August 2025: All About the Water

August in New Mexico is a time of sunflowers, both wild and cultivated. They have arrived on schedule, though it appears to me not as many as in previous years. It makes sense to me that this would be related to the minimal rain we have experienced, along with other factors  that have led to the drying out of the Rio Grande. 

Death and Life on the Rio Grande

On Aug 13, I walked to the river. It's been running dry since July. I'd found myself avoiding it in emotional self-protection. I decided I needed to see for myself what the current conditions there. As far as I could see, there was no running water. Parts were muddy, but much was completely dried out. A friend reported that she had been able to walk bank to bank without getting her shoes muddy.

The river has always ebbed and flowed. Yet the frequency with which the river dries up has  increased. The limited snowmelt from Colorado has led to much less available water. The Rio Grande is a managed river, and with the 1938 Rio Grande Compact determining how much of this flow is owed to Texas and to varied human uses, the river itself gets short shrift when available water is limited.

On the day of my visit, there were large numbers of Turkey Vultures, kettling in the air, gathering in "committees" in the Cottonwoods. This generally happens as they gather for their southward migration. 

  

Walking along a trail near the river, I noticed the odor of dead fsh and other aquatic creatures. So sad, and yet--Coming to a clearing by the river, I saw about two dozen Turkey vultures out on the the mud flat. I surmised that they were out feasting on the perished: Recycling death back into life. This is what Turkey Vultures and other carrion-eaters do. Observing this cycle of life lifted my spirits. Sad for the fish, sad for the river, concerned for the future, but nature does have a way of working with what it is given. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cienega Picnic Ground 

Two days later, I visited Cienega Picnic Ground. The fields of Coneflowers by the nature trail were in full bloom, as expected in August. Insects buzzed around the blooms for the nectar. . Insect-seeking birds including warblers and flycatchers followed.

The Coneflowers attracted both Broad-Tailed and Rufous Hummingbirds. This Rufous Hummingbird (either a female or first year male) stood guard over one patch of flowers, chasing away all comers.

The severe drought and lack of water has impacted the mountains as well as the valley. The picnic ground stream is human-managed, providing a little oasis. Up near the pump providing the water, a variety of birds gathered to drink from the shallow waters, including a Black-Throated Gray Warbler. Disclaimers on the sketch: I don't know how to draw shallow water, so you'll just have to imagine that is water under the bird's feet. (And to the people for whom accuracy of bird rendering is important, including myself, I must apologize for messing up the wing detail so badly!)

Shining River--Water Returning

On August 26, I went to the part of the Rio Grande Bosque south of Paseo, the Shining River Trail. A friend who does a raptor nesting survey.there reported on her recent visit.Though the river there was mostly dry, shallow pools just south of Paseo were drawing a variety of shorebirds. We'd had a good rain since then, and I wanted to see what effect, if any, it had on the river. I also hoped to see some of those shorebirds. 

 

The rain had most definitely had an effect. A shallow river now ran at least a mile south of Paseo. (This was most likely not so much from rain we got in Albuquerque, as it was on rain north of Cochiti reservoir that allowed for enough water to feed the river.) Though I didn't find the variety of shorebirds that my friend had on Sunday, a number of Killdeer and half a dozen Snowy Egrets were making use of the shallow water to forage. Another example of nature making good use of what is given, as shallow water provides birds with better foraging opportunities. 

 We had another good rain that next day, and water is running all along the river in Albuquerque.These photos of the river are from the Tingley Bosque, several miles south of the Shining River trail, on August 30th. You can see how shallow the water is. I will hope for a continued return of the water as we move into the fall, and a recovery of aquatic life. 

Blue Grosbeak juvenile male, Tingley Open Space

Bird Survey-August Gallery

The severe drought provides tough challenges that impact bird populations. But bird life still goes on. August is the beginning of fall migration, and several interesting migrants passed through the Candelaria Nature Preserve (CNP) this month. In the past two weeks, these three species we observed were recorded for the first time at the CNP. 

The preserve was full of conspicuous young hawks (Cooper's Hawk and Swainson's Hawk)  born this summer, still learning how to be raptors. That's no easy task, and I wish them well. The Cooper's Hawk will be here all year. The Swainson's Hawk will soon be making their first trip south to Argentina.  

