New Mexico, June 1-5, 1997.

So you think being a bird guide is easy? Check this out! From June 1 through 5 I was birding in New Mexico with Andover, MA birders Bob Fox and Dana Duxbury. I had worked with Bob and Dana twice before on Arizona specialties but this time was a little different. Bob is close to 700 ABA area birds so lifers are few and far between. He wanted a change, so my job on this trip was to get him "listable" in New Mexico. Bob and Dana had made a previous October trip to NM so the  goal was to find 79 species to add to those already seen to make 50% of the state total. A secondary goal was to meet the year list total of 194 trip species. Not wishing to keep you in suspense, we made the target of 79 with about 30 minutes to spare, but we failed on the triplist total at only 187. This just proves how difficult it is concentrate on target birding and still maintain a high overall species count.

I made a scouting trip in mid-May and was reasonably optimistic. However, the problem was time of year. No migrants, just permanent residents (many of which Bob had already seen) and breeding birds. It was definitely feasible but would not be easy. We began with a 5:00am pickup in Albuquerque on 6/1 and finished at Tucson Airport at 4:30pm on 6/5. In between we traveled approximately 2500 miles seeing 179 species (me) and 187 species (Bob and Dana). The following is a summary of the route, locations visited with a few selected birds, and a complete species list with locations. Counties birded to varying degrees, in sequence, were Socorro, Catron, McKinley, San Juan, Rio Arriba, Taos, Colfax, Guadalupe, De Baca, Chaves, Eddy, Otero and Grant.

Sunday, June 1, 1997
Leave Albuquerque 5:50am.
Soccoro County
Water Canyon 7:10-8:10am - 36 species.
Gray, Cordilleran, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Virginia's, Black-throated Gray,
Grace's, Red-faced Warbler, Hepatic Tanager and Evening Grosbeak.
Bosque del Apache NWR 10:45am-12:30pm - 37 species.
Western and Clark's Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Redhead.
McKinley County
El Malpais Narrows 4:00-5:15pm - 18 species.
Lewis' Woodpecker, Pinyon Jay, Gray Vireo, Black-chinned Sparrow.
Gallup
Sage Sparrow; hell of place to go for one bird.
Night in Farmington, arrive 10:30pm.

Monday, June 2, 1997
San Juan County.
Farmington area: Start at 6:15am. In town Eastern Kingbird, Lewis' Woodpecker, lots of Magpies. Lion's Park: A disappointing start on the San Juan River - high water racing along at great speed with little marsh habitat: Yellow-breasted Chat, Song Sparrow. Jackson Lake WA Also uninspiring: Spotted Sandpiper Cedar Waxwing. B Square Ranch 9:30-11:00am; 21 species. Things picked up here and we hit a few target species including Black-capped Chickadee, Orange-crowned and MacGillivray's Warbler and Lazuli Bunting.

Rio Arriba County
Highway 64 to Chama to Tres Piedras. In and beyond Carson National Forest, several stops at pulloffs and roadside ponds produced Blue-winged Teal, first Vesper Sparrow and Brewer's Blackbird of the trip, and the only Yellow-headed Blackbird. Dulce lake had Spotted Sandpiper. Gray Jay, Clark's Nutcracker and Red-naped Sapsucker in the San Juan Mtns. Here I was surprised to see the first Swainson's Hawk of the trip at 10,000 feet.

Taos County.
Band-tailed Pigeons at a couple of places along Highway 64 near Taos.

Colfax County
Highway 64 to Cimmaron. Eagle Nest Lake at dusk. Western Grebe and Ring-billed Gull.
Night in Cimmaron, arrive 8:45pm

Tuesday, June 3, 1997
Leave Cimmaron 5:40am
Colfax County
Maxwell NWR 6:20-8:00am - 28 species Western Grebe, Am. Avocet, Burrowing Owl, Ring-billed Gull, HERRING GULL, Black Tern, Eastern Kingbird, Grasshopper Sparrow - abundant, Brewer's Sparrow - a few, Lark Bunting - common.  I-25 - Hwy 84 to Santa Rosa to Fort Sumner

De Baca County
Fort Sumner and Bosque Redondo 11:30am - 1:50pm - 30 species Am. Bittern, Virginia Rail, Roadrunner, Red-headed Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Brown Thrasher, Common Grackle.

