briddo13
Briddo13
Just got back from a mornings birding here in New Mexico.
As a visitor to this part of the world from the UK , I thought I might share the experience. I have been in New Mexico for 10 weeks now, and recently we moved to the Arizona/N Mexico border near Window Rock. I just discovered a decent place to visit last week , this has now become my patch out West ! .It's a largish lake called Red Lake surrounded by marshy edges and set at about 5500 feet up also conifers and junipers.
the first bird this morning was a dark morph Red Tailed hawk which took off from a fence post as I drove up , then along the fences were 4 Turkey Vultures who had obviously found an overnight animal corpse. Their red faces showed well in the sunlight before they lumbered into the air at my approach. Next in line were two American Kestrels one of which had prey and was dissecting it on a post . Nearby a group of long Tailed Grackles were feeding in a field of newly cut hay along with about 15 assorted Ravens and crows. The lake margins were just getting the early sun and birds were active ,I quickly saw migrant Nashville , Orange Crowned ,and Yellow Rumped Warblers and a mystery vireo , also migrating through were Western Bluebirds a group of about 15 showed well in the shrubs around me and were interspaced with Western Tanagers mostly juveniles or females. unfortunately as I like the males with their lovely red caps!., also feeding were Red Shafted Flickers and a Western form Hairy Woodpecker showed well close by. a Coopers hawk flashed through and several Kestrels perched on top of the trees resplendent in the sunshine. The lake itself was quiet as yet not many migrants , just a flotilla of Coots, some Pintail and Shovellers. As I left a brilliant Blue male Grosbeak was calling as he shepherded his two offspring in the low undergrowth and beneath them an Orange Crowned Warbler twisted and turned in search of insects.
the whole trip of about 2 hours was a typical scene for me when birding out here, big contrast from the UK !!
As a visitor to this part of the world from the UK , I thought I might share the experience. I have been in New Mexico for 10 weeks now, and recently we moved to the Arizona/N Mexico border near Window Rock. I just discovered a decent place to visit last week , this has now become my patch out West ! .It's a largish lake called Red Lake surrounded by marshy edges and set at about 5500 feet up also conifers and junipers.
the first bird this morning was a dark morph Red Tailed hawk which took off from a fence post as I drove up , then along the fences were 4 Turkey Vultures who had obviously found an overnight animal corpse. Their red faces showed well in the sunlight before they lumbered into the air at my approach. Next in line were two American Kestrels one of which had prey and was dissecting it on a post . Nearby a group of long Tailed Grackles were feeding in a field of newly cut hay along with about 15 assorted Ravens and crows. The lake margins were just getting the early sun and birds were active ,I quickly saw migrant Nashville , Orange Crowned ,and Yellow Rumped Warblers and a mystery vireo , also migrating through were Western Bluebirds a group of about 15 showed well in the shrubs around me and were interspaced with Western Tanagers mostly juveniles or females. unfortunately as I like the males with their lovely red caps!., also feeding were Red Shafted Flickers and a Western form Hairy Woodpecker showed well close by. a Coopers hawk flashed through and several Kestrels perched on top of the trees resplendent in the sunshine. The lake itself was quiet as yet not many migrants , just a flotilla of Coots, some Pintail and Shovellers. As I left a brilliant Blue male Grosbeak was calling as he shepherded his two offspring in the low undergrowth and beneath them an Orange Crowned Warbler twisted and turned in search of insects.
the whole trip of about 2 hours was a typical scene for me when birding out here, big contrast from the UK !!
