Bird Sightings Report

Bird Sightings Report, September 1 to September 30, 2009

The main thrust of fall migration has taken place as winter visitors join the year-round resident species to form our late fall, winter, and early spring bird communities. Many passerine species now tend to congregate in relatively small, mixed feeding flocks.

Species Accounts

Ducks: 59 Northern Shovelers at the Tyrone sewage pond (Gene Lewis, 9/13).

Grebes: 4 Eared Grebes (Bill Evans Lake, Roland Shook, 9/14).

Herons: 2 Great Egrets at Bill Evans Lake (9/28, Jerry Bird)

Ibis: 2 White-faced Ibis were seen at Lake Robert’s on 9/4 (Larry Malone) and 39 were seen at Bill Evans Lake (Roland Shook and Linda Moore, 9/22).

Vultures: 84 Turkey Vultures were seen by Patricia Taber of 9/28 above Silver City.

Hawks: Larry Malone reported only his second Zone-tailed Hawk sighting in Luna County on the east side of Florida Mountains (9/8), and a immature of the same species was seen in the Gila Bird Area by Roland Shook and Linda Moore (9/17).

Rails: Sora – 1 adult and 1 immature, seen at the upper end of Lake Robert’s (9/4, Larry Malone).

Shorebirds: A Semipalmated Plover (Deming Waster Water Plant, Larry Malone, 9/7); a Spotted SandpiperWestern Sandpiper and (Tyrone sewage pond, Gene Lewis, 9/6); Baird’s Sandpiper (1 to 2 at Tyrone sewage ponds, Gene Lewis, 9/6, 9/7, 9/20) and several photographed by Robert Shantz at the junction of I-10 and Animas Highway (9/13); Red-necked Phalarope (Tyrone sewage ponds, Gene Lewis, 9/20; and Bill Evans Lake, Roland Shook, 9/14); and an American Avocet (Roland Shook, Bill Evans Lake, 9/14).

Baird’s Sandpiper, Robert Shantz, Animas Rd and I-10, 9/13

Hummingbirds: A female White-eared Hummingbird was reported by Karen Beckenbach at her Silver City residence (9/26).

Woodpeckers: An Acorn Woodpecker was seen on the east side of Florida Mountains by Larry Malone, his first for Luna County (9/7), a Lewis’ Woodpecker visited Richard Matthews’ Silver City residence on 9/26 and Jerry Bird saw the same species at the Iron Bridge on 9/18, and a Red-naped Sapsucker was seen in the Gila Bird Area (Roland Shook, 9/14).

Flycatchers: 12 Western Wood Pewees at the Tyrone sewage ponds (Gene Lewis, 9/6); an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Lake Robert’s on 9/4 (Larry Malone); a high of 12 Western Kingbirds on 9/7 (Gene Lewis, Tyrone sewage pond); and a Gray Flycatcher at the Tyrone sewage ponds (Gene Lewis, 9/13).

Shrikes: A Loggerhead Shrike (Tyrone sewage ponds, Gene Lewis, 9/6).

Vireos: A Bell’s Vireo at the Tyrone sewage pond (Gene Lewis, 9/6, his 204^th species for that location).

Swallows: 2 Bank Swallows at the Tyrone Sewage Ponds (Gene Lewis, 9/13).

Bushtits: 6 Bushtits at Gene Lewis’ Silver City residence (9/14); and several at Mary Alice Murphy’s Silver City residence on 9/16.

Bushtits by Mary Alice Murphy, Silver City, 9/16

Wrens: A House Wren (Gila Bird Area, Roland Shook, 9/14)

Thrushes: an immature Townsend’s Solitaire seen by Jim Rogers at Lake Roberts (9/7).

Immature Townsend’s Solitaire, Jim Rogers, Lake Robert’s, 9/7

Kinglets: A Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the Gila Bird Area (Roland Shook and Linda Moore (9/22).

Phainopeplas: 2 Phainopeplas on the east side of Florida Mountains (Larry Malone, 9/7).

Warblers: A female Black and White Warbler seen at Cherry Creek Camp Ground on 9/4 (Larry Malone); several species at the Tyrone sewage pond seen by Gene Lewis: an Orange-crowned Warbler (9/6), a Virginia’s Warbler (9/7), a Yellow-rumped Warbler (9/13), and a Wilson’s Warbler (9/16). A Townsend’s Warbler was seen and photographed by Jim Rogers in Hanover (9/23). McGillivray’s Warbler (Roland Shook, Gila Bird Area, 9/2, 9/17), Nashville Warbler (Roland Shook, Gila Bird Area, 9/17), 1-2 Painted Redstarts (Roland Shook, Gila Bird Area, 9/14, 9/17 and 9/22)

Townsend’s Warbler, Jim Rogers, Hanover, 9/23

Tanagers: A female Western Tanager (Tyrone sewage pond, Gene Lewis 9/6); and two additional females at Gene’s Silver City residence (9/14).

