ABA Birding Rally! Albuquerque, New Mexico

A Birding Rally is an event where a few dozen of our membership meet up for several days of birding together. (For this Albuquerque Rally the limit is 60 participants). The goals are to cover a host of rich birding sites, to see a good variety of birds, and to enjoy the company of our fellow ABA members.

Many sites are best visited in smaller groups of ~20, and so we will sub-divide Rally participants into three groups of <20 each. It is within these smaller groups that we will do the bulk of our birding, with the three groups cycling through all of the same sites, but at different times. Barring anything unforeseen (e.g. failure of a vehicle, inclement weather, etc.), each group shall visit all of the same sites, thus enjoying opportunities to see all the same bird species. Three evenings will feature speakers (see the “ABQ Rally Speaker” for more info).

In Albuquerque we are really lucky to have considerable involvement with local birding leaders which will really enrich the experience. Let’s go birding!

If you have any question about the event, contact George Armistead: garmistead@aba.org.

Ashli Gorbet

Ashli Gorbet grew up in the forests of northern Ohio and received her B.S. in Wildlife Management from The Ohio State University. In 2006, she relocated to New Mexico to explore the birds and mountains of the Land of Enchantment. She is passionate about her work for Rio Grande Bird Research, Inc., and is the project lead for studies investigating the breeding biology of Black-throated Gray Warblers and dispersal and seasonal movements in White-breasted Nuthatches. A licensed bird bander, she is also involved in monitoring fall songbird migration in central New Mexico, studying wintering ecology of birds along the Middle Rio Grande, and providing support for the Rosy-Finch project. As a member of the steering committee for the New Mexico Burrowing Owl Working Group and the secretary of both Rio Grande Bird Research, Inc., and the New Mexico Ornithological Society, Ashli is an active member of the New Mexico birding community. She considers her best days to be those she gets to spend banding birds with her friends and colleagues.

George Armistead

George Armistead is a lifelong birder and the events coordinator for the ABA. George spent the prior decade organizing and leading birding tours for Field Guides Inc. He has guided trips on all seven continents, and enjoys vast open country habitats and seabirds most of all. Based in Philadelphia, he is an associate at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and spends his free time birding, photographing birds, and giving talks to bird clubs and other organizations.

Nancy Hawley

Nancy Hawley is the Membership Experience Coordinator for the ABA, a position that takes in all manner of duties, all with the goal of making ABA membership more satisfying and meaningful. Always a ray of sunshine, she maintains unflappable good cheer under pressure and radiates care and concern for the welfare of ABA members.

Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon is the president of the American Birding Association. There’s very little about birds, birding, and birders that he doesn’t find fascinating, though he’s especially interested in birding culture and the many ways we all communicate our passion for birds.

Bill Schmoker

Bill Schmoker is a Nikon Birding ProStaffer Bill and is proud of his long involvement with the ABA, including stints as Convention Speaker, Workshop Presenter, IFO Instructor, North American Birds Regional Editor, Convention/Conference Field Trip Leader, Young Birder of the Year Judge, Camp Colorado Counselor, Winging It Columnist, ABA Blog Author, and Photo Contributor to all manner of ABA publications and online resources. Bill’s photos have appeared internationally in books, magazines, interpretive signage, and web pages. He keeps busy as a speaker and field trip leader, and serves as an eBird reviewer for Colorado’s heavily birded Front Range counties. When not birding Bill enjoys his science teaching career and time with his family in Longmont, Colorado.

Sandia Mountains
The Sandia Mountains are the stunning backdrop for central New Mexico, rising nearly a mile above the east side of Albuquerque. A trip up the Sandia Crest Road on the east side of the mountains will take one through three habitat types, from dense stands of Dwarf Coniferous (Pinyon-Juniper) forest to Ponderosa Pine forest and finally to the Spruce-Fir forest of high elevations. The mountains are a haven for birds and wildlife as the majority of the range is part of the Cibola National Forest. Montane species of mid and high elevations including Red-naped Sapsucker, Steller’s Jay, Juniper Titmouse, Western and Mountain Bluebirds, Townsend’s Solitaire, Evening Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, and all three species of Rosy-Finch (including both the interior and Hepburn’s forms of Gray Crowned) will be targets in the Sandias. For those willing to brave a cold, snowy hike at the crest, Three-toed Woodpecker is a possibility.