Chaves County
Bitter Lake NWR 3:20-5:10pm - 30 species Neotropic Cormorant, Green-winged Teal, Pintail, Am. Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Least Sandpiper, Snowy Plover, Ring-billed and Franklin's Gull, Black and CASPIAN Tern, Scaled Quail.

Eddy County
Hwy 285 Loving-Malaga Harris Hawk, Burrowing Owl, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (2). Black River Village Road Harris Hawk (3), Common and Lesser Nighthawk (both common), Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher (2+), Pyrrhuloxia, Black-throated and Cassin's Sparrow (lots).
Night in Carlsbad, arrive 8:45pm.

Wednesday, June 4, 1997
Leave Carlsbad 5:25am
Rattlesnake Springs 5:45-7:40am - a little disappointing. Scaled Quail, Yellow-billed Cuckoo (5+), Vermilion Flycatcher, Painted Bunting, Orchard Oriole, Cardinal, Cassin's Sparrow. Carlsbad Caverns NP Cave Swallow, Canyon & Rock Wren, Verdin, Canyon Towhee.
Brantley Lake Western and Clark's Grebe Co Rd 21 to Hope - Hwy 82 North Otero County
Highway 82 to Cloudcroft Red-breasted Nuthatch, Grace's Warbler, Western Tanager, Pine Siskin,
Green-tailed Towhee. Hwy 70 to Las Cruces, I-25 to Deming, Highway 180 to Silver City

Grant County
Little Walnut Campground Mountain Chickadee, Plain Titmouse, Hutton's Vireo, Gray Flycatcher,
Black-throated Gray and Grace's Warbler, Western and Hepatic Tanager.
Cherry Creek Campground Downy Woodpecker, Bridled Titmouse, Grace's and Red-faced Warbler, Painted Redstart. Poorwill on NM 15 few miles below campground.
McMillan Campground Whip-poor-will, Greater Pewee, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Virginia's Warbler.
Night in Silver City, arrive 9:20pm.

Thursday, June 5, 1997
Leave Silver City 5:30am
We started the day needing 10 birds to make the target 79. The day began badly because a failed wake-up call caused us to miss a chance of Western Screech-Owl; and then we burned much time in Fort Bayard looking for Mexican Jay. Acorn Woodpecker in town.

Grant County
Fort Bayard First Scrub-Jay of trip otherwise uninspiring. Ridge Rd - Airport Area Curve-billed Thrasher, Scott's Oriole, Bronzed Cowbird. Acorn Woodpecker and singing Black-chinned Sparrow near Tyrone mine Rd and NM 90. Mangus Springs Lucy's Warbler FR 851 through Burro Mountains:  Mexican Jay, Bridled Titmouse. Gila River at Redrock Biggest surprise here was a target bird trip maker - COMMON MERGANSER. Common Ground-Dove, Cactus Wren, Gila Woodpecker, Crissal Thrasher (NM 46 N of town), Vermilion Flycatcher, Summer Tanager,
Hooded Oriole. Here too was the final target bird - Abert's Towhee.
Leave at 2:30pm.

A total of 179 species seen by all. In addition, the following 8 species were   seen/heard by Bob Fox, unseen/unconfirmed by me, for a composite trip list of 187.

Black-crowned Night Heron - N of Albuquerque.
American Bittern - Bosque Redondo, Fort Sumner.
Common Moorhen - BDA NWR
Herring Gull - Maxwell NWR
Common Ground-Dove - Game Manager's Yard, Redrock.
Belted Kingfisher - Bitter Lake, NWR
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - McMillan Campground, N of Silver City.
Scott's Oriole - near Silver City Airport and N of Redrock.

The following is list of 179 species with locations. An asterisk indicates that the species was seen only once.

