More Birding the Sandia Mountains

East of Albuquerque, New Mexico

Rosy-Finches at Sandia Crest
 Birding the Sandia Mountains
 Cedar Crest Back Yard
Birds & Photos
 Birding the Manzano and Manzanita Mountains


FAQ's-- Finding Rosy-Finches, Pine Grosbeak, Northern Pygmy-owl, and more

LINK to Sandia Crest Rosy-Finch article in Birders World

STUDY OF Environmental Effects of Feeding Black Oil Sunflower Seed at High Elevation

WINTER PLUMAGES of Rosy-Finches

SUMMER Birding in the Sandias

LOOKING FOR A TARGET BIRD?  Search our Web Pages

TIME OF SUNRISE AND SUNSET YEAR 'ROUND

COUNTY AND RELIEF MAPS OF NEW MEXICO		 RECENT Correspondence

 HISTORY of the Rosy-Finch Project

WINTER 2002-2007 Progress Reports

 CIENEGA AND BILL SPRING TRAIL Breeding Bird Surveys

SOUVENIR Rosy-Finch T-Shirt

ROSY-FINCH Embroidered Cloth Patch
GPSGPS COORDINATES

Look for target species and directions to birding spots in the Sandias and nearby New Mexico (e.g., "pygmy-owl" or "Capulin Spring"), and use the Site Map to explore all these pages:
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BREEDING BIRD SURVEY OF CIENEGA AND BILL SPRING TRAIL

By Hart Schwarz

Species

1A

2A

3A

4A

5A

6A

1B

2B

3B

4B

5B

6B

T93

T02

RA

01. Turkey Vulture

                  

3

    

(3)

3

3.0

02. Red-tailed Hawk

                        

(2)

  

1.0

03. Band-tailed Pigeon

                        

(3)

  

1.5

04. Mourning Dove

1

1

1

1

            

2

1

(6)

7

6.5

05. Black-chin. Hummingbird

              

1

          

1

.5

06. Broad-tail. Hummingbird

2

1

1

2

1

  

3

2

2

1

2

1

(13)

18

15.5

07. Red-naped Sapsucker

1

  

1

              

1

2

(1)

5

3.0

08. Hairy Woodpecker

          

1

          

1

(2)

2

2.0

09. Northern (R-s) Flicker

                  

1

3

2

(8)

6

7.0

10. Western Wood-Pewee

2

1

                      

3

1.5

11. Cordilleran Flycatcher

  

1

    

1`

    

1

    

1

1

(8)

5

6.5

12. Ash-throated Flycatcher

  

1

  

1

    

1

      

2

    

5

2.5

13. Plumbeous Vireo

1

      

1

1

2

1

1

1

    

(6)

8

7.0

14. Warbling Vireo

2

  

1

1

  

1

  

1

1

  

1

1

(10)

9

9.5

15. Steller’s Jay

    

2

1

  

1

  

2

1

  

2

1

(12)

10

11.0

16. Common Raven

  

2

1

                  

(7)

3

5.0

17. Barn Swallow

                        

(1)

  

.5

18. Mountain Chickadee

1

    

1

1

3

3

1

2

2

1

  

(15)

15

15

19. Red-breasted Nuthatch

        

1

              

(2)

1

1.5

20. White-breasted Nuthatch

  

2

      

1

2

2

  

1

1

1

(1)

10

5.5

21. Pygmy Nuthatch

    

3

        

2

2

2

    

(3)

9

6.0

22. Brown Creeper

                        

(2)

  

1.0

23. Golden-crowned Kinglet

                        

(1)

  

.5

24. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

                      

1

  

1

.5

25. Hermit Thrush

    

1

        

2

      

2

(3)

5

4.0

26. American Robin

3

2

1

2

  

1

  

2

3

4

2

3

(38)

23

30.5

27. Virginia’s Warbler

    

2

3

1

          

1

  

(9)

7

8.0

28. Yellow-rumped Warbler

2

  

1

  

2

  

2

    

1

  

1

(15)

9

12.0

29. Grace’s Warbler

1

1

          

1

3

  

1

1

(4)

8

6.0

30. Western Tanager

    

1

  

2

1

1

      

2

2

(11)

9

10.0

31. Spotted Towhee

1

          

2

1

1

      

(3)

5

4.0

32. Chipping Sparrow

                

1

  

