A Little Birding Trip Out West

Prologue

May of 2021 found me fully vaccinated, and with ants in my pants — I needed to take a trip!  I decided to combine a little rock art excursion with some birdwatching.  My rock art venues were in the Owens Valley near Bishop, California and in Central New Mexico,  south of Albuquerque.  As I plotted my route, I picked out some birdwatching hotspots on Ebird for the birding portion of my trip.  For the blog that covers the rock art part of this trip, look here.  Below is my account of the bird watching I did on this trip.

 Day One Of My Drive to California…

As is my custom, I headed out very early (4:00 a.m.!) on the morning of Thursday, May 21, 2021.  I planned to drive from the lake to Lordsburg, New Mexico on that first day, all of it on IH-10.  My first stop on this trip was in Sonora, Texas, at the Eaton Hill Nature Center.  I arrived there at 7:00 a.m., having driven 196.3 miles.  The visitor’s office was not open, and I saw no other people as I walked a couple of the trails.  There were not a lot of birds moving, but I enjoyed the walk and the quiet.  My eBird Checklist for this stop shows 11 species observed, none of which were new to me.  It was a nice little preserve, and I would not mind stopping by there again!

After about a 30-minute walk at Eaton Hill Preserve in Sonora, I hit the road again —  next stop, Balmorhea Lake.   I pulled into the little store that serves as the headquarters for this privately-owned lake around 10:45 a.m.  I paid my $5.00 fee for birdwatching and spent the next 45 minutes driving the roads and walking the damn.  My eBird Checklist for this stop records that I saw 15 species of birds on my brief visit.  The highlight of the stop was watching a Clark’s Grebe, which was a new bird for me.  

I left Balmorhea Lake shortly before noon, headed toward my next objective, the El Paso Desert Botanical Garden in El Paso, Texas.  After gaining an hour from changing to Mountain Time, I arrived shortly after 2:00 pm.  I found a preserve with an impressive infrastructure (lots of water features, art, and architectural touches) and a nice wetlands area.   During my 35-minute visit, I observed 13 species of birds, as noted in my eBird Checklist.  While none of the birds I saw were new to me,  I enjoyed this place and hope to visit there again someday!

After leaving El Paso, I crossed into New Mexico and, in short order, found myself in Las Cruces.  I stopped at the Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park and, unfortunately, it was 10 minutes before closing time.  From what I could see from the parking lot and from my conversation with the Park Ranger (who was quite nice, by the way), this is a place I would like to visit in the future, when the hours are not cut back  because of the pandemic.  So, I continued west, headed for Deming and Voiers Park.  This park is located in an old gravel pit which the City of Deming is transforming into a stunning public space.  I took a stroll around the park but didn’t bother with an eBird Checklist because I saw very few birds, and all were the usual suspects.  I then drove on to Lordsburg where I spent the night in a comfortable but unremarkable motel.  

Day Two and Beyond:  The Drive to Vegas and Corn Creek Station…

I left Lordsburg, New Mexico at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, May 21, 2021.  I was headed for Tucson, Arizona and an eBird Hotspot I had found on the north side of the city named Sweetwater Wetlands.  I drove 158.7 miles before reaching Sweetwater at 8:40 a.m.  This was a very nice facility, and there were quite a few people birding the property that morning.  I spent a little over an hour walking and watching, and, as my eBird Checklist reflects, I watched 13 species of birds.  I was delighted that two of the species I watched that morning were new to me —  the Gambel’s Quail and an Abert’s Towhee.  I wish I could have spent more time at this beautiful place — I know there were some warblers I missed but could have watched with a little more time and patience.  I hope to revisit the Sweetwater Wetlands some day and would highly recommend it if you find yourself in the Tucson area. 

I left the Sweetwater Wetlands and Tucson a little before 10 a.m. on Friday, May 21, 2021, headed through Phoenix to Las Vegas.  About 2 p.m., I stopped at the Hassayampa River Preserve northeast of Phoenix and walked their trails for about an hour.  As indicated by my eBird Checklist for Hassayampa, I didn’t see a large number or large variety of birds.  I don’t know if it was the midday heat or something else that cause the lack of birds.  This is a nice Preserve with interesting trails and habitat.  I will go back and give it a second shot if I am ever in the area again!