July 2025-July in New Mexico

Surviving July in New Mexico  

Unsurprisingly, the month of July continued to bring hot temperatures, with occasional relief from the Southwest's version of monsoons. Like the John Denver song, I sought places that were cool, and green, and shady, like this serene pastoral setting just north of Taos, where I visited a friend early in the month.

And like this quiet stretch of the Chama River, where I spent a few days relaxing and birding at the end of the month.

And this local oasis right in Albuquerque, the Los Poblanos Inn Farm Store, where one can sit in the shade with the scent of lavender all around on a summer morning and sip some of the best iced coffee in town. I visited several times with friends, and once with my Sketchers group, where this sketch happened. 

Red-Naped Sapsucker Nest  Update

In June, I reported on a Red-Naped Sapsucker nest by the parking area at the Cienega Canyon Picnic Grounds. On July 4th, I went up to see how the situation was progressing. I heard the nestlings begging as soon as I got out of my car. I decided to video to get a recording of their begging sound. This turned out to be excellent timing: No sooner had I started recording than one of the parents flew in with a large insect. Watch carefully when running the video, because this happens right away. Afterwards, you'll get treated to the sight of a very large nestling poking its head from the cavity and asking for more.

 

I visited again a few days later. No more begging sounds, and I didn't again see signs of the Red-Naped Sapsucker family. Though I'll never know for sure, I choose to believe whoever was being cared for in that cavity fledged successfully and is out there learning how to make those Sapsucker holes.

Beloved Taos

A friend of mine occasionally house sits in El Prado, just north of Taos. I got to spent a few days up there with her early in the month. One of the things we always do is walk along the Taos gorge on the Rim Trail in the morning. On this morning, Cliff Swallows hawked insects, swooping over us and down into the gorge. A Canyon Wren called from somewhere down in the canyon. 

 

As we stood at the rim, a Rock Wren popped up on a rock a few feet away. singing out his territorial claims.  We then noticed, from a crevice even closer to us, a very insistent and agitated Wren alarm call. I assumed we had practically stumbled upon a Rock Wren nest, and we moved on to give them their space.

 

When out walking with a non-birder, I tend to rely on listening and sound ID more than on trying to sight birds. To see a lot of birds requires taking more time and moving more slowly than many folks can tolerate, and I've never been as quick to spot birds as some other birders. This seems to be getting a little worse, possibly due to worsening cataracts. So I appreciated an essay I read recently in the Summer edition of Living Bird by Andrew J Lewis. Sorry there's no online version to link to, but he writes about how, as a birder with mobility challenges, he's come to see the Merlin sound app as a friend who helps reveal the stories he is now having a harder time finding on his own. 

It was Merlin who revealed to me that among the many swooping Cliff Swallows, there were also several White-Throated Swifts. Knowing they were there, I was able to pick out a few of them with my binoculars. Merlin also picked up a  call which I wouldn't have identified on my own as a juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk calling repeatedly, most likely from a nest over the rim down in the Canyon. I had earlier seen an Adult Red-Tail flying along the rim. For those who want to listen to these sounds, here is a link to my audio recordings on eBird.   White-Throated Swift and Red-Tailed Hawk juvenile audio

Fred Baca Park-Rio Fernando Wetlands

Another favorite spot in Taos is this oasis of green, humidity, and birdlife, a protected and precious wetlands right in the town of Taos. Wetlands habitats have not been historically valued and much has been lost to human development. Birds and butterflies know a good habitat when they find it. A few I was able to photograph on my visit there: Monarch Butterfly on Showy Milkweed; Mourning Cloak; Red-Winged Blackbird; Violet-Green Swallow; Willow Flycatcher; and an American Goldfinch singing. 

 

Lunching by the River with an Indigo Bunting

On the way back home, I stopped off at Quartzite to eat lunch. An Indigo Bunting was singing from a scrubby tree right next to my picnic table the entire time that I ate. I  couldn't get my eyes on it. After finishing eating, I walked to the other side of the tree to see if I'd have more luck from that side. He sung out once very loudly as I approached, then went silent. Too close for comfort, I guess. Glad I got video recording of his song during lunch.