Sparrows: 35 Chipping Sparrows (9/13); and 7 Vesper Sparrows (9/13) at the Tyrone sewage ponds (Gene Lewis). A Dark-eyed Junco was seen at Richard Matthews’ residence in Silver City (9/27).

Field Trips

The Gila River Bird habitat area will be October’s des­tination. We will be exploring the woods along the riv­er and walking can be a little rough—the trails are not well defined. We will also be birding along the gravel road leading to the birding area. If time permits, we will stop off at Bill Evans Lake and Mangas Springs on the way home. We will meet on Saturday, October 17 at the parking lot south of the WNMU Fine Arts Theater at 8:00 am and carpool to the area. Bring binoculars, sun­screen, a hat, snacks and water. We should return in the early afternoon. This is site #20 on the Southwestern New Mexico Birding Trail.

All photographs displayed in this Bird Sightings Report remain the sole property of the photographer. Expressed written permission is necessary to use any of these photographs.

Bird Sightings Report, August 1 to August 31, 2009

Let the migration begin! A quick perusal of these observations will reveal that fall migration has begun in earnest for a number of species. Tyrone sewage ponds have produced numerous shorebird observations and fall warbler migration is also well represented. An early morning walk will remind you that the “dawn chorus” of May and June is now virtually silent. Winter visitors are beginning to appear and will quickly become our common species.

Quiz Bird

Photo by Connie Adler, 27 August, Silver City

Ducks: The Tyrone sewage ponds produce a number of observations: A Wood Duck (Gene Lewis, 2 August); 92 Mallards including 8 very small young and some half grown young (Gene Lewis, 2 August). The population continued to grow until Gene observed 125 on 30 August; 2 female Cinnamon Teal (Gene Lewis, 9 August) and 30 were present on 23 August (Gene Lewis).

Quail: A covey of Montezuma Quail composed of two hens and a double brood of 20+ chicks at the mouth of Pictograph Canyon near Lake Roberts (Frances Land, 1 August), also a covey at Julian Lee’s Dos Griegos residence in Silver City (28 August), another observation of a male south of Silver City on Highway 90 near mile marker 23 at the Hovarter’s residence (Henri Hovarter, 31 August).

Grebes: A Western Grebe on Bill Evans Lake (Roland Shook, 21 August.

Cormorants: A Neotropic Cormorant at Lake Roberts (Paul Boucher, 6 August)

Herons and Ibis: A Great Egret at the Highway 180 bridge over the Gila River (Mike Fugagli, 29 August); 2 Black-crowned Night-Herons at TNC pond on the Lichty Center in the Cliff/Gila Valley (Mike and Carol Fugagli, 17 August); Three White-faced Ibis at the Tyrone sewage ponds (Christopher Rustay, 22 August)

Raptors: Two Zone-tailed Hawks at the Pitchfork Ranch south of Silver City (Christopher Rustay, 22 August); an Osprey in the Gila Bird Area (Roland Shook, 15 August); a Golden Eagle near the Grant Co. airport (Jim Rogers, 14 August); a Swainson’s Hawk near the Grant Co. airport (Jim Rogers, 25 August).

Photo by Jim Rodger, Grant Co. Airport, 25 August

Rails: A Sora foraging along the shore at the Tyrone sewage ponds (Julian Lee, 28 August).

Cranes: The season’s first report of a Sandhill Crane flying over the Lichty Center in the Cliff/Gila Valley (Carol Fugagli, 17 August).

Shorebirds: The Tyrone sewage ponds produced a number of observations: 6 Killdeer (Gene Lewis, 2 August); 1 Western Sandpiper (Gene Lewis, 2 August, 23 August); 2 Least Sandpipers (Gene Lewis, 2 August);  3 Spotted Sandpipers on 2 August (Gene Lewis); 20 Wilson’s Phalarope (Gene Lewis, 30 August); 14 Baird’s Sandpipers (Christopher Rustay, 22 August), with 22 individuals on 23  August (Gene Lewis); a Semipalmated Sandpiper (Gene Lewis, 23 August); 2 Black-necked Stilts on a pond east of Columbus, NM (KO Sullivan, 30 August).

Terns: Black Terns at Lake Roberts (Paul Boucher, 6 August).

Doves: Two Inca Doves (16, 18, and 30 August) at Gene Lewis’ Silver City residence.

Roadrunner: A Greater Roadrunner at Connie Alder’s residence in Silver City (11 August) and one at the Gene Lewis’ residence, only the second in 18 years (30 August).

