Date: 8/13/24 3:32 pm From: Betsy Checchia <betsy.checchia...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] West Central NM -- Grants/Mt. Taylor area Monday, 12 August
I birded a couple of spots in Cibola County on the west and north-ish sides
of Mt. Taylor yesterday. Nice cool weather and some beautiful scenery at
8000+ feet. At the Coal Mine Campground north of Grants I had 23 species,
including Williamson's Sapsucker, Woodhouse's Scrub Jay, an adult and
juvenile Bullock's Oriole, and some Lesser Goldfinches (which I haven't
seen in Albuquerque's South Valley lately). I then drove up to a parking
spot below the La Mosca Lookout and hiked on part of the Continental Divide
Trail that gives good views of Mt. Taylor. I had 27 species there above
9000 feet (13 different species from the Coal Mine Campground) for a total
of 36 species for the day. Bird of the day was Dusky Flycatcher at La
Mosca -- there were 2 fledglings being fed by 2 adults there. The
fledglings sat next to each other on a branch and alternated single quiet
"whit"s to remind the adults they were there. Other birds at La Mosca
included 2 Wild Turkeys (I think the small pond there is fed by the aptly
named Gobbler Spring), Band-tailed Pigeon, Cassin's Finch, Pine Siskins,
and at least 12 Dark-eyed Juncos, most of them fledglings. LInks to both
eBird checklists are here: https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/dy90CDwKGDTpx2OMSWxEBL?<domain...> https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/Q_V_CEKLJEtyqr6nSwTS_s?<domain...>
