Adventures in My Bernalillo County Big Year: Rarities of 2020

For me, the stay-at-home recommendations of the pandemic evolved into the opportunity of a county "big year." For those not familiar with the term, that meant I tried to see as many bird species in my own county (Bernalillo) as I could. Which evolved into some very rich experiences of seeking out the rarities: Birds who showed up in the county outside of their normal range.So for this post: A year of rarities, the ones I was lucky enough not just to see, but to get their pictures.

January 3, 2020: Surf Scoter, Tingley Ponds

I often begin the New Year with a visit to this oasis for wintering waterfowl. This Surf Scoter had been hanging around the ponds since December 2019. They normally winter along the east and west coasts of North America. This one made itself comfortable among the domestic and habituated waterfowl of the northernmost boat pond, AKA the "feeding pond."

  

January 25, 2020: Pine Warbler, ABQ Uptown

Later in January, this Pine Warbler (normally an eastern bird) was reported hanging around office buildings in Albuquerque's Uptown area. If you wonder how a rarity is found in such a place--it's all about whether the area is the "habitat" of a knowledgeable birder. In this case, the birder who found it works in one of the office buildings there. I made three visits before I found the bird, which is not an all unusual when seeking rarities. Neither was the large group of birders that gathered on that third day, with those who had located it helping the new arrivals get their eyes on the bird.

 February 22, 2020: Fox Sparrow, Embudito Parking Lot

Certain rare birds for the area are known to always show up in very small numbers, spending the winter at a convenient feeder area. Such is the case with the Fox Sparrow, who primarily winter in the U.S. Southeast. This one was hanging out at an easily accessed feeder area by the parking lot for the Embudito Trailhead. I heard there was one there this January, too. Maybe the same one?

 

 June 22, 2020: Hooded Warbler, ABQ North Valley

Now we skip all the way to June. It's not that there weren't plenty of rare birds showing up during Spring migration. It's just that I was sticking to my neighborhood in the first months of the pandemic, avoiding the groups of birders that tend to gather in pursuit of a glimpse of the rare visitors. This Hooded Warbler hanging around a quiet residential street in the North Valley was one of the easiest rare birds for people to find, due to his habit of "confronting" the other male Hooded Warblers that showed up regularly in the rearview mirrors of visiting cars. Another eastern bird that seems to be showing up in the area in very small numbers recently.

 

 July 4, 2020: Dickcissel, Los Poblanos Open Space

The Dickcissel is a seed-eating bird that tends to show up in small numbers during migration. It's not so out-of-range as some as the others, with their normal range in neighboring states to the east.. This last July was the first time I got to see one, and was extra-special because it was in my very special place, attracted no doubt to the large field of sunflowers that was planted there this year. 

September 12, 2020: Chestnut-sided Warbler & Hermit Warbler, UNM Duck Pond

Things started to get a little wild during fall migration. The UNM Duck Pond is a great fall-out spot for migrating birds, and for awhile it was just packed with migrating warblers, flycatchers, and other birds who seek a short stop with the right requirement (food, water, hiding spots) along their route. On this day, there were three rare warblers in the area, and exponentially more birders seeking them. It started with the Chestnut-sided Warbler, that green-backed cutie (top). As happens, the more birders lurking around the place, the more migrating rarities that were found. In this case, a Hermit Warbler (lower) and a Blackpoll Warbler (not pictured). After months of avoiding social gatherings, it felt like a party (albeit masked and socially distanced) to run into so many birders out their that day. 

October 3, 2020: Broad-Billed Hummingbird, North Valley private yard

I had the good fortune to be allowed to visit this private yard and bird oasis to see my first Broad-billed Hummingbird, a rare visitor whose range mostly extends only into a corner of SE AZ in the United States. Why this one showed up north when it was time to head even further south is just one of those mysteries, I guess. Birding ethics tip: Always get permission before showing up at a person's yard to see a bird, even if they have posted their address in eBird.)



October 5, 2020: Common Redpoll, Downtown Private Yard

Things just got crazier in October, as this extreme rarity from the north, especially for October, showed up in another private yard in downtown Albuquerque the same day as I visited the Broad-billed Hummingbird. This bird was hanging around finch feeders in the front yard, and the owners who found it specified on eBird that visitors were welcome. I went over that day and waited for hours with many other masked birders, but no show. Two days later, I heard it had showed up again, and did a lunch break visit. This time as I arrived many binoculars and scopes were already trained on the bird, leading to quick success. 