 Late July: Chama and the Rhythm of Life by the RIver 

I enjoyed that little getaway to Taos so much, and wanted to spend more time in Northern New Mexico. I decided on a solo getaway to Chama, staying in a lodge right by the Chama River. I spent a couple of relaxing days mostly just walking up and down the river paths, observing the life of the birds there. 

 

Magpies were conspicuous, as I would have expected in Northern New Mexico.

Hummingbird feeders at an adjacent RV park buzzed with activity. The biggest difference I noticed here compared to Albuquerque was that there were almost as many Rufous Hummingbirds as there were Broad-Tailed Hummingbirds, if not more. In Albuquerque, I'm used to seeing just one Rufous Hummingbird terrorizing the other hummingbirds at a feeder this time of year. At the Chama feeders, the Rufous spent more time using the feeders rather than constantly chasing others. Perhaps this was a function of their higher numbers. After some time observing, I began to notice that each feeder seemed to have one male Rufous guarding it. 

 

 

The biggest surprise for me was how many Lewis's Woodpeckers there were, conspicuously flying over the trees, landing on various perches, and even visiting the suet feeder at the RV park.  I'm so used to Lewis's Woodpeckers being a scarce find, and here they were actually the ONLY woodpeckers I saw during my entire visit.At first I didn't recognize them as Woodpeckers as they flew over the trees, visible only as dark medium-sized birds with a direct flight pattern. I realized then that they don't have the undulating flight pattern of other Woodpeckers that makes them so recognizable in flight. One Lewis's chased a Red-Winged Blackbird from the suet, but then flew off to the distance rather than stopping to feed. 

 

In the short time I was there, I began to get a sense that I was observing the rhythm of the birds' lives there, which at this particular time at the end of July is filled with young birds born this nesting season.

 

Each morning, two different small groups of Yellow Warblers foraged in their respective areas on the other side of the river. I assumed that they were small family groups of parents and young. 

 

A Western Wood-Pewee could often be found at his preferred post. Three White-Breasted Nuthatches ascended the same trunk together, before one headed to the river for a bath.

  

 

Each morning at around the same time, a flock of Blackbirds (mostly Red-winged, a few Brewers Blackbirds and Brown-Headed Cowbirds) visited the feeder area, then headed down the river, hopping from stone to stone, stopping to drink along the way. 

 

 I took a little jaunt around town--not much to do, but I enjoyed a visit to Tierra Wools. At the railyard area, I wished I'd thought to bring my sketching materials, but took a few photos instead. It reminded me of a lifetime ago when I came up here to chase and photograph the steam trains. 

 

Ho

My Flickr feed where I found this photo says it's from 16 years ago. How can this be? Such is this train of life, I guess. Until next time, happy trails!

 

June 2025: Staying Cool

June 2025: Staying Cool 

It got hot this month in Albuquerque. At times, I considered escape to somewhere cooler, maybe a couple of days in Taos.  But thinking about the extreme drought throughout New Mexico,  it caused me sadness to imagine the carbon I would burn for this quick escape. It wouldn't buy more than a couple days respite, and would contribute to the very heat and dryness that I wanted to escape. Maybe next month I'll do something different, but for June, I decided to stick around and seek enjoyment and contentment where I am. The Sandias allowed some cooling relief without having to drive far. Also, with all the bird nesting activity in the trees behind my condo, there was plenty to observe right from my balcony. The highlight: A Pigeon nest.

In the six years I've lived in this 2nd floor apartment, there have been no pigeons in my "backyard." There's a nesting Ladderback family, Black-Chinned Hummingbirds, House Finches, House Sparrows, Say's Phoebe, Curve-Billled Thrasher, and the full complement of resident Doves. Last year, the backyard adventure was a Mourning Dove fledgling who landed on my balcony and needed a day to figure out how to fly away. I got to witness the parents' regular visits to the balcony for feeding. This year, for unknown reasons, the Rock Pigeons moved in to nest on the rooftops, much to the annoyance of the building owner and property manager. One pair nested in a crook of a tree at eye level from my balcony, maybe 50 feet away. I was moved to watch the attentive care with which both parents brooded over their offspring. 

