Thursday Birders
Thursday Birders meet almost every Thursday in Albuquerque. You don’t need to let the leader know you will be attending – just show up at the meeting spot no later than the specified time. If you have any questions email or call the trip leader for that particular day. For a short history of the Thursday Birders and species seen over the years, visit our “About Thursday Birders” page.
FEBRUARY 13
El Oso Grande Park
Gather in the El Oso Grande Park and walk the Bear Canyon Recreation Trail with Glenda and Jim Morling: 269-420-8322, glendamorling@gmail.com. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the parking area just north of the CNM parking lot off Morris; east of Eubank and north of Montgomery Boulevard NE. The one mile walk will end before 12:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY 20
Willow Creek Bosque
Walk in the Willow Creek Bosque in the Rio Rancho Bosque Open Space with Ginny Davis: 719-229-4432, ginnydavis111@aim.com. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the open space parking lot. For people not driving from the west side of the river, go north on I-25 and take the exit to Bernalillo/US 550. Drive west on 550 to the traffic light at NM 528. Turn south on 528 for 1.8 miles. Turn east at the traffic light on Willow Creek Road. Drive three blocks past Spruce Mountain Loop, turning left on the unpaved road down the arroyo to the parking lot. The one-mile walk will end before 12:00 p.m.
FEBRUARY 27
Tingley Bosque Ponds
Walk around the Tingley bosque ponds with Sara Jayne Cole: 505-503-5599, birdlajoya@gmail.com. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the north end of the Tingley Beach parking lot. To reach the area, drive west on Central Avenue past Rio Grande Boulevard, then turn left on Tingley Drive. Take the first right from Tingley Drive, and then turn right again to the dirt overflow parking lot. This leaves the few parking spots by the concession stand for people who want to fish. The walk will be about one mile in length and will end before 12:00 p.m.
MARCH 5
Rio Grande Nature Center
Walk around the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park with Leah Henzler: 505-280-2085, lfcairns@gmail.com. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Candelaria Wetland Blind in the northeast corner of the Nature Center parking lot. A $3 parking fee, State Parks Pass, or Friends of the RGNC Pass is required per car. One may use the restrooms and purchase parking passes inside the Visitors Center after 10:00. The walk will end before noon.
MARCH 12
San Lorenzo Canyon
Visit San Lorenzo Canyon in the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge with Rebecca Gracey: 505-362-5095, maryrebeccagracey@gmail.com. Meet at 8:20 a.m. for an 8:30 departure from the parking lot behind the Hawthorn Suites on University Boulevard and Gibson SE. The scenic sandstone canyon is located between San Acacia and Lemitar, NM, off I-25. Bring lunch and a folding chair for comfort while eating your lunch. The group should be back in Albuquerque by 2:00 p.m. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $7 at five cents per mile.
MARCH 19
Belen Marsh & Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area
Travel to the Belen Marsh and Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area with Barbara Hussey: 505-385-1165, brhussey@flash.net. Meet at 8:20 a.m. for an 8:30 departure from the parking lot behind the Hawthorn Suites on University Boulevard and Gibson SE, or 9:00 at the Belen Marsh. To reach the marsh, take the first Belen exit from I-25, Exit 195. Then drive east one mile, turning south at the Taco Bell and parking in their parking lot. We will view the birds on the ponds and then drive to WWCA on NM 47 on the east side of the Rio Grande. There the group will walk 1.5 miles on the property. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $3.50 at five cents per mile. We should be back in Albuquerque by 1:00 p.m.
MARCH 26
Durand Open Space
Walk in the Durand Open Space in the South Valley with Sara Jayne Cole: 505-503-5599, birdlajoya@gmail.com. Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the open space parking lot at 4750 Isleta SW. To reach the area, take I-25 south and exit on Rio Bravo, then drive west on Rio Bravo and turn south onto Isleta Boulevard. Drive two miles to the property on the east side of Isleta. There are no restrooms at Durand, so one may want to stop at the Twisters, (the site of Los Pollos Hermanos on Breaking Bad) at 4275 Isleta SW, before reaching the open space. The walk will be about one mile in length and will end before noon.
APRIL 2
Oak Flat Picnic Area & Juan Tomas Open Space
Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Sandia Ranger District in Tijeras and then drive to the Oak Flat Picnic Area and perhaps the Juan Tomas Open Space in the Manzano Mountains with Maurice Mackey: 505-897-0415, moemackey@comcast.net. To reach the Ranger District, exit I-40 at Tijeras and take NM-337 south for 0.5 miles. The Ranger Station will be on the left. The walk will end before noon.
APRIL 9
Corrales Bosque
Walk in the Corrales bosque off Dixon Road with Bernie and Pauline Morris: 505-369-1227, mtnbluebird@verizon.net. Meet at 8:20 a.m. for an 8:30 departure from the shopping area north of Alameda Road/NM 528 and east of Corrales Road/NM 448. Park by the Boxing Bear Brewing Company where parking is not restricted. The group will carpool from there to the parking circle at the end of East Ella. The walk should end by noon. Lunch is planned at Village Pizza in Corrales afterwards.