1

    

2

1.0

33. Dark-eyed Junco

  

3

            

1

2

  

3

(3)

9

6.0

34. Black-headed Grosbeak

    

1

  

1

  

1

3

  

2

1

1

(16)

10

13.0

35. Brown-headed Cowbird

            

2

            

2

1.0

36. Red Crossbill

                        

(6)

  

3.0

37. Pine Siskin

              

1

        

(14)

1

7.5


Key: This is a two-mile survey, comprised of two one-mile segments, separated by about a mile. Each of the routes has six points in riparian habitat, for a total of twelve points—one point more than if the route were contiguous. The six points in A are in Cienega, while B represents the points along the Bill Spring’s trail. The columns T93 and T02 compare the 1993 results with the current 2002 results, while the last column shows Relative Abundance, which is the average of those two years.

6-20-02 (B) & 6-21-02 (A): 31 species & 211 individuals

6-12-93 (B) & 6-19-93 (A): 31 species & 228 individuals
General Remarks: Even though this was a serious drought year and the two surveys conducted here to date are ten years apart, it is remarkable how stable bird populations have remained during the last decade. The only significant change is the advent of the Ash-throated Flycatcher and the Black-chinned Hummingbird, but that may be a drought-related effect and therefore not a permanent arrangement. More detailed information concerning the Red-naped Sapsucker can be found elsewhere in this report..

KEN HAS SEEN BLUE GROSBEAK IN THE CIENEGA AREA DURING SUMMER ON TWO OCCASIONS, BUT THESE MAY HAVE REPRESENTED POST-BREEDING WANDERERS, AS A NEST OR EVIDENCE OF FEEDING NESTLINGS WAS NEVER DOCUMENTED.  CANYON TOWHEE AND JUNIPER TITMOUSE MAY BE SEEN ALL YEAR ROUND JUST TO THE EAST AND SOUTH OF THE BBS COUNT AREA AT LOWER ELEVATION.  HEPATIC TANAGER HAS BEEN SEEN NEARBY DURING THE SUMMER.  NOTE THAT IN ADDITION TO THE BREEDING BIRD POPULATION, CIENEGA PICNIC AREA ATTRACTS MANY MIGRANTS, INCLUDING TOWNSEND'S WARBLER AND CASSIN'S VIREO IN THE FALL.

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FAQ's ABOUT FINDING ROSY-FINCHES, PINE GROSBEAK  AND NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL, AND MORE

Q.  Several readers have asked about the best time of day to see the Rosy-Finches.  A.  We have seen  them at all times of day.  They have been reliable in the morning around 9 to 10 AM.  The Crest House opens at 9:30 AM, providing access to the hanging feeder on the patio  (and hot coffee or a late breakfast).  No matter what time you arrive, plan to stay at least two hours, especially early in the season when they seem to aggregate into one or two large flocks.  The number of tourists increases later in the day, especially on weekends.  Human disturbance may cause the birds to stop only briefly or avoid the deck feeder as well as the lower feeder next to the parking lot.  The Rosy-Finches will also avoid visiting a feeder when Steller's Jay is present.

Q.  Where and when may Pine Grosbeaks be found at or near Sandia Crest?  A.  Pine Grosbeaks are rare and irregular winter visitors to the Sandias; they do breed in the mountains of northern New Mexico.  They may show up anywhere from the Ponderosa forest to the Crest. They were seen at the Crest feeding with the Rosy-Finches once, and may appear along the higher reaches of the road to the Crest, especially in January and February when there is good snow cover.  They may be encountered foraging in the sand and salt spread on the road after a snow.  Be alert for flocks of these beautiful large finches.  Their calls can be quite loud, or the members of the flock may "talk" quietly with each other.  

Q.  I'll be visiting family in Albuquerque around Thanksgiving (or Easter).  Will the Rosy-Finches be there yet (or still)?  A.  Thanksgiving, maybe; Easter, no! We normally expected them to arrive at the beginning of December and depart . mid March  As you can see in the  table, they showed up by the 20th of November the past two years, and lingered until the end of March.  There an aberrant record in 1970, cited in Jerry Oldenettel's Rosy-Finch Web page,  of Rosy-Finches having been seen away from breeding grounds in New Mexico in mid May.   (Jerry also makes a rather profound statement about Rosy-Finch viewing at Sandia Crest:  "If the birds stick here for a few years, this could easily become the 'canonical' location for worldwide birders to get their rosy finches since it is only an hour's drive from a major international airport and the road is paved, maintained, and clear throughout the winter.")

