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Silver City, New Mexico
May 30-June 1, 2003
by Eleanor Campbell
Western Diamond Back Rattlesnake
at Sweetwater Sewage Ponds
Photo by Vera Markham
After driving 25 miles on a
winding, white-knuckle road through beautiful pines and firs of the
Gila National Forest 17 intrepid birders reveled in the wilds around
Grey Feathers Lodge near Silver City, New Mexico. The lodge, at the
edge of wilderness, provided access to several campgrounds where
resident birds were evident. Without leaving the porch we were able to
see and hear many species in the woods, on the mountain across the
road, or along the willow-lined stream in the adjacent field. It was
wonderful hearing the rain pattering against the roof the first night
at the lodge.
A lumberjack-sized breakfast started us off on our excursions along little-used roads into the forest habitat or to the nearby lake. Most bird enthusiasts also hiked the trail to the impressive Gila Cliff Dwellings which are in the National Monument at the end of the road.
At one gorgeous site from the base of a rosy, sculpted cliff participants were treated to both Common Black Hawks and a Zone-tailed Hawk soaring above. Other highlights were a Greater Pewee up-close and-personal and several Red-faced Warblers singing loudly.
Participants were: Eleanor Campbell, Chuck Richard, Phyllis and Chuck Kangas, Marshall Esty, Vera Markham, Wilma and Dan Bohlmann, Darnell Kirksey, Maryann and Steve Hovan, Andrea Nesbitt and her daughter, Christy Stoughton, Maria and George Wall, and Loretta and Chuck Richards.
Following is the trip bird list:
Birds seen or heard:in the Gila
Wilderness. Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue
Heron, Turkey Vulture, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy
Duck, Common Black Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Peregrine
Falcon, Gambel’s Quail, American Coot, Spotted Sandpiper, Mourning
Dove, White-throated Swift, Magnificent Hummingbird, Black-chinned
Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Northern
Flicker, Greater Pewee, Western Wood Pewee, Cordilleran Flycatcher,
Black Phoebe, Say’s Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cassin’s Kingbird,
Western Kingbird, Plumbeous Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Steller’s Jay,
Western Scrub Jay, Common Raven, Purple Martin, Violet-green Swallow,
Cliff Swallow, Mountain Chickadee, Bushtit, Canyon Wren, Bewick’s Wren,
House Wren, Western Blue-bird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Northern
Mockingbird, Phainopepla, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler,
Grace’s Warbler, Common Yellowthroat (heard), Red-faced Warbler,
Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee,
Canyon Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco,
Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird,
Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch and
House Sparrow.
Six of us made one and several of
us two stops at the Willcox ponds. We also stopped briefly at Sweet
Water in Tucson. We saw: Eared Grebes, Great Blue Heron, White-faced
Ibis, Turkey Vulture, American Wigeon, Mexican Ducks, Cinnamon Teal,
Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, American Coot,
Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper,
Long-billed Curlew, Wilson’s Phalarope, Franklin’s Gull, California
Gull, Rock Dove, Mourning Dove, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike,
Chihuahuan Raven, Horned Lark, Barn Swallow, Northern Mockingbird,
Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern
Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, House Finch and House Sparrow. I’m
embarrassed to admit that what I thought was a female Lesser Scaup was
actually a female Greater Scaup. Several birders took pictures of it
and, yes, that was what I saw. (CJK)
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