APRIL 16
Pena Blanca & Cochiti Lake
Drive to Pena Blanca, NM, and Cochiti Lake with Judy Liddell: 505-220-7998, jliddell@msn.com. Meet at 7:50 a.m. for an 8:00 departure from the Target parking lot at 1-25 and Paseo del Norte. Meet in the northwest corner of the parking lot. It is important to have 3-4 people in each car to reduce the number of cars driving through Pena Blanca. Those not carpooling will not join the group for birding through Pena Blanca. If you want to meet the group west of I-25 on NM 22 to Santo Domingo and Pena Blanca, contact Judy by April 14. Bring lunch. The group should be back in Albuquerque by 2:00 p.m. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $5 at five cents per mile.
APRIL 23
Coyote del Malpais Golf Course
Travel to the Coyote del Malpais Golf Course at 2001 George Hanosh Boulevard, in Grants, NM, with Ken Zaslow: 512-576-5309, kzaslow88@gmail.com. Meet at 6:20 a.m. for a 6:30 departure from the northwest corner of the parking lot of the Hotel Albuquerque, located at 800 Rio Grande NW. To reach the hotel from I-40, take the Rio Grande exit and drive south to the first stop light, located on Bellamah. Turn east toward the hotel and enter the parking lot on the right.
From Albuquerque the group will travel west on I-40 for 75 miles. Take exit 89 from I-40 and stay on the service road to the service station on the north side of I-40, (600 McBride Road), where the participants will regroup at approximately 7:45 a.m. and take the opportunity for a short bathroom break and the chance to buy snacks or Subway sandwiches. If one plans to meet the group there, tell Ken before April 23.
The group will walk about three miles around the golf course and the many ponds there. One may bring lunch or buy lunch in the club house. For those not driving the shared gas expense is $7.50 at five cents per mile. The trip will end by 3:00 p.m. back in Albuquerque.
APRIL 30
Embudito Canyon
Hike Embudito Canyon in the Sandia Mountain foothills with Lefty Arnold: 505-514-9398, wanderingtattlerja@yahoo.com. Meet at 8:27 a.m. in the trailhead parking lot. To reach the canyon, drive east on Montgomery past Tramway, then turn left on Glenwood Hills. Continue 0.4 of a mile, turn right on Trailhead Road and continue to the parking lot. This is an easy 1.5-mile walk ending before noon.
MAY 7
Manzano Pond & Quarai National Monument
Travel to Manzano pond in Manzano, NM, and Quarai National Monument with Bonnie Long: 505-379-1985, cantrade_1@yahoo.com. Meet at 7:50 a.m. for an 8:00 departure from the north side of the Sprouts parking lot in the Four Hills Village Shopping Center on Central Avenue and Tramway Boulevard NE or meet Bonnie at the intersection of NM 337 and NM 55 at 8:50. Bring lunch. For those not driving, the shared gas expense is $5 at five cents per mile. The group will be back in Albuquerque by 2:00 p.m.
MAY 14-15
Thursday Birders Birdathon
Participate in the Thursday Birders Birdathon led by Rebecca Gracey: 505-362-5095, maryrebeccagracey@gmail.com. This year the group will meet at 10:00 a.m. on May 14 and will bird at many locations in the Truth or Consequences area until 10:00 a.m. the next day, with time out for dinner and sleeping. The team has a goal of seeing 100 species of birds in a 24-hour period. We will stay together as a group, with the aim of most people seeing or hearing most of the species. Contact Rebecca if you would like to be a member of the team, and she will email you detailed plans and maps for the event. It’s good if we all know each other, so please attend some Thursday Birder outings prior to the Birdathon if you would like to be on the team.
This is a fundraising event, with each participant pledging money per species seen on the Birdathon. The money raised this year will fund school and summer Ranger Programs at Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Belen. In addition, the money will provide a stipend for a college intern at WWCA.
Nonparticipants who want to support the Birdathon and its contribution to Whitfield are welcome to make additional donations.
Donations may be made online by clicking on the donation link on the CNMAS homepage, http://cnmas.newmexicoaudubon.org/ and including a comment that the donation is for the Birdathon. If you prefer writing a check, make it out to CNMAS and indicate “Birdathon” in the memo line. Mail it to Central Mexico Audubon Society, P.O. Box 30002, Albuquerque, NM, 87190-0002.
MAY 21
Pueblo Montano Open Space
Walk in the Pueblo Montano Open Space with Susan Chaudoir: 985-302-2878, s.chaudoir@mac.com. Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot that is located on the south side of Montano Road and east side of Coors Boulevard. There is an entrance from both of those roads. The parking lot is small and another group meets there on Thursday, so some people may find it necessary to park in the nearby shopping center on the south. It will be an easy two-mile walk ending before noon.
MAY 28
Doc Long Picnic Area & Bill Springs Trail
Visit the Doc Long Picnic Area and Bill Springs Trail in the Sandia Mountains with Linda Otterson: 505-280-3123, lotterson300@comcast.net. To car pool meet at 7:50 a.m. for an 8:00 departure from the north side of the Sprouts parking lot in the Four Hills Village Shopping Center on Central Avenue and Tramway Boulevard SE. The walk up Bill Springs Trail and back will be about a mile long. A $3 fee or Federal Pass is required per car. The group should be back in Albuquerque by noon, but for those interested, lunch is planned at the Greenside Cafe in Cedar Crest.
If you have any questions about the Thursday Birders trips, contact Rebecca Gracey.