I first noticed this pigeon sitting on a nest of pine needles at the end of May. (Doves are known for minimalism in nest building.)  Day in, day out, either this pigeon, or a 2nd larger one with a darker head, sat on the nest. At first, they sat low. As they began to sit higher, like this one, I suspected the eggs had hatched. Pigeons and Doves are altricial, very small and helpless at birth. I marveled at the patience of these parents brooding their young. I myself was quite impatient to see something different happening. 

On June 10th, a nestling was finally large enough and mature enough to show itself. For at least a week, maybe more, this baby was growing quickly, low in the nest where I couldn't see her. The parents hovered officiously near by. Then one parent, I think the father by his larger size, came into the nest for a feeding. 

I was able to get some video within those first few days. The first shows how the nestling pokes and prods at daddy to ask for feeding. The 2nd is a short clip from the actual feeding, which lasted more than two minutes on this occasion. (Warning: Pigeon crop feeding is not a pretty sight). 

 

 

 

 

 

Three days later, pinfeathers had sprouted all over the nestling's body. (The colored pencil illustration above is from that day.)  At times, I thought that I saw a 2nd baby, but was never sure of that. 8 days after the first sighting, the nestling had a lot more gray feathers, and was actively begging for a feeding before mom entered the nest (which she did shortly after I took this photo.)

This was the last day I saw the baby. For a couple of days, the parents were still hanging close, and at times seemed to be attending to something out of my sight just on the other side of the trunk. Maybe she had branched? A couple days later, no evidence of parents or child. So, perhaps a successful fledgling, perhaps not, and I'll never know. 

Which leads me to this quote from Margaret Renkl, whose wonderful book The Comfort of Crows I read this month.

"To play close attention to the world is to exist in medias res. . . We can see some of the creatures we share our world with, or at least some evidence of their nearness, but we cannot know the full arc of their story. Every encounter in the outdoors is an episode with a cliffhanger ending. 

In the wild, we see either the story's vulnerable beginning, or its territorial middle, or its heartbreaking end, but we almost never see more than one of these stages for an individual. . . We try to convince ourselves that only the happy ending is possible, that any tragedies we fail to witness are tragedies that never happened. That kind of ignorance is a gift we give ourselves because we are made so uneasy by uncertainty."

Woodpeckers in Cienega Picnic Grounds

On one of my visits to seek coolness in the Sandias, I encountered something I had never seen before. A Hairy Woodpecker was flying out from a tree and hovering for awhile in the air, like a Flycatcher, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, or Hummingbird. He did this twice, returning to the trees in between for more typical Woodpecker foraging behavior. I can only imagine he was trying to catch insects: no other purpose comes to mind. But why? If anyone else has observed this, I would really like to hear about it. 

I ran into Laurel Ladwig out there, completing her Climate Watch survey. She pointed out a Sapsucker cavity in a tree by the parking area. 

Shortly after seeing the cavity, I observed a Red-Naped Sapsucker male moving from tree to tree, closer and closer to the cavity. He eventually landed in front of the cavity. Another Sapsucker, presumably the female, emerged from the cavity, and he took her place. I supposed they were brooding eggs. 

Two weeks later, I returned. Now the unmistakable sound of nestling begging emerged from the cavity. Both the male and female Sapsucker foraged nearby, frequently bringing food to the cavity. In the first photo below, you can see a tree filled with sapsucker holes, where I saw both parents foraging. 

What else did I do to stay content and engaged in this heat?

There was my Sketchers group. A small group of us recently enjoyed a morning in the cool shade at Bike-In Coffee near Old Town. 

And last Monday, I took the Railrunner up to Santa Fe with a couple friends from the bird survey for the Public Lands Rally. At the El Dorado Hotel, the Western Governor's Association was meeting with U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. In front of the hotel, we added our voices to the crowd chanting "Not for Sale." (This is as much bird-related as everything else here, for without protection of our public lands, the habitats of many creatures will suffer.)

 Final Words

To close off this month, here are some pretty pictures of some of the beautiful creatures I encountered in my visits to the Sandias this month. May July bring monsoons and cooler weather. 

Top to bottom: 

Cassin's Finch male, 

Green-Tailed Towhee

Hoary Comma

House Wren

Weidemeyer's Admiral.