Las Vegas NWR - Summer Birding in a Wet Year

 The summer of 2015 saw above average precipitation, something like weekly precipiation events from January to July, unprecedented in San Miguel County in recent years. This above average precipitation led to an extensive, early green-up across the region, typically limited to just 6 or 8 weeks of the Monsoon. While I was gone from my home for the better part of March-August, I did get to spend some extended weekends and a few weeks of July off. 

I was able to add several species to my San Miguel county bird list this summer, one of these is a familiar bird in Texas, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. It's long tail streaming behind it like a kite, these active Tyrant flycatchers are related to the kingbirds. Ruby and I saw one in eastern San Miguel county on hwy 104, just before a 2 week trip through Texas where we would end up seeing several hundred along highways and on electric poles throughout the state. 

Scissor-tail Flycatcher, an uncommon bird in New Mexico. Eastern San Miguel Co., New Mexico, Summer 2015

  

We made a quick stop in Variadero to check out some old ranch houses. Bullock's Orioles, Northern Mockingbirds, and Burrowing Owls were all calling these old farms and ranches home. As was a very precocious coyote who was hunting mice, seemingly unaware of our presence. The beautiful songs of the familiar Western Meadowlarks, and the new-to-me for the county Cassin's Sparrow filled the air.

On the county road that encircles Variadero, we also found this Ornate Box Turtle slowly crossing the road, a neat find in the middle of these typically arid plains.

Ornate Box Turtle, near Variadero, San Miguel Co., NM, Summer 2015

 Back closer to Las Vegas, the Las Vegas NWR, Storrie Lake, the Gallinas Riverwalk, and Sebastian Canyon all held good summer birds. I found a Mississippi Kite on the riverwalk, right in the middle of town, a great bird here on the eastern boundary of their typical range. 

Canda Goose, an increasingly local breeder

Las Vegas NWR had it's usual suite of grassland birds, but with water this year, the refuge experienced great numbers of waterfowl sticking around through the summer, breeding Canada Geese, Western Grebes, Pied-billed Grebes, and Eared grebes all raised families on the refuge. Visits by Black Terns and Wilson's Phalaropes reminded one of the refuge's oceanic roots, providing inland habitat for seasonally-tied coastal birds. 

The most famous bird of the refuge's summer was

 Earlier this summer, long-time refuge visitor, birding extraordinaire and past guest speaker Christopher Rustay located an uncommon bird on the refuge, just at the tour loop corner next to McAllister Lake; a Dickcissel. These grassland specialist birds are common throughout the Midwest and eastern Great Plains, preferring grasslands with weedy or shrubby edges, in most years just a handful of these birds are reported across New Mexico, but this year, probably due to the abundant moisture, Dickcissels were reported in amazingly high numbers across Northeastern New Mexico, from Las Vegas NWR north up into Mora, Colfax, and Union counties. 

A male Dickcissel sings his morning buzzy song at Las Vegas NWR, San Miguel Co., NM, Summer 2015

By mid-June the Dickcissel invasion was in full swing and my personal high count at the Las Vegas NWR was nearly 14 individuals, mostly males and in full song. This high number, with the addition of singing is a good indication that the birds were nesting on the refuge, although no nests were ever confirmed. These colorful little songbirds, related to the buntings, superficially resembles a Western Meadowlark, our other common yellow-breasted grassland bird, but differs in its size (being at least half as small as a meadowlark) and short conical bill, a common trait among the buntings. 

Male Dickcissel at Las Vegas NWR, San Miguel Co., NM, Summer 2015

This type of eastern-bird invasion reminds us just how close we are to the bird communities of the Eastern United States, while retaining our very Western-influence birds, like the Stellar Jays and Canyon Wrens of Gallinas canyon. Las Vegas NWR truly is a refuge where the Great Plains meet the Rockies, how lucky to be able to have this jewel in our backyard!

Canyon Wren shakes it out, Gallinas Canyon, Las Vegas NWR, San Miguel Co., NM

Summer in San Miguel County, New Mexico can be an extraordinary time to see breeding birds of the west. Burrowing owls, though increasingly rare in the county are still found in low numbers out on the short-grass plains. These migratory owls are truly unique within their kind in their ground-dwelling habits.

Burrowing Owl near Las Vegas NWR, June 2013.

Barn Swallow, with it's glossy dark blue colors and forked tail, these swift flyers are common birds at Las Vegas NWR from March to October.

Western Meadowlark belting out his gurgling dawn song.

Black-billed Magpie, this 1st year bird shows off his iridescent plumage. Black-billed Magpies are breeding birds throughout the Gallinas River area from Las Vegas to the mountains above town. These quintessential western birds reach their furthest eastern point here in Las Vegas.