GREBES
Pied-billed Grebe BDA, Santa Rosa
Eared Grebe Maxwell, Bitter Lake
Western Grebe BDA, Eagle Nest Lake, Maxwell, Brantley Lake
Clark's Grebe BDA, Brantley Lake
CORMORANTS
Neotropic Cormorant BDA, Bitter Lake
*Double-crested Cormorant James Wallace Park, Santa Rosa
DUCKS, SWANS, GEESE
Ruddy Duck BDA, Maxwell, Bitter Lake, Brantley Lake
Canada Goose BDA, Bitter Lake, Maxwell
Gadwall BDA, Dulce Lake, Eagle Nest Lake
Maxwell, Bitter Lake
*Green-winged Teal Bitter Lake
Mallard Widespread
*Northern Pintail Bitter Lake
Blue-winged Teal Bitter Lake, Hwy 64 pond Rio Arriba County.
Cinnamon Teal BDA, Dulce Lake, Bitter Lake
Northern Shoveler Maxwell, Bitter Lake
*Common Merganser Gila River
HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS
Snowy Egret BDA, Bitter Lake, Brantley Lake
Great Blue Heron Hwy 64 pond Rio Arriba Co., Bitter Lake,
Gila River
*Great Egret BDA
*Cattle Egret Hwy 1 S of San Antonio, Socorro County.
NEW WORLD VULTURES
Turkey Vulture Widespread
HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES
*Northern Harrier Bosque Redondo
Harris's Hawk Hwy 285 S of Loving, Black River Village Rd.
Swainson's Hawk Widespread East and East central
Red-tailed Hawk Widespread
FALCONS
American Kestrel Widespread
PHEASANTS, GROUSE, QUAIL AND TURKEYS
*Ring-necked Pheasant BDA
Wild Turkey BDA, Rattlesnake Springs
WOOD-PARTRIDGES
Scaled Quail Bitter Lake, Rattlesnake Springs, Carlsbad
Caverns NP, Eddy County Rd 21
Gambel's Quail BDA, Little Walnut, Fort Bayard
RAILS AND COOTS
*Virginia Rail Bosque Redondo
American Coot Widespread
SANDPIPERS
Spotted Sandpiper Jackson Lake, Dulce Lake
*Least Sandpiper Bitter Lake
AVOCETS AND STILTS
*Black-necked Stilt Bitter Lake
American Avocet Maxwell, Bitter Lake, I-25 pond Colfax Co.
PLOVERS
Killdeer Widespread
*Snowy Plover Bitter Lake
GULLS AND TERNS
Ring-billed Gull Eagle Nest Lake, Brantley Lake, Bitter Lake
*Franklin's Gull Bitter Lake
Black Tern Maxwell, Bitter Lake
*Caspian Tern Bitter Lake
PIGEONS AND DOVES
Rock Dove Widespread
Band-tailed Pigeon Hwy 64 near Taos
Mourning Dove Widespread
White-winged Dove BDA, Carlsbad, Rattlesnake Springs
NEW WORLD CUCKOOS
*Yellow-billed Cuckoo Rattlesnake Springs
GROUND-CUCKOOS
Greater Roadrunner Bosque Redondo, Fort Bayard
OWLS
Burrowing Owl Maxwell, Hwy 285 S of Carlsbad
NIGHTJARS
Lesser Nighthawk Black River Village Rd, Eddy Co. Rd. 21
Common Nighthawk BDA, Black River Village Rd, Eddy Co. Rd. 21
*Common Poorwill NM 15 near Cherry Creek Campground
*Whip-poor-will NM 15 at McMillan Campground
SWIFTS
White-throated Swift El Malpais, Jackson Lake, Hwy 64 pond Rio Arriba Co.
HUMMINGBIRDS
Black-chinned Hummingbird Widespread
Broad-tailed Hummingbird El Malpais, Hwy 64 Rio Arriba Co., Cloudcroft
WOODPECKERS
Lewis's Woodpecker El Malpais, Apache Street - Farmington
*Red-headed Woodpecker Bosque Redondo
Acorn Woodpecker Silver City, NM 90 Tyrone mine
*Gila Woodpecker Gila River
*Red-naped Sapsucker Hwy 64 San Juan Mtns