Nighthawks: A Common Nighthawk in the Gila Bird Area where this species has become scarce (Roland Shook, 7 August).

Hummingbirds: A Magnificent Hummingbird on Black Range Trail 74 above Meason Park (Paul Boucher, 5 August); a male Anna’s Hummingbird at Lake Roberts (Frances Land, 26 August); Calliope Hummingbirds at the Alice Trombly’s residence in Wind Canyon (8 August) and a male, subadult male, and female at the Dolton’s Silver City residence (Brian Dolton, 30 August).

Calliope Hummingbird photo by Allison Trombly, Silver City, 8 August

Flycatchers: An Eastern Phoebe in the Gila River Bird Area (Roland Shook, 21 August).

Vireos: On August 26, a Cassin’s Vireo in Catron County was observed on the west fork of the Gila River, approximately 4 miles upriver from the Cliff Dwellings (Julian Lee); a Warbling Vireo in the Gila Bird Area (Roland Shook, 31 August).

Swallows: A Tree Swallow, the first in many years for Gene Lewis at the Tyrone sewage ponds (13 August).

Wrens: Two House Wrens in the Gila Bird Area (Roland Shook, 31 August).

Warblers: Several Nashville Warblers at the Pitchfork Ranch south of Silver City (Christopher Rustay, 22 August); a McGillivray’s Warbler in the Gila River Bird Area (Roland Shook, 21 August), and one at the Tyrone Sewage Ponds (Gene Lewis, 23 August); an Orange-crowned Warblers in the Gila Bird Area (Roland Shook, 21 August), 2 at the Lewis’ residence in Silver City (24 August), and one at Connie Adler’s residence on 27 August; two species of warblers at the Tyrone sewage ponds – Yellow Warbler and Common Yellowthroat on 25 August (Gene Lewis); 2 Wilson’s Warblers in the Gila Bird Area (Roland Shook, 21 August) and 19 more on 31 August; a Townsend’s Warbler in the Gila River Bird Area (Roland Shook, 21 August); 2 Painted Redstarts in the Gila Bird Area (Roland Shook, 21 August).

Tanagers: A male Western Tanager at Connie Alder’s residence in Silver City (11 August) and 16 August at the Tyrone sewage ponds (Gene Lewis).

Towhees: a Green-tailed Towhee at the Tyrone sewage ponds (Gene Lewis, 30 August)

Sparrows: A Chipping Sparrow at the Tyrone sewage ponds (Gene Lewis, 2 August); 15 Lark Sparrows (Gene Lewis, Tyrone sewage ponds, 9 August); Lark Buntings were seen approximately 20 miles south of Silver City and at the Tyrone sewage ponds (Christopher Rustay, 22 August); 1-2  Dickcissels at the Pitchfork Ranch approximately 20 miles south of Silver City (Christopher Rustay, 22 August); a Cassin’s Sparrow in the grasslands south of Silver City near Whitewater (Christopher Rustay, 22 August); a White-crowned Sparrow near Silver City (Mary Alice Murphy, 28 August)

Grosbeaks: A heavily molting adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak at the Zimmermans’ residence in Silver City on 1 August. There are very few summer observations of this species in our area.

Photo by Dale Zimmerman, Silver City, 1 August

Buntings: A male Lazuli Bunting in Hanover (Jim Rogers, 6 August) and a male and female in Silver City (Connie Alder, 18 August); a Painted Bunting near the ranch house of the Pitchfork Ranch south of Silver City (Christopher Rustay, 22 August).

Blackbirds: Six Yellow-headed Blackbirds at Lake Roberts (Frances Land, 26 August); 1-2 Brown-headed Cowbirds at the Gene Lewis’ residence (August 16-18).

Answer to Quiz

Photo by Dale Zimmerman, 27 April, Silver City

The quiz species is one that was also featured during the spring migration. In both April and late August this species moves through our area either going north or south depending on the time of year. In spite of being variable, all Orange-crowned Warblers have a spilt eye-ring, yellow undertail coverts, and some indistinct breast streaking. The orange crown patch, from whence it gets its common name, is concealed or absent. These are relatively hardy warblers that winter farther north than most of our species. On the quiz bird at the beginning of this report, the split eye-ring and greenish yellow color can be seen.

Field Trips

SWNM Audubon will conduct a field trip to Cherry Creek Campground on Saturday, September 19. Expect a relatively easy walk of approximately 1 mile on level ground. Those wishing to participate, please meet in the parking lot of the Fine Arts Auditorium on the campus of WNMU at 8:00 AM. Bring binoculars, sunscreen, a hat, snacks and water. For more information please contact Jerry Bird at 575 534 4940. Birders of all abilities are invited.