My husband and I had another opportunity to go to Truth or Consequences, NM, for a weekend before it just gets too hot to visit. We love to get out and go four-wheeling and explore the countryside. As it’s still spring I was hopeful for some good birding opportunities.
Last Saturday we went to Caballo Lake for the day. It was forcasted for sunshine but windy. Wow…it got very windy. My husband loves to prospect for gold. So while he went to a favorite canyon, I headed out to bird along the roads and around the lake. I was able to bird for about 2 hours in the morning but even then it was blowing pretty good. I mostly saw Black-Throated Sparrows and a variety of flycatchers. I was amazed even in that wind that they were able to pluck bugs out of the air with ease.
Western Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Black-Throated Sparrows Adult above and softly colored juvenile below
As the morning progressed it got extremely windy. So I headed back to the truck and took a nice long nap. Upon waking I realized the wind had died down. So I jumped back on the four-wheeler and headed out. I remember last time I was there I saw my first Pyrrhuloxia in a specific canyon. So I decided to head back in that canyon for a second try as my first photos were barely discernible. And I was quickly rewarded with a sighting. And I got some good pics too!
Pyrrhuloxia
Heading back to the truck I saw a few hummingbirds hanging out in a blooming tree. I managed to get a pic of a couple of them.
Black-chinned hummingbirds
The views of the mountains and lake were beautiful. I love photographing vistas.
Caballo Mountains
Caballo Lake
The next morning I saw the hotel owner filling the bird feeders in the front garden area. The birds must be used to the routine because as soon as they saw him they all came flying in. I got a few good pics before we headed out for another day of fun.
Lesser Goldfinch
House Sparrow
House Finch
On Sunday we headed to the hills around Hillsboro, New Mexico. As I’ve said before, they are like night and day from the Caballo Mountains and they aren’t that far away from each other. I love the more lush landscape and fewer cactus. Plus there’s more historical items left behind to investigate.
The morning weather was beautiful…calm, slightly overcast, cool. The lighting was perfect for photos. As soon as we parked our four-wheelers to hike up a particular canyon, I saw a Scaled Quail calling from atop a bush. I even video taped him singing.
Scaled Quail
As my husband began prospecting for gold, I started hiking, birding and butterflying 🙂
I was rewarded by a sighting of a Macgillivray’s Warbler. I then saw the female and found their nest. Took a quick pic of the nest and then moved on so as not to disturb them. I managed to get one photo of the male. They stayed deep in the foliage.
Macgillivray’s Warbler
Macgillivray’s Warbler nest
I had a great day birding. Because it was cooler the birds were active all day. While eating my lunch I sat beneath a shade tree and was entertained by a pair of Say’s Phoebes who were busy all day feeding their babies. They picked a very unusual location for their nest. There is an old well in the area and the birds have figured out how to dive into it for a drink. The Phoebes have built their nest down in that well. They were busy catching bugs, landing on the barbed wire surrounding the well, and then diving in to feed their babies.
Say’s Phoebe with butterfly for the babies. Maybe Joe can identify this butterfly for me 😉
Old Well that birds fly down to drink. The Phoebes have a nest down there and loved perching on the barbed wire before diving down the well.
Western Tanager coming in for a drink at the well. And this photo is SOOC for those photographers out there 😉
Summer Tanager Female
Because the winds were calm I was able to get several photos of butterflies.
Dainty Sulpher
Mexican Yellow is the butterfly with the white open wings. The other butterfly with the orange inside is a Sleepy Orange.
Acmon Blue
Orange Skipperling
Gray Hairstreak – it must have just emerged because it was sitting and rubbing its wings and was unwilling to fly.
Marine Blue
Small Checkered Skipper
Mexican Cloudywing
The views in Hillsboro were very nice this trip.
Walls left from an old building. This was a pretty large structure for the area.
Unique cloud formations.
On our way back to our four wheelers we scared a bird off the nest which was located in a small, skinny bush not 3 feet high. Didn’t see the bird as it flew off in a flash so not sure what species the eggs are. Then, as we were riding our four wheelers back to the truck Tim came very close to a dove’s nest. The parent went flying off acting injured to lure us away. When we investigated we found two babies. It was a close call because the four wheeler tracks went to each side of the nest. I’m so glad we didn’t run over them.
Baby doves
During our trip we saw quite a variety of lizards. I have always enjoyed watching lizards. Many of these were not scared of me and let me take some good pics.
Common Checkered Whiptail
It was a relaxing weekend with lots of photo opportunities and long soaks in the hot springs at night….wonderful
