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Apr 28: Our day began with a visit to Memorial Park in El Paso where we observed our fist Inca Doves, a cooperative Plumbeous Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warblers. A few Pine Siskins also presented themselves, singing their ‘zzzzzrrreeee’ song reminiscent of running one’s finger up a comb. Next it was on to the Fort Bliss Sewage Ponds where we saw numbers of Cinnamon Teal and Black-necked Stilts, Common Moorhen, our first Swainson’s Hawk, and a locally very rare Downy Woodpecker. Nearby, David was able to pick out a Burrowing Owl from lumps of bird-like matter; we enjoyed nice looks from the vans. After a stop for supplies we headed to Fort Hancock and McNary Reservoirs about fifty miles east of El Paso where we watched Clark’s and Western Grebes, American White Pelican, and lots of dabbling ducks. Patty picked out an immature Harris’s Hawk which rapidly became a speck. A roadside ditch at McNary was loaded with Yellow-headed Blackbirds that gave great fly-by looks and even “sang.” Timing is everything, and we were lucky to see several Cave Swallows bringing food back to their nests under the highway. A few moments later they all seemed to be gone! Late afternoon saw us zooming through the northern portion of the beautiful Davis Mountains and anticipating what birds awaited us in Jeff Davis County the next day. Apr 29: The first morning at the picturesque Indian Lodge in Davis Mountains State Park included a dawn chorus of Curve-billed Thrashers and Cassin’s Kingbirds. A loop through the park’s campground produced the prized Montezuma Quail—a pair of birds walked quietly under the oak trees, kicking to the sides with strong legs in search of food and apparently oblivious to our presence and trained scopes. A staked-out Common Black-Hawk gave obliging views at nearby Limpia Creek. Next, we headed out through the Davis Mountains Scenic Loop and birded the Lawrence E. Wood Picnic area where Acorn Woodpeckers, Violet-green Swallows, Gray Flycatcher, Hepatic Tanager, and Scott’s Oriole entertained us. After a pleasant lunch we enjoyed the area’s awesome scenery as we headed over to Lake Balmorhea. Along the way some of the group got to see an aerial dispute between a Zone-tailed Hawk and a Red-tail. Lake Balmorhea is the only large body of water in the area and gave us another opportunity to enjoy waterbirds. A small puddle next to the overflowing lake contained a flock of peeps, most of them alternate-plumaged Baird’s Sandpipers—a bird we only get to see as juveniles back east. A marshy area behind the lake hosted close White-faced Ibis, Wilson’s Phalaropes, and whinnying Soras. Linda picked out a skulking American Bittern, quite rare in the Trans-Pecos. It was near a snag, err I mean bush in the sedge marsh. Pulling ourselves away from Avocets, baby grebes, and a bittern wasn’t easy but we needed to make a final stop for the day at nearby Balmorhea State Park. The highlight here is a restored cienega, or desert wetland; home to two endangered desert fishes, the Comanche Spring Pupfish and Pecos Mosquitofish. Perhaps a bit more exciting to most folks was the great look at a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.
Apr 30: In the morning we walked through the campground at Davis Mountains State Park for migrants that included our only Virginia’s Warblers of the trip, a few glimpses at Townsend’s Warblers, plus numerous Wilson’s Warblers, Summer Tanagers, Ash-throated Flycatchers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and other common and beautiful western species.
That afternoon an enjoyable and scenic drive took us through more of the state’s largest mountain range into high elevation grasslands where we saw our first Pronghorn Antelope. We stopped at a small park near Marathon known as “The Post.” Some of the group got to see the trip’s first male Painted Bunting here and another Yellow-headed Blackbird. Scaled Quail called from the hillside but remained unseen. Other enjoyable birds were our first Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, Vermillion Flycatchers, and Bullock’s Orioles….we apparently left just before a Friday afternoon biker rally got started! With great anticipation we drove south and entered Big Bend National Park. Mountains rolled back to the horizon in almost all directions while the desert plains swept away from the road to Panther Junction. A Peregrine Falcon caused a fast exodus from the vehicles along the way—several pairs breed in the park. As we happily settled into our rooms Steve and Nancy offered us a close view of a male Varied Bunting from their deck. Stunning Scott’s Orioles were also nearby, and everyone’s excitement and anticipation for the following days was palpable. May 1: Our first full day in the incredible scenery of the Chisos Mountains and Big Bend. The lodge is situated in the caldera of an ancient volcano with mountains rimming it on three sides. The fourth side offers a slice view of the distant plains through what is known as “The Window.” This view was enjoyed every morning and evening as we ate our meals at the lodge. After breakfast we headed out to Cottonwood Campground, a grove of Cottonwood and Mesquite trees along the Rio Grande, several thousand feet below our accommodations at the lodge (and much warmer). Here we saw a pair of Brown-crested Flycatcher carrying nesting material, two Tropical Kingbirds, Hooded and Orchard Orioles, and a snoozing Western Screech-Owl. Adam spotted a rare visitor: a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Across the road from the campground we searched for the elusive Lucy’s Warbler. Some of the group got decent looks before the bird flew off down a wash. After our lunch we headed to Sam Nail Ranch where a few participants saw a beautiful Sonoran Whipsnake drinking from the spring along with a Varied Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Nancy and I got a look at an Olive-sided Flycatcher. After dinner most of the group opted for a short trip to a small group of trailers known as K-Bar. A stop was made along the way to get up close and personal with a Tarantula. Against a mountain backdrop a couple of Lesser Nighthawks cruised by. As the light failed small forms began to appear on telephone poles: they were hunting Elf Owls. There were up to five birds hunting from the wires—a great way to close the day.
