Birding My Way ~ Truth or Consequence, NM to Alamosa, Colorado

May 16, 2013

There were decisions to be made. Maria was very ill and I was waiting to hear from Richard who was waiting to hear from the physician. I had pretty much made the decision to return to Michigan but dithered, carrying on the inner dialogue. I finally thought I would proceed to Portal, Arizona and do at least one day of birding as I hadn't heard from Richard yet. So I headed down interstate on another sunny, hot day. By 10 in the morning, the wonderful balminess of the night was already turning into a merciless baking sunshine. Still, there is something about this clime....

I drove south for 28.8 miles and just could not continue, so exited, turned around and headed north. Faith and Eunice called, and I pulled off back at Truth or Consequences in order to check if there were any messages and mull over the situation after talking with Eunice.

Of course, I was disappointed, but in the context, birding could wait; Maria could not.

But, I decided to spend some more time at Bosque del Apache. Bosque is pronounced Bahs-kay or Boss-kay and means a wooded place. I learned this from the helpful, friendly volunteer at the refuge. He was also knowledgeable about birds. I had a list of twelve that I thought I would have a chnace of seeing...all birds I hadn't seen before. He told me where if if I might see them.

There was a sweet breeze; the sky was a soft blue and the emerging spring foliage on the huge cottonwoods (?) was about half-way to full, light green and delicate. I first watched cliff swallows who were mud-daubing. I could see them well as they were building these nests in several places at the entrance to the refuge center. Through binocs, I could see one bird with a big mud clump in its beak, and then watched as he/she daubed it in place. There were lizards running about.

I then watched the feeders for 15 minutes before heading out on the 6-mile north auto loop. (I had done the south loop yesterday.) I spent 2 hours driving and listening and looking, but nothing much was moving in the heat of the middle of the day. Still, I saw perhaps 20 species, picking them off here and there: western kingbirds, Say's phoebe, western yellow-rumps with rich egg-yolk yellow throats, avocets, spotted sandpipers, snowy and great egrets, shovelers..

But I was after birds like a roadrunner, an ash-throated flycatcher, a chat, a Chihuahuan raven perhaps (which I would almost certainly not have been able to distinguish from a common raven if I had seen one.

I saw two of the twelve on my list, which was fine, as listing is a small part of the pleasure I get being out in "habitat" so to speak. I heard a yellow-breasted chat which the volunteer gentleman said I would. He said he hears about five to every one he sees, so I was persistent. I got out of the car and just stood in the road peering intently into the brush from which the "chatting" was going on, and soon got enough glimpses (this is bird that will go on my list of "Birds I Have Seen but Want to See Again for a Better Look" list) to feel confident I saw a chat: large, yellow, white about the head...not ideal but enough. I heard them nearly every time I stopped in the brushy places.

I only saw two other birders who moved on ahead of me. When I got back to the center, I half collapsed from the heat plunking down on the couches in front of the feeders, and one of the gentleman kind of laughed and agreed he was also feeling that way. They were a father and his son from Albuquerque. The son was like all those young guy birders who are a presence all over in serious birding venues, probably in his late 20s, very good, serious, quiet....

And magic then happened because he said, "Do you see that little warbler?" I did almost immediately after they told me where to look and the father asked me if I knew what it was. I was seeing a grey bird with some yellow underneath, and a striking complete white eye ring. I guessed McGillivray's but really had no idea what it was, so the father told the son to tell me as the son was the one who identified it.

IT WAS A VIRGINIA'S WARBLER!. I was thrilled as this was one of my target warblers for Arizona (along with the Lucy's and Grace's warblers). I never expected to see one so easily. It surely made the day brighter. We watched it for a long time, close by, down near the ground, crubbing in a small weedy plant. The son also told me where I could find a Lucy's, but it was in a state park between Truth and Consequences and Bosque del Apache and I wasn't going to backtrack. I will remember the information though.

I was happy...

 I bought a few postcards and a book on the Rio Grande, talked with the volunteer about his travels and left well into the afternoon. The homes I passed often just sit forlornly in sandy, rocky yards with very little greenery. There were seldom grassy lawns and, plants, if present, were mostly prickly and hardy. There are quite often huge trees though, shading the homes somewhat, and creating leaf shadows in the hard sunlight. I had my Sibley tree ID guide but didn't even try to learn the native flora. One needs to settle into a place to gain the most benefit. Like the volunteers at the NWR refuges can live on the grounds in their campers (I think) for several months. Many dwellings were adobe and often had solid 6-foot fences around the yards. It is SO different from areas without a water scarcity.

In Albuquerque I was in accident-induced, stop-and-go traffic for at least an hour in 92-degree heat, all through the heart of the city. I was reminded of Chris and Julie's wedding in Albuquerque and what a good time that was, rushing about the day before to help Esther buy something to wear. She looked as beautiful as the bride.

On through Santa Fe and then north to Alamosa on a beautiful road. Although I knew I had 2-1/2 hours to drive, it was one of those unexpected perfect roads...barely any traffic, well-maintained, few stops, few towns, scenic and with lingering daylight that stayed long in the western sky. Almost long enough to get to Alamosa...I no longer like to drive at night for any distance. I followed one car for an hour before it turned down a long ranch road miles from any town.

I had made reservations, and the motel was marginal as the card key didn't work right and Internet access was so spotty that I couldn't really work. I was tired though, so just went to bed, dirty and exhausted. I am learning to ask to be near the front lobby for the best access, although the nicer motels have this covered no matter where one is. My window looked out into a large dark drab stairwell.