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Considered one of the premiere locations in the country for observing and photographing waterbirds, Bosque del Apache is a stunning spectacle of wildlife during winter. The refuge sits near the Rio Grande and contains extensive deep and shallow water marshes, willow and cottonwood forest, and upland desert grassland/shrubland habitats. The area plays host to incredible numbers of Sandhill Cranes, white geese (including Snow and Ross’s Geese), and a variety of ducks each winter. Though it’s known for its waterbirds, Bosque del Apache hosts a great array of raptors that come in to take advantage of the abundant food resources such as Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, and American Kestrel. Ferruginous Hawk, Merlin, Prairie and Peregrine Falcons are all regularly found at the refuge as well. The areas near the headquarters harbor Gambel’s Quail, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, and Pyrrhuloxia, along with a variety of wintering sparrows.

Embudito Canyon
Located in the west foothills of the Sandia Mountains, Embudito Canyon is a picturesque and quintessentially rugged landscape of desert grassland-shrubland and canyon riparian habitats. Part of the Sandia Mountain Wilderness area within the Cibola National Forest, Embudito translates to “Little Funnel” and contains one of the few easily accessible watering holes on the west side of the mountains. It is an excellent place for birds and wildlife, offering excellent opportunities to target upland and canyon species such as Scaled Quail, Western Scrub-Jay, Cactus, Canyon, Bewick’s and Rock Wrens, Crissal and Curve-billed Thrashers, Canyon Towhee and Black-throated Sparrow.

Rio Grande Nature Center State Park
The Rio Grande Nature Center State Park is located along what locals refer to as the “bosque,” the cottonwood forest that lines the Rio Grande like a ribbon through the high desert. With a variety of woods, fields, and wetlands, the area offers excellent opportunities to observe Cackling Goose, Greater Roadrunner, Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees (as well as occasional hybrids of the two species), Bushtit, “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Spotted Towhee. The nature center is also a haven for wintering sparrows including Dark-eyed Juncos, where Oregon, Pink-sided and Gray-headed subspecies may be studied side-by-side.

Sat, Feb. 16: Arrival Day

(5pm: For those interested or arriving earlier you are invited to come join us for an informal Happy Hour in the Zia Lounge at the Best Western Rio Grande Inn. Meet your fellow Ralliers, and receive your nametags). Note: Drinks and food are not included, but are to be paid for individually.

7:45pm: Meet in the conference room of the Best Western Rio Grande (BWRG) for orientation.

8pm-8:45pm: Talk by Rally Host Ashli Gorbet titled, A Bird in the Hand: Banding Adventures, in the BWRG conference room.

Sun, Feb. 17: Field Trips

6am: Bosque del Apache field trip departs

6:30am: Sandia Mountains Field trip departs

7am: Embudito Canyon/Rio Grande Nature Center field trip departs

5pm: field trips return to BWRG; informal Happy Hour at Zia Lounge

6pm: Ben Lizdas will open the Eagle Optics station for testing binoculars and spotting scopes

7:45pm: Talk by Raymond VanBuskirk & Michael Hilchey titled, Rosy-Finches of the Sandia Mountains, in the BWRG conference room.

Mon, Feb. 18: Field Trips

6am: Bosque del Apache field trip departs

6:30am: Sandia Mountains Field trip departs

7am: Embudito Canyon/Rio Grande Nature Center field trip departs

5pm: field trips return to BWRG; informal Happy Hour at Zia Lounge

6pm: Ben Lizdas will open the Eagle Optics station for testing binoculars and spotting scopes

No evening program

Tues, Feb. 19: Field Trips

6am: Bosque del Apache field trip departs

6:30am: Sandia Mountains Field trip departs

7am: Embudito Canyon/Rio Grande Nature Center field trip departs

5pm: field trips return to BWRG; informal Happy Hour at Zia Lounge

6pm: Ben Lizdas will open the Eagle Optics station for testing binoculars and spotting scopes

7:45pm: Talk by George Armistead titled, pOrnithology: The Birds and the Birds and the Bees, in the BWRG conference room.

Weds, Feb. 20: Departure Day

ABQ Rally ends.

Flights/Drive home.

The following is a list of birds we hope to see during the Albuquerque Birding Rally. The species listed here are birds we expect to see, or are reasonable possibilities given our itinerary. For more information on the status and distribution of birds in this area, visit www.ebird.org. Another useful reference is:

Parmeter, J., Neville, B., and Emkalns, D. 2002. New Mexico Bird Finding Guide. 3rd edition. New Mexico Ornithological Society.