October 9, 2020, Black-Throated Blue Warbler, City View Park, NE ABQ

And October just got better, when this beautiful eastern warbler, very rare for the west, showed up in another birder's yard. Fortunately, the bird was hopping in and out of Matt's yard into the edge of the park right on the other side of this wall, so seekers could gather in the park for a view. In both this park "stake out" and the one on the street for the Common Redpoll, another fun aspect was the opportunity to share the bird with interested residents passing by. 

October 29, 2020: Golden-crowned Sparrow, Rio Grande Nature Center

This is a west coast winter resident that shows up in small numbers in the area, sometimes wintering by a feeder area, usually in juvenile plumage, like this one that was moving around the feeder areas at the Rio Grande Nature Center. I don't know that this one stayed the winter--haven't heard of any sightings. There is another in Corrales right now.

11/6/20: Rusty Blackbird, Rio Grande Bosque

A particular stretch of the Rio Grande just west of the Rio Grande Nature Center became another "wonder area" for awhile, with two Rusty Blackbirds and a Pectoral Sandpiper foraging conspicuously in the shallows, and a somewhat more elusive Winter Wren working the banks. 

 

11/21/20: Grasshopper Sparrow, Westside, south of Alameda Bridge

There were a number of these little sparrows being reported in the area in the fall--passing through as rarities from Northern and Eastern ranges to wintering grounds to the south. I'd never seen one, but they aren't so easy to find. This particular bird was reported by Jim Joseph the same morning I was out on the eastside of Alameda Bridge looking for gulls. I crossed to the other side and almost literally stumbled on the bird. Right after I arrived in the area where it was reported, Jim appeared and told me it was right behind me. Indeed, just a few feet away. It moved around foraging under the shrubbery, staying very close for some time, with very enticing peekaboo view like this one.

11/28/20: Brant, Ladera Golf Course

This small saltwater goose of the coasts shows up here occasionally. I missed the one (perhaps the same bird?) that was hanging around nature center and the north valley earlier in the month, so felt glad to be able to find it among the Canada Geese at the Ladera Golf course after it was reported, on my 2nd try. 

12/9/20: Verdin, San Antonio Oxbow Open Space

This is a particularly interesting rarity, as the Verdin seems to be steadily moving its range northward. There was one at Montessa Park earlier in the fall that was building a roost--I missed it with two tries, but it seemed to decide to abandon that roost. Then this one was reported on the westide. I looked for it once on my own unsuccessfully. The 2nd time, I was joined by Cheryl Smith, and I have to credit her for my seeing it, because I have a tendency to get impatient and leave too quickly. Her patient presence helped me stay longer. We were waiting quite a long time and agreed to stay til a certain time. That time arrive, and we turned back to head for our cars when this little peanut flew into view.

December 20, 2020: Dusky Flycatcher and Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, ABQ CBC

Covering the hotspots in my general neigbhorhood with my Christmas Bird Count "Pod" led to these notable findings. The Dusky Flycatcher isn't rare during migration, but is rare in the winter, so it was exciting to find this one at the UNM Duck Pond. Also notable was that we observed four Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers: Two were  at Fairview Cemetery, another was at another neighborhood pocket park. As dusk was coming on, Christopher Rustay suggested we go to the tree on the UNM Golf Course where a juvenile was coming in to roost pretty regularly. As you can see, it did not disappoint!

 December 28, 2020, American Tree Sparrow, Los Poblanos Open Space

So we come to my last rare bird entry of 2020. This was a particularly satisfying ending. As you can see if you've read along so far, most people's rare bird sightings come thanks to the help of many others, the community of bird lovers who share what they find and help others to find them. Of course, someone has to be the first to find them, and generally that someone is not me. On this day, at the very end of my Bernalillo County Big Year, in one of my very  favorite places, I was the first one to find this American Tree Sparrow. Many others have been able to come out and see it since, and as far as I know, it is still there, waiting out the winter by the feeders at the west end of the pollinator garden.