Burque Birding

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14 Comments

Comment by Bosque Bill on June 1, 2009 at 8:38am

@DebbyS when I read your description, Yellow Warbler was the first thing I thought about. That is very cool! I think I heard one in the bosque south of Rio Bravo on Friday, but it was so high in a cottonwood with so many leaves I was unable to get a glimpse.

Comment by Debby S on May 30, 2009 at 9:15am

I tried to add a picture here, but it didn't work, and I can't recall my Flickr password (it's at work though). However, a bit more googling found the bird, probably a Yellow Warbler, at: http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyard_birds/bird_id/yellow_warbler.aspx

Comment by Debby S on May 30, 2009 at 9:03am

On May 28 while at work (near Yale and Coal), heard, then saw and photographed a nearly all yellow bird with brownish wings and faint reddish striations on the chest. I suspect it's a very yellow version of a lesser goldfinch. I'll see if I can get a pic up somewhere. I do have some pics of a very yellow breasted Kingbird, taken here downtown, sitting near a equal-sized robin, in front of a blue sky, to make a nice set of colors.

Comment by toddster on May 25, 2009 at 11:18am

After a hike on the Tramway Trail yesterday, I saw a large family of quail (Gambel's, I suppose) on the move at the edge of the Sandia tram parking lot. The chicks (at least 12 of them) were the smallest I've ever seen. So cute!

Comment by Bosque Bill on May 21, 2009 at 9:35am

Good Grief! What a dolt I am, I didn't realize there were comments down on this part of the page, obviously I haven't been scrolling down. My bad!

@Maria and @Ben, yes that looks like a Say's Phoebe.

@Ben, hate to say it but Wal-Mart usually carries large bags of thistle, niger, seed for less than the specialty stores. It has become very expensive as the seed is now being used for cooking oils.

@Michelle, you might have seen a migrating Western Tanager, though they usually have red faces. If you hadn't said the head and body were the same color I'd have said Black-headed Grosbeak. I'm less familiar with orioles; Bullock's Oriole is the most common around these parts, followed by Scott's Oriole.

I'll try to pay attention to this section now that I know folks are posting here. Sorry for the delay.

Comment by Ben Moffett on May 11, 2009 at 8:44am

Bosque, Bill, Maria, or others: I think the bird in the photo below has been improperly identified as a thrasher. It appears to me to be a Say's Phoebe after seeing a pair try to establish a nest in a similar place (a covered barn swallow nest). The white in front may be a distraction to identifiers. That is straw, I think, not markings on the bird, or, as it might appear, a fledgling peeking out of the nest..

Comment by Kimm on May 4, 2009 at 9:20pm

Thanks for the tip lcaldero. I'm going to go check it out!

Comment by lcaldero on May 4, 2009 at 9:18pm

Went to Cienega Canyon in the East Mountains on Saturday with my UNM Continuing Ed Bird ID class (led by Steve Cox).. Wow -- we saw so many birds. many different varieties of warblers -- folks were especially excited by the hooded warbler and red crossbills. (I am a newby, all were interesting, especially the spotted towhee). Very acccessible, easy bird watching spot -- we never made it to the trail, hung around the parking lot at Sulphur Springs amd Cienega. High recommended

Comment by Michelle on May 4, 2009 at 9:54am

I saw what I think was either an Oriole or a Tanager yesterday afternoon. It was a bright yellow color with orange undertones. The head and the body were the same color, with black wings with white spots or bars, and black tail feathers. The unusual part was that it had that same yellow/orange color down the center of its tail. It landed on the power line nearby, and turned around in what seemed like an effort to show itself off, and let me get a good look at him. It was a gorgeous bird!

Comment by Ben Moffett on April 18, 2009 at 3:51pm

Doesn't anybody sell niger seeds by the 50 pound sack anymore? If so where?
Cheapest? Where in the South Valley or Valencia County? My goldfinches are getting restless.

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