I left Hassayampa River Preserve mid-afternoon and continued toward Las Vegas and my bed for the night.  As I drove Highway 163 out of Laughlin, Nevada, I was tempted to stop and say hi to some old friends at the Grapevine Canyon Petroglyph Site.  But I was hoping to make one more birding stop in the Las Vegas metro area —  a place called the City of Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve.  Unfortunately, when I reached the entrance to the site, the front gate was closed and locked up tight.  Maybe next time!  So, I battled the Vegas rush hour traffic and made my way to my accommodations for the night at an Airbnb that I had booked.

I left Las Vegas on the morning of Saturday, May 22, 2021, headed to the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, which is located about 30 miles northeast of Las Vegas proper.  The main bird watching area is at the Corn Creek Field Station, which also houses the main visitor center for the Refuge.  When I first arrived at Corn Creek, I was the only person there.  I spent over two hours walking the trails and bird watching. I observed 19 species of birds that morning (see my eBird Checklist here), 5 of which were new to me.  The five new species that I observed were the Cinnamon Teal, Violet-green Swallow, Verdin, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, and the Gray Flycatcher.  It was a beautiful, crisp morning and the kind of place that makes you glad you are alive.  I hope to return to this special place someday and explore some of the backroads and canyons.  I would especially like to explore the Dry Lake area, which supposedly has some nice rock art.  If you are ever in the Las Vegas area, I would highly recommend a visit to the Desert National Wildlife Refuge and Corn Creek.  

Passing Through Death Valley National Park…

I had never visited Death Valley National Park, so I planned my route to include a visit there.  After finishing up at Corn Creek in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, I set out for Death Valley National Park.  I made a few stops along the way (Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Salt Creek Trail) and enjoyed the drive along Highway 190.  There is rock art in the park.  In fact, I seriously considered visiting the Saline Valley to see the quirky and somewhat notorious hotsprings and the nearby Condor Petroglyphs and Fertility Site.  I finally decided that the temperatures in that area would be too high to risk an overland hike to the petroglyphs.  Maybe next time!

Well, that about covers my bird watching during the trip out to the Owen’s Valley of California.  During my stay in Bishop, California, I didn’t do any dedicated bird watching, as the hunt for the rock art sites took up almost all of my time and energy.  Toward the end of my stay, however, I did drive up to Mono Lake.  I had seen an article about this unique lake years ago, and I decided I wanted to see it.  It is one of the oldest lakes in the western hemisphere and is hauntingly beautiful.  During my trip preparation, I also noticed it is listed on eBird as a hotspot.  I enjoyed a short hike at the lake, but saw very few birds.  I did see a male/female pair of Brewer’s Blackbirds cavorting along the shore and the tufa formations.  So, I inadvertently picked up a new species!  But most of all, I got to see one of the most beautiful lakes in our country. 

The Trip Home & A Productive Stop At An Old Favorite…

Figuring I would be worn out after climbing around the Volcanic Tablelands of the Owen Valley, I purposely didn’t plan on many birding stops on the way home.  I left Bishop, California, early on the morning of May 25, 2021 and drove to Los Lunas, New Mexico, which is south of Albuquerque.  The only stops I made that day were for gas and rest.   Wednesday, May 26, 2021, I got up early and successfully found the Abo Serpents Petroglyph site.  I then headed toward Alpine, Texas, where I would spend the night.  Late in the  afternoon of that day, I stopped at the Davis Mountains State Park, which is one of my favorite places to bird.  I spent time at each of the blinds and also walked around the campgrounds.  During this visit, I recorded 21 species on my eBird Checklist.  Three of the the species I watched were new to me: the Western Tanager, the White-breasted Nuthatch, and the Scott’s Oriole.   I also got to observe some old favorites, such as the Acorn Woodpecker, the Black-headed Grosbeak, and the Blue Grosbeak.  It was a wonderful afternoon of bird watching!

Epilogue…

The trip ended peacefully with a drive from Alpine to my home at Lake McQueeney, Texas.  The only hiccup was that Kickapoo Cavern State Park was closed.  I was looking forward to breaking up the drive with a relaxing stint in their bird blind.  All in all, this was a wonderful trip that accomplished almost all of my goals.  I got to visit several rock art sites that are seen and enjoyed by a very small number of people.  Each of these sites was a sacred place — perfect for meditating and thinking of those who came before us.  I got to watch and meet some beautiful birds — eleven species of which were new to me.  Who could ask for anything more?

  I am grateful for the good health and the financial blessings that enable me to undertake trips like this.  Most of all I am grateful for my Dorothy, whose understanding and generosity I do not deserve!

I leave you with this:  A picture of this youngster who watched me watch birds at the main road blind at Davis Mountains State Park…