May 2: The day’s journey began with a hike up the Blue Creek Canyon Trail in search of three Southwestern specialties: Gray Vireo, Phainopepla, and Lucifer Hummingbird. We were lucky to view all three and got excellent looks at two of them. The Hummer was most cooperative, protecting his nectar patch of tree tobacco flowers and perching fearlessly close by on dead twigs. His beautiful gorget gleamed from time to time while we watched. On our way back down the canyon past the scenic red rocks where Canyon Wrens sang we got more satisfactory looks at Gray Vireo, definitely not the “best in show” category but nonetheless a sought after bird found only at scattered brushy hillsides in the southwest. We also had good scope looks at a pair of Phainopepla, the only member of the silky-flycatcher family in America.
In the afternoon we headed down the eight-hundred foot descent to “the window” where we enjoyed an awesome view out into the vast desert landscape; after enjoying photo opportunities it was a leisurely climb back to the vans. In the process some of the group enjoyed great looks at a pair of Black-capped Vireos, a rare nesting species in the Chisos Mountains. Our first good looks at Mexican Jays were also had here, along with Spotted Towhees and another pair of Gray Vireos. May 3: Ten miles of hiking the previous day called for a more leisurely pace. The day began with a drive to Rio Grande Village, an excellent birding locale within the park where Painted Buntings were numerous and a pair of Common Black-Hawks soared over the Rio Grande River. Another Brown-crested Flycatcher sang and perched cooperatively for us. We chased around a pair of Crissal Thrashers who preferred running rather than flying, while a Zone-tailed Hawk glided overhead. During lunch an inquisitive, bold roadrunner walked right past some feeding birders. Post lunch we hiked along a stretch of the Rio Grande with towering mountains across the river. From a distance we exchanged greetings with some Mexican boys on a burro. On the way back to the lodge we made a stop at Dugout Wells where some of group spent time chasing down a MacGillivray’s Warbler and others enjoyed some shade and quiet in this little oasis. May 4: After a hearty breakfast, we met outside the rooms for our big hike into the high elevations of the Chisos Mountains. Arguably some of the greatest scenery of the tour was enjoyed this day, with breathtaking views all around including “the boot.” During the first leg of the hike we were stopped by a small flock of migrants that included several “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warblers, Hutton’s Vireo, and our only Grace’s Warbler of the trip. At the scenic Laguna Meadows a Crissal Thrasher sang and we watched the flight display antics of a male Broad-tailed Hummingbird. Colima Warblers were singing, but we still hadn’t had a look at this sought-after bird. Further along some of the group got decent looks at a male working through the trees, but many people missed it. Fortunately the bird is fairly numerous and one by one we all got to see it. At Boot Springs (yes, there actually was a pool of water) we could hear the loud seep note of Blue-throated Hummingbird and watched one cooperative male, while several others were heard or seen zooming along the streambed. We rested our feet around the spring, enjoying the wonderfully cool day and waiting for our next quarry. I spied the Painted Redstart briefly but it quickly vanished. A few moments later Dorie found it and we enjoyed long looks at this stunning species. From here we started down the Pinnacles Trail and reached the highest elevation of the trip. Near the 7,000+ foot Emory Peak a family group of Zone-tailed Hawks circled, complimenting an already spectacular view. On the descent we found the most cooperative Colima Warbler of the day, a bird that perched and flitted about in the open for several minutes. This individual was also conveniently feeding below eye level at a switchback where the tree tops were below us. We continued our descent and made it back to the lodge after six; tired but very happy! May 5: Back to Cottonwood Campground where we were rewarded with a scope look at a Gray Hawk and persistence paid off for some of our group who had a good look at Lucy’s Warbler. Meanwhile in the campground, we watched vultures and ravens make short work of unsecured food at a campsite. It was a real smorgasbord with Black Vultures feeding on a horse carcass and then at the campsite. After some last looks at Tropical Kingbirds, Hooded Orioles, and a soaring Gray Hawk we took a couple of group photos and sadly had to leave the park. On to El Paso via Marathon but first an unexpected roadside stop. Nancy mentioned that she saw a flock of sparrows. “How many?” I asked and when she answered “-quite a few-“, I suspected they were Lark Buntings. In addition to the buntings, there was a pair of gorgeous Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and singing Cassin’s Sparrow. Between thunderstorms we ticked the last new bird of the trip—a Franklin’s Gull feeding in a flooded field next to McNary Reservoir. From there it was another hour back to El Paso, our farewell dinner and flights home.
For tour itineraries, to register, or for more information contact: NJAS Eco-Travel at: (908)-204-8998 Members receive discounts on program fees. If you are not a member and would like to become one, consider Joining New Jersey Audubon Society.
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