habitats including a large lake for waterfowl and wading birds. Ospreys nest around the lake, so they will be possible.  After birding the lake, we will go to the campground area where mature riparian forests are good for many passerine species. Depending on the birds, we plan to be there about three hours and return to the parking lot at the mall around or shortly after noon, possibly a bit before. Limited to 8 participants.

When: Meet at 7:30 a.m. in the parking lot in front of Starbucks at the De Vargas Mall.

Transportation: We will carpool from the mall.  Consider chipping in some gas money for the driver, if it is not you. Drive time from the mall is approximately 40 minutes to the recreation area.

Cost: THERE IS A $20 PER VEHICLE CHARGE TO ENTER NAMBE RECREATION AREA. We suggest dividing the cost among members in the carpool. No other cost is involved. What to Bring: Binoculars, spotting scope if you want (the leader will have one and will share it), hat, sun protection, water, any snacks you might want.

Contact Ken prior to May 11th for details and to register at kbales2003@gmail.com or call at (402-213-4040)

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