Q.  What about seeing other winter finches?  A.  Cassin's Finches can be numerous at Sandia Crest and visited our  yard feeders  at our former home in Cedar Crest (7000 feet elevation).  During the winter of 2002-3 our feeder visitors included 10 to 25 Evening Grosbeaks, House Finches, American Goldfinches, Pine Siskins and the usual host of winter residents.   Both Evening Grosbeaks and Cassin's Finches failed to show during the winter of 2003-4.  Red Crossbills, which sometimes visit our feeder during the summer, were notable by their absence during the  winter of 2002-3, not reappearing until mid-summer 2003 when they bred in large numbers in the Sandias.   They usually appear erratically during migration and in the winter, often in large numbers. White-winged Crossbills have been seen at the Santa Fe Ski area in past years, but we were not aware of any reports during the  winter of 2002-3.  Check out the interactive maps at Cornell Lab of Ornithology's e-Bird.  Call up reports for each of the winter finch species and see if they begin to migrate down from the mountains in Wyoming and Colorado.

Q. We also have received questions about where to stay and about restaurants in the East Mountains.  A.  We can recommend Elaine's Bed and Breakfast (call 1-800-821-3092), which is on NM 14 in Cedar Crest, about 1 1/2 miles south of the Crest Road intersection.  Elaine's is birder friendly and supports the American Birding Association by advertising in "Winging It."  An advantage of staying overnight in Cedar Crest, at 7200 feet elevation, is that you will be better acclimated to spend more time at 10,678 feet the next day.  For dining, in addition to the Crest House you may wish to try birder-friendly Kokopelli's Restaurant and Kantina (click here for hours and links to menu selections), which begins serving a great breakfast on weekends and most holidays at 7:30 and is conveniently located on North 14 about a mile north of the Crest Road intersection.  Cedar Point Grille, at the 2.3 mile mark on NM 14, opens for breakfast at 7:00 AM except Monday and Wednesday.  Also, for lunch and dinner we like Ribs II Barbecue (closed Mondays) in the Turquoise Trail Shopping Center at about the 3.5 mile mark of NM 14.  Wooby's Coffee & Bistro, located in the same shopping center, offers breakfast and a deli fare, opening 6:30 AM Monday through Friday and 7:30 AM on weekends.  For a more complete list of nearby dining, lodging and shopping see:   http://www.turquoisetrail.org/members.htm

Q.  Where/when is the best place/time to see the Northern Pygmy-owl?  A.  The N. Pygmy-owl that we have seen at the base of the Ski Area several times since November 29, 2002 was also seen there by Robert Kyse on December 7, by Pat Newman on December 31, 2002, and by Ryan Beaulieu and Raymond VanBuskirk several times during  December,  2003 through February, 2004.  It has a favored perch, which is the telephone wire near the far (east) end of the parking lot that is opposite the Ski Area (near mile marker 7).  As you ascend the Crest Road, look near the first telephone pole, on the right, about 100 feet past the entrance to the Ski Area, and in nearby trees.  It is seen there most often during the winter, but may appear any time of the year.  On January 17, 2004, Tyler Bell and Jane Kostenko saw one at dusk on the power lines off the west side of NM-14 about 1/4 mile north of the Cedar Crest Post Office (about the 3.6 mile mark, 200 yards north of the Mountain Christian Church, or about 150 yards south of the Corte de Cañoncito intersection).  Do not stop on this highway as there are no shoulders-- look for a side street and go back on foot to get a better look if necessary.  On January 5, 2003, Tom Headly saw another from the deck at Crest House.  Mobbing chickadees may betray the owl's presence. Late afternoon (during the two hours up until sunset) and just after sunrise have been the most productive times to see this owl.  (Since it is a local breeder, it is easiest to find at and just after sunset during May and June, when it is calling.  Capulin Spring has been a reliable location during breeding season).

