DVOC Main Page > Field Trips 2004 > Bosque del Apache Field Trip > Report 9
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Field
Trip Leader - Adrian
Binns
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Report #9
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Not Pictured: Adrian Binns, Jayne
Jones, Don Jones |
Day 9 of the DVOC field trip to New Mexico – Today most of us were heading home while Bert, Colin, Bill & Naomi were continuing to bird the southwest by invading Arizona. Because we only had a few hours before having to get to the airport, we headed to the Rio Grande Nature Center. This provided us with another opportunity to walk the trails there for passerines and check out the waterfowl at the ponds. The group spread out and people were able to clean-up some misses from earlier in the trip – Black-capped Chickadee, Bewick’s Wren, Brown Creeper or whatever else was around. In addition, several of us were able to find Hermit Thrushes at several spots and along the River Walk a pair of Eastern Bluebirds. The final new bird for the trip was a very cooperative Virginia Rail seen along the drainage canal. First found by Anna and Dennis, we all had a chance to see this sometimes secretive bird. We also happily shared this find with the Sunday Morning Bird Walk group.
Our
2 ½ hours at the Rio Grande Nature Center made for a nice conclusion
to a wonderful trip. Our unofficial group list hit 154 species (at least that
was my count but I’ve been known to miscount on occasion). Regardless
of the final species count, we all took home some great memories – Rosy-finches
at Sandia Crest; birding in fresh falling snow at Bosque; the fly-in and fly-out
at Bosque; all those Ferruginous Hawks; all those Scaled Quail; the blue Ross’
Goose; the Western Screech-owl along Animas Creek; birding at the Sante Fe
Ski Basin; and the Thayer’s Gull at the Cochite Dam spillway. Give or
take a u-turn or two we drove 1150 miles. Thanks to everyone for contributing
to making this a wonderful DVOC adventure!