We had to drive to Albequerque for the kidney transplant sales pitch just about a week ago. It was kinda cool to be snowed on in ABQ, then rained on half the way back, then lovely sunshine by the time we got to the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge outside of Socorro, NM. We decided to take a little break by just driving around the smaller loop and doing a bit of birding from the car. Lazy, yes.

We were rewarded with quite a long list of birds, quite a different list of birds from the fall trip we made a few years ago. In a way – almost more fun. We were almost the only people there.

We watched a hawk standing on the ground watching a mixed gaggle of Snow Geese and Canada Geese, juveniles and adults grazing their way across a field. He never moved – just stood there and watched them. I wonder if he was waiting to see if they would scare up some small rodents, voles or mice or something, with their grazing and walking?

Eastern Bluebird

Another big thrill was watching a pair of Eastern Bluebirds for several minutes in one of the trees lining the road. Neither of us had ever seen them before, and we got to watch them a good long time before they finally flew down the road a little further.

It was an impulse stop – and we didn’t have the camera along. These photos are all from the public domain.

Cinnamon Teal Ducks

The ducks were a real treat for me. I saw Cinnamon Teal for the first time – they are gorgeous when the sun is setting and throwing that golden light over their deep red feathers. We also saw Green-winged Teal, Mallards, and a great joy and surprise, Bufflehead Ducks! American Coots and Pied Grebes were there in abundance. You know how much I love to watch those silly Coots and it’s a treat now that we live out here – they used to be almost on our doorstep in Tulsa, of course. Now I hardly ever see them.

One nice advantage to being in the Southwest, thought, is that we got to see both Cormorants, the Double-Crested I am accustomed to seeing, as well as the Neotropicals. Of course, we had stopped by that particular pond because last year it hosted a huge mixed flock of some of my favorites birds, yellow headed and red winged blackbirds. The Yellowed-headed Blackbirds often visit the ranch for a few days – but I have to drive elsewhere to see my old favorites the Red-Winged Blackbirds. I enjoyed the Comorants, but the blackbirds were no where in sight.

Killdeer were also some old pals who were stalking the mud flats, along with some new acquaintences the American Avocets. There were a few other sandpipers that I couldn’t see well enough to identify for sure.

A Northern Harrier cruised right at the top of the long grasses alongside the road and allowed us to watch him for a long time. A very special surprise were the two pairs of ring-necked pheasents that also showed up alongside the road, as well as a couple of very young looking roadrunners.

Red-winged Blackbird

Just as we were ready to leave, we discovered the Red-winged Blackbirds were occupying the trees around the visitors center, giving their distinctive call back and forth. As if that wasn’t enough to make me happy, a Northern Flicker suddenly swooped past, perched briefly on a sign right in front of us, then whooshed off on important woodpecker business. As we were pulling out of the parking lot, we had to stop and let a flock of Gambels Quail run by in front of us. They didn’t want me to miss another of my favorite birds, I guess!

The Bosque Del Apache Wildlife Refuge is justifiably famous for the fall migration, but don’t skip a chance to go by just because it is a different season!

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