To find the Northern Pygmy-owl, just keep looking along the roadside. We have found the owl easier to see when we are descending, maybe because we are looking down on it against the sky.  It stands out when perched on a wire or on a bare New Mexico Locust tree.  They have been sighted several times in scrub oaks, which retain their leaves well into the winter, concealing the bird.  Look for a stocky big-headed thin-tailed bird  about the size of a bluebird  sitting all by itself, near the top of a 15-20 foot tree or on a wire.  It seems to prefer the area between the 4 and 8 mile markers on the Crest Road, but may appear anywhere up to the Crest and even along NM-14.  During summer, the Northern Saw-whet and Flammulated owls are usually more common than pygmy-owls, in our experience, so study their calls.  Our local Northern Pygmy-owl usually does not whistle a distinct couplet as do those in Arizona, though the cadence may be slightly coupled: either "whee////whee////whee////whee..." or "whee///whee////whee///whee..."

Q.  Where do the Rosy-Finches spend the summer?  A.  Each of the three North American species has a distinct breeding range.  The Gray-crowned is most widespread, breeding well up into central Alaska and along the Bering Sea,  western Canada, and the mountains of central Idaho, western Montana and northern Utah.  The Hepburn's (Coastal) race of the Gray-crowned nests in the most western part of this range, and down into the mountains of Washington and Oregon.  The Black Rosy-Finch occurs over a fairly wide range, but occupies the smallest amount of territory, breeding only in scattered small, often roadless, areas of high mountains in northern Utah, northern Nevada, southern Oregon, parts of southwestern Montana and Idaho.  The Brown-capped Rosy-Finch breeds in the southern Rocky Mountains, from southern Wyoming to the high mountains of northern New Mexico. 

Q.  Have Rosy-Finches just recently started wintering at Sandia Crest?  A.  No.  The feeding program has undoubtedly encouraged them to visit the Crest House area more frequently (indeed on a daily basis every winter since 1999-00), but they have been recorded erratically at Sandia Crest since the 1950s.  See Sandy Williams' article for more information.

Q.  When is the best time to visit "The Log" at Capulin Spring?  A.  Any time between May 1 and the first major snowfall.   During the wet season (usually early July through late August) the birds have less need to concentrate at this important watering spot.  For a full discussion see the article on "The  Log."

Q.  Where are the American Three-toed Woodpeckers in the Sandias?  A. (From Hart Schwarz) In the Sandias this species is on the verge of extinction or, perhaps, may already be extinct.  From 1974 through 1988 the Three-toed could be found with regularity in the spruce/fir belt of the Sandias; however, since then, i.e., during the past fifteen years, I have encountered it only once: on the Ellis Burn on 10-13-96.  Ironic for a bird associated with burns, this last sighting was the only one actually connected with a burn.  All my other records were from areas undisturbed by fire and dominated by Engelmann Spruce, generally above 10,000 feet.  The near-extinction of this woodpecker in the Sandias should be seen as a local phenomenon, however, since the birds are still to be found elsewhere in NM, such as the Zunis and the Jemez Mountains, where they frequently occupy a lower tier (7,500 ft. to 9,000 ft.) in the Transition and Mixed Conifer zones, especially in places where the Blue Spruce grows.  Perhaps spruce of either species provides the common denominator of appeal, unless the habitat has become too crowded with trees, as seems to be the case in the Sandias. ADDENDUM: A pair and possibly a third American Three-toed Woodpecker appeared near Sandia Crest during the winter of 2005.  In early summer, "several" were seen at the same place, raising the possiblity that they may have returned to their former breeding grounds.  They were all seen in one general location, which is west of Kiwanis Meadow.  Walk south from the very lowest of the three parking lots at Sandia Crest, throug the open gate along the dirt road that leads to Kiwanis Meadow.  As you approach the Meadow, look right and also follow the trail that veers to the southwest towards Kiwanis Cabin and search the surrounding wooded area.  Another promising area worth searching for these birds is the 10K Trailhead, described in the Birder's Guide to the Crest Road  (LINK), although none have been reported there as yet. (Ken)

Q.  We saw hunters along the road to the Sandia Crest.  Is hunting legal?  A.  In the Sandia Ranger District, there is usually limited deer hunting by bow or muzzle-loading firearms for two weeks in late November through early December, and again for a week in mid-January.  The bear hunting season is over before the rosy-finches arrive.  In 2004 there may be an Aug. 28 to Sept. 19 Bow hunt for bear and mountain lion, and the Sandia and Manzano Mountains will have an Oct. 15 to Nov. 15 firearm hunt.  Hunters may not shoot from roadsides or near buildings, and have not interfered with birding activities.  Bow hunters usually hide or stalk in areas away from trails.  Just be aware that they are present legally.  They may not hunt after sunset.