*Ladder-backed Woodpecker Rattlesnake Springs
*Downy Woodpecker Cherry Creek Campground
Hairy Woodpecker Water Canyon, Cloudcroft, Fort Bayard
Northern Flicker Widespread
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
*Greater Pewee McMillan Campground
Western Wood-Pewee Widespread
Gray Flycatcher Waster Canyon, Little Walnut
Cordilleran Flycatcher Water Canyon, McMillan Campground
Say's Phoebe Water Canyon, BDA, Hwy 82 Eddy Co, NM 15 Grant Co.
Vermilion Flycatcher Rattlesnake Springs, Gila River
Ash-throated Flycatcher Widespread
Cassin's Kingbird El Malpais, Maxwell, Rattlesnake Springs
Cherry Creek Campground, Fort Bayard
Western Kingbird Widespread
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Hwy 285 Eddy Co., Black River Village Rd.
Eastern Kingbird Farmington, Maxwell
CROWS AND JAYS
Pinyon Jay Hwy 60 Datil Mtns., El Malpais
*Blue Jay Bosque Redondo
Steller's Jay Hwy 64 Rio Arriba Co., Hwy 82 Otero Co.
Western Scrub-Jay Fort Bayard, Ridge Rd. - Silver City
*Mexican Jay FR 851 Burro Mountains
*Gray Jay Hwy 64 crest of San Juan Mtns.
Black-billed Magpie Widespread N and NE
*Clark's Nutcracker Hwy 64 San Juan Mtns
American Crow Soccoro and Rio Arriba Co.
Chihuahuan Raven Socorro and Eddy Co.
Common Raven Taos, Colfax and Otero Co.
VIREOS AND ALLIES
*Bell's Vireo Rattlesnake Springs
*Hutton's Vireo Little Walnut
*Gray Vireo El Malpais
Solitary Vireo Water Canyon, Hwy 64 Dulce, Little Walnut, FR 851
Warbling Vireo Water Canyon, B Square Ranch, Hwy 64 near Dulce, Cherry Creek Campground
SHRIKES
Loggerhead Shrike Hwy 84 S of Las Vegas, Bitter Lake, Silver City
SILKY-FLYCATCHERS
Phainopepla BDA, Carlsbad Caverns NP, Mangus Springs
FR 851 Burro Mtns., Gila River
Cedar Waxwing Jackson Lake, B Square Ranch
THRUSHES
Western Bluebird Water Canyon, Hwy 64 San Juan Mtns., Macmillan
Campground, Fort Bayard.
Mountain Bluebird El Malpais, Hwy 64 E of Dulce
Hermit Thrush Hwy 64 W of Dulce, McMillan Campground
American Robin Widespread
MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS
Northern Mockingbird Widespread
Brown Thrasher Bosque Redondo
*Curve-billed Thrasher Silver City near Golf course
*Crissal Thrasher NM 46 N of Redrock
STARLINGS
European Starling Widespread
NUTHATCHES
*Red-breasted Nuthatch Cloudcroft
White-breasted Nuthatch Water Canyon, Hwy 64 W of Dulce, Cherry Creek Campground
WRENS
*Cactus Wren Gila River
Rock Wren El Malpais, Carlsbad Caverns NP
Canyon Wren El Malpais, Carlsbad Caverns NP, FR 851 Burro Mtns.
Bewick's Wren B Square Ranch, Rattlesnake Springs, Carlsbad
Caverns NP, Fort Bayard, Mangus Springs, Gila River
House Wren Hwy 64 W of Dulce, McMillan Campground
GNATCATCHERS
Verdin Carlsbad Caverns NP, Gila River
*Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Water Canyon
LONG-TAILED TITS
Bushtit Water Canyon, Fort Bayard
SWALLOWS
Violet-green Swallow Widespread
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Jackson Lake WA, Hwy 64 Rio Arriba Co.
Barn Swallow Widespread
Cliff Swallow Widespread