WATERFOWL
Gr. White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross’s Goose
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck

GAMEBIRDS
Scaled Quail
Gambel’s Quail
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey

GREBES
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe

CORMORANTS
Neotropic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant

HERONS
Great Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron

IBISES
White-faced Ibis

RAPTORS
Golden Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Prairie Falcon

RAILS & COOTS
Common Gallinule
American Coot

CRANES
Sandhill Crane

SHOREBIRDS
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson’s Snipe

GULLS
Ring-billed Gull

DOVES
Rock Pigeon
Eur. Collared-Dove
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove

CUCKOOS
Greater Roadrunner

OWLS
Great Horned Owl

KINGFISHERS
Belted Kingfisher

WOODPECKERS & ALLIES
Red-naped Sapsucker
Williamson’s Sapsucker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Am. Three-toed Woodpecker
Northern Flicker

TYRANNIDS
Black Phoebe
Say’s Phoebe

SHRIKES
Loggerhead Shrike

CORVIDS
Steller’s Jay
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Chihuahuan Raven
Common Raven

LARKS
Horned Lark

CHICKADEES & TITMICE
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Juniper Titmouse
Verdin
Bushtit

NUTHATCHES & CREEPERS
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Brown Creeper

WRENS
Rock Wren
Canyon Wren
Pacific Wren
Winter Wren
Marsh Wren
Bewick’s Wren
Cactus Wren

SYLVIDS
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

KINGLETS
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet

THRUSHES
Eastern Bluebird
Western Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
Townsend’s Solitaire
Hermit Thrush
American Robin

MIMIC THRUSHES
Curve-billed Thrasher
Crissal Thrasher

STARLINGS
European Starling

PIPITS
American Pipit

WAXWINGS & ALLIES
Cedar Waxwing

WOOD-WARBLERS
Yellow-rumped (“Audubon’s”) Warbler

SPARROWS & ALLIES
Spotted Towhee
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Canyon Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco (incl: Oregon, Gray-headed, Pink-sided)

CARDINALS & ALLIES
Pyhrrhuloxia

ICTERIDS
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern (“Lilian’s”) Meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird

FINCHES & ALLIES
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (incl. “Hepburn’s”)
Black Rosy-Finch
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
Cassin’s Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Evening Grosbeak

OLD WORLD SPARROWS
House Sparrow

Speaker: Ashli Gorbet

Program: A Bird in the Hand… Banding Adventures with Rio Grande Bird Research
From the bosque of the Rio Grande to the heights of the Sandia Crest, RGBR Inc. has been banding birds in New Mexico and educating the public on the importance of bird banding science for three decades. Ashli Gorbet will share the history and evolution of their all-volunteer banding group, and also summarize their various projects and interests including migration and winter ecology of songbirds on the Middle Rio Grande, Rosy-Finches, White-breasted Nuthatches and more. She will also illustrate the significance of bird banding to ornithological science and discuss some of the things they have learned along the way about the birds of New Mexico. Ashli is a licensed bird bander, the secretary of Rio Grande Bird Research, Inc., and the project lead for the Black-throated Gray Warbler and White-breasted Nuthatch projects. She has been active with the group for over five years and considers her best days to be those she gets to spend banding birds with her friends and colleagues.

Speakers: Raymond VanBuskirk & Michael Hilchey

Program: Rosy-finches of the Sandia Mountains
Every winter, around November, the Rosy-Finches return to the Sandia Crest from their northern breeding grounds, and every winter a band of researchers are eagerly waiting for them. For the past decade Raymond VanBuskirk and Michael Hilchey along with volunteers from Rio Grande Bird Research Inc. have been capturing and banding these birds in order to better understand their unique winter ecology. When Raymond, Ryan, and Michael (high school and middle school students at that time) first started this project they were interested in learning about site-fidelity in all three Rosy-Finch species. Now, a decade later, their project has evolved into the largest of its kind; aside from documenting the first known winter site-fidelity in Rosy-Finches they are conducting research using radio-telemetry, hydrogen isotope analysis, and DNA analysis, and are discovering new and improved ways to determine the age and sex in these species. Raymond and Michael are enthusiastic about sharing their research, and their experiences and will detail their many discoveries about this fascinating group of birds.

Speaker: George Armistead

Program:  pOrnithology: The Birds and the Birds and the Bees
A thoughtful review of various interesting reproductive strategies in birds. This talk will examine the associated unusual behavior that accompanies odd breeding strategies, and of course provide copious innuendo and anthropomorphism to keep the concepts in perspective.