Q.  What time does the sun go down?  A.  The following table gives the time of sunrise and sunset.  The sun disappears about 20-30 minutes earlier on the east side of the mountain.  Temperature drops very quickly after sunset.  Summer owling (for Flammulated, Saw-whet and Northern Pygmy-owl) seems most productive during the 1-2 hours after "official" sunset, while in the winter, the Northern Pygmy-owl has been heard and seen most often in the hour just after sunrise and just before sunset. 

Sunrise and Sunset, Albuquerque, NM
 To assist you in planning birding and owling (exact times vary year to year)
Mountain Standard Time

Nov 1  6:27p - 5:13p
Dec 1  6:56a - 4:55p
Jan 1  7:15a - 5:06p
Feb 1  7:06a - 5:35p
Mar 1  6:36a - 6:02p		 Mountain Daylight Time

Apr 1  6:54a - 7:28p
May 1  6:16a - 7:52p
Jun 1  5:54a - 8:15p
Jul 1  5:56a - 8:24p
Aug 1  6:15a - 8:10p
Sep 1  6:39a - 7:34p
Oct 1  7:01a - 6:51p
For exact times of sunrise and sunset anywhere and any day of the year, select "Data Services" at the US Naval Observatory Web Site: http://aa.usno.navy.mil/

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RECENT CORRESPONDENCE

Link to more RECENT Rosy-Finch Correspondence

Link to EARLIER Correspondence Archives

October 17, 2004
Dear Friends of the Sandia Crest Rosy Finch Project!

We are the new coordinators for the project since Ken and Mary Lou have moved to Florida.  We are very new to birding, but thought we could, with your help, manage the logistics of keeping this great project running. 

Ken will continue to maintain the website, 1-800 number and be the 'Chief Advisor'!

We are getting ready to start up the season and wanted to get in touch with those of you who have been part of the project in the past and/or who have expressed an interest in being involved.

We are planning to install the feeders and put out the Sightings Log Book at the Crest the weekend of  November 6th.  At that point, we will begin stocking the feeders about 2 times a week, as needed.  As in past years, we plan to store a supply of both types of seed under the Visitor Center Desk at the Crest.  We will arrange with our generous donors to get resupplied as needed throughout the season.

We are usually at the Crest Visitor Center on Wednesdays as USFS volunteers.  But we WILL need volunteers  to fill in periodically and to go up routinely on Fridays or Saturdays to check and restock the seed in the feeders.  We know that several people have done this in the past and/or have volunteered to help out this season. We would ask anyone who is willing to help to send us an email stating what you might be able to do so we can coordinate the efforts, have some backups and avoid duplication. 

Please feel free to pass this on to anyone you think would be interested!

Thank you for helping us to continue this project that Ken and Mary Lou Schneider and all the previous supporters have done so much work to establish!
 
Fran & Dave
 
Fran Lusso and Dave Weaver
Sandia Park, NM 87047
505-286-8899
250-6588 (cell - Fran)
250-3467 (cell - Dave)
==================================================

After the rosy-finches depart  there is always great birding in the Sandias.  Here is a note that describes a Texas birder's visit to Capulin Spring (June 13, 2004):

Ken, we just got home from our trip out West and I wanted to give you a report on our stop at Capulin Spring.  I only had one evening free to bird, but I got to the spring a couple of hours before dark and had a great time watching the birds come to the spring to bathe.  I had a long list of birds that are common to the area, but are birds we don't get to see very often in Central Texas.  I started walking the road between the closed gate and the Snow Play Area shortly before dark until well after dark, but did not see or hear any Northern Pygmy-Owls.  I did get to see an interesting bird behavior that is probably pretty common, but is something I've never seen before.  I saw a Red-breasted Nuthatch flycatching repeatedly from an exposed perch.  I didn't know they did that.  After leaving the Snow Play Area, I went back to the spring in the hopes of hearing a Northern Pygmy-Owl there.  I again struck out on the Northern Pygmy-Owl, but I got my lifer Northern Saw-whet Owl instead!!  Almost immediately after I sat down, I heard two Northern Saw-whet Owls calling.  One sounded very close to the picnic table so I started walking toward the area he was calling from.  I saw something move in the dark and pointed my flashlight at a Northern Saw-whet Owl about 10 feet from me.  He was so close that I couldn't even use my binoculars.  I watched him for about 30 seconds and then turned off the flashlight and retreated.  He resumed calling as soon as I left the area.    I also heard a Flammulated Owl and Common Poorwills calling in the area.  I talked to a lady shortly before dark who told me that a Northern Pygmy-Owl was seen daily at the ski area during ski season.  We're going out West again in late July, so I may try that area next time.  I heard that you're moving to Florida soon, but if you see or hear a Northern Pygmy-Owl in the area before you leave, I would appreciate hearing the details.  Thanks again for sharing your information about this fantastic birding area.
 