*Cave Swallow Carlsbad Caverns NP
CHICKADEES, TITS
*Black-capped Chickadee B Square Ranch
Mountain Chickadee Water Canyon, Little Walnut
Bridled Titmouse Cherry Creek Campground, Fort Bayard, FR 851 Burro Mtns.
*Plain Titmouse Little Walnut Campground
LARKS
Horned Lark Water Canyon, Silver City, NM 46 N of Redrock
OLD WORLD SPARROWS
House Sparrow Widespread
SISKINS, CROSSBILLS AND ALLIES
Pine Siskin Hwy 64 W of Dulce, Los Ojos, Cloudcroft
Lesser Goldfinch B Square Ranch, Jackson Lake WA, Rattlesnake Springs
House Finch Widespread
*Evening Grosbeak Water Canyon
NEW WORLD WARBLERS
*Orange-crowned Warbler B Square Ranch
Virginia's Warbler Water Canyon, McMillan Campground
Lucy's Warbler Mangus Springs, Gila River
Yellow Warbler Lion's park, Mangus Springs
*Yellow-rumped Warbler Cloudcroft
Black-throated Gray Warbler Water Canyon, Little Walnut
Grace's Warbler Water Canyon, Cloudcroft, Little Walnut, Cherry Creek
*MacGillivray's Warbler B square Ranch
Common Yellowthroat BDA, B Square Ranch, Bosque Redondo, Mangus Springs, Gila River
Red-faced Warbler Water Canyon, Cherry Creek Campground
*Painted Redstart McMillan Campground
Yellow-breasted Chat BDA, B Square Ranch, Lion's Park, Bosque Redondo, Gila River
BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, TANAGERS, ALLIES
*Lark Bunting Maxwell
Song Sparrow Lion's Park, B Square Ranch, Dulce Lake
*Grasshopper Sparrow Maxwell
*Chipping Sparrow Water Canyon
*Brewer's Sparrow Maxwell
Black-chinned Sparrow El Malpais, Tyrone Mine area
Vesper Sparrow Rio Arriba & Colfax Co.
Lark Sparrow Water Canyon, Gallup, Jackson Lake, Black River Village
Rd, Bosque Redondo, Fort Bayard
Black-throated Sparrow Black River Village Rd, Carlsbad Caverns NP, Gila River
*Sage Sparrow Gallup
Cassin's Sparrow Black River Village Rd, Rattlesnake Springs
*Rufous-crowned Sparrow Gila River
*Green-tailed Towhee Cloudcroft
Spotted Towhee Water Canyon, BDA, Hwy 64 , Little Walnut, Fort Bayard
Canyon Towhee Carlsbad Caverns NP, Fort Bayard, Gila River
*Abert's Towhee Gila River
Hepatic Tanager Water Canyon, El Malpais, Little Walnut
Summer Tanager BDA, Rattlesnake Springs, Mangus Springs, Gila River
Western Tanager Water Canyon, Hwy 64 Rio Arriba Co, Hwy 82 Otero Co,
Cherry Creek & McMillan Campgrounds
Black-headed Grosbeak Widespread
Northern Cardinal Rattlesnake Springs, Gila River
Pyrrhuloxia Black River Village Rd, Gila River
Blue Grosbeak Widespread
*Lazuli Bunting B Square Ranch
*Painted Bunting Rattlesnake Springs
BLACKBIRDS, GRACKLES, ORIOLES
*Hooded Oriole Gila River
Bullock's Oriole Widespread
*Orchard Oriole Rattlesnake Springs
*Yellow-headed Blackbird Hwy 64 pond Rio Arriba Co
Red-winged Blackbird Widespread
Eastern Meadowlark Water Canyon, Fort Bayard, Silver City Airport area
Western Meadowlark Widespread
Great-tailed Grackle Widespread
*Common Grackle Bosque Redondo
Brewer's Blackbird Rio Arriba & Colfax Co
*Bronzed Cowbird Silver City airport area
Brown-headed Cowbird Widespread