I birded a new area today, near Watrous (just a dot on the map) in
northeast NM. NM-97 runs from just off I-25 for about 10 miles along the
Mora River. All the land on both sides of the road is private property
(mostly large ranches, also Valmora, an
impressive "holistic retreat center"), so I birded exclusively from the
road. It's one of the most beautiful areas I've been to in NM that's NOT
in the mountains. The river has cut a fairly narrow valley between 2 rocky
bluffs, then the last few miles along NM-97 open out into a broad valley
with a large (and privately-owned) lake, Cherry Valley Lake. I had a total
of 46 species between the road and the lake, including a Northern Shrike
(life bird, the bird I came here hoping to see, and bird of the day),
American Dipper, Lewis's Woodpecker, a couple of unexpected Wilson's Snipe,
and one Tundra Swan on the lake. The lake is pretty far from the road, and
I don't have a scope, so it was tough to distinguish between the many ducks
on Cherry Valley Lake -- if you go, bring a scope! Also saw a herd of
probably 50 elk just across the river from me. Links to eBird checklists
are below.
There's a railroad track between one of the bluffs and the road, and I was
surprised to see an AMTRAK passenger train go by...