Rich Damron 
==================================================




 CLICK HERE to see the report of species and numbers of birds seen at three locations during summer bird walks. ]

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HISTORY OF THE ROSY-FINCH FEEDER PROJECT

Unique birds attract worldwide visitors to Sandia Crest

By Kenneth C. Schneider and Mary Lou Schneider
Special to the Telegraph as submitted, January 2002 (Truncated version was published)
Birdwatchers from all over the world are flocking to Sandia Crest to observe three species of birds from the north that have been unusually abundant during the past three winters [1999-2000, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002].  

When the tame little wanderers, members of a group of perching birds often called winter finches arrived in an unusually large flock of 80 birds in late 1999, we spread some birdseed at the edge of the roadway near the entrance gate to the Crest antenna complex in an effort to keep them coming. It worked, and the 1999-2000 winter was a banner year for naturalists who wanted to add the birds to their life lists.

After we moved from Dallas to Cedar Crest in 1993, we heard that Sandia Crest is sometimes visited by rosy-finches.  We and other birders would rush to the Crest to see them but were often disappointed. They came and went erratically until 1999. When news that the birds had returned in November 2000 traveled fast over the Internet, birders from as far away as Scotland made special trips just to see them.  

An unprecedented invasion of these inconspicuous but very handsome little birds occurred the winter of 2001-2002. During a two-week period in February, visitors from Tennessee, Arizona, Oregon, Indiana, Texas, North Carolina and Hawaii traveled by plane and car to see them.  A group from Denmark and Scotland was there as the sun came up one crisp morning.  They were rewarded with splendid, close-up views of the three species, called black, brown-capped and gray-crowned rosy-finches.  Was this just luck or did the feeding cause their abundance?  

The three species of rosy-finches spend their summers on treeless tundra on mountaintops and in the Arctic.  In the winter, all three wander south along mountain tops, to feed on weed seeds as well as on flying insects that are caught by updrafts and deposited, frozen, on snowfields at crests such as Sandia.  Two members of the group, known as the brown-capped and the black rosy-finches, share the distinction of being ALL-AMERICAN BIRDS with less than a dozen other bird species whose ranges are limited entirely to the lower forty-eight.  Only in Colorado and New Mexico, and only in the dead of winter, can all three species of rosy-finch be seen together.

Although the informal feeding by the public may well have contributed to the abundance of rosy-finches, it seemed to get unsightly and even dangerous when someone drained their radiator at the upper lot contaminating a large pile of seed.  

We approached Beverly DeGruyter, Chief Biologist for the Sandia Ranger District, and appealed for help from other interested birders.  As a result, the U.S. Forest Service and the Central New Mexico Audubon Society teamed up to erect a special feeder for the rosy-finches at Sandia Crest.  The feeder was donated by Wild Birds Unlimited Northwest, Albuquerque and the seed is being supplied courtesy of prdseed.com of Tijeras.  Tom Duncan, resident manager of the Sandia Crest House, has been very helpful. The feeder is removed after the rosy-finches depart, probably in late March, and is put up again in November. 
 
Before 1999, the Taos Ski Valley was the popular place to see these three species together.  Now Sandia Crest enjoys its reputation as the most accessible location in the world for those who seek rosy-finches.  

Visiting birders contribute significantly to the local economy.  New Mexico has a wondrous collection of specialized habitats that attract a great variety of birds. There are 1,913 species of birds in North America.  Despite its inland location, New Mexico, with 500 species, ranks fourth among the states and provinces of North America.

New Mexico is an inland paradise for the birding bunch crowd and a haven for birds. We feel fortunate to have the rosy-finches here. We hope for the