General Information
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. Although rare, any changes to the schedule will be posted here as needed. You are therefore encouraged to check this page before heading out in case of recent changes. For trips with limited numbers of vehicles or people, or for any other questions you have, contact thursdaybirders@gmail.com to reserve your spot.
Click here – Checklist Archive – for eBird Checklists from past Thursday Birder trips
Click here – About Us – for a history and more information on Thursday Birders
Click here – Recent Trips – to learn more about some of our recent trips
JUNE 2023
June 1
Doc Long Picnic Area – Bill Springs Trail 8:25AM – 11:30AM
GPS Coordinates (35.177223, -106.378936)
I-40 east, go north on NM-14 for six miles. Turn left on the Crest Highway NM-536 and drive two miles to left turn to Doc Long Picnic Ground. Drive past pavilions, restrooms and signs, to far NW side where paved road ends in small loop.
$3 parking fee – free with Senior Pass
Difficulty Level – 1.5 miles roundtrip with under 300 feet of total elevation gain, somewhat rocky in parts. Pleasant hike through a heavily forested area along intermittent spring. Trail follows Tejano Canyon below the Crest Highway and is just outside of the Sandia Mountain Wilderness boundary.
Leader – Brian Anderson
June 8
Lou Feltz Cabin 6:50AM – 3:00PM
GPS coordinates – (35.151614, -106.582275)
Meet at 6:50AM, northwest corner of Target parking lot at I-25/ Paseo del Norte – park in spots facing Paseo del Norte.
Please email us at thursdaybirders@gmail.com by June 1 if you plan on attending.
Visit the Feltz family‚ Jemez Mountain cabin near La Cueva with Lou Feltz.
Difficulty level – approximately 120 miles roundtrip, driving on some unpaved roads approaching the cabin, some walking on flat trails and roads in housing development if desired and sitting comfortably waiting for birds to arrive.
Please bring a picnic lunch.
No leader
June 15
Tingley Ponds and Bosque 7:55AM – 11:00AM
GPS coordinates – (35.088596, -106.677003)
Drive west on Central Avenue past Rio Grande Blvd, left on Tingley Drive, first right then right again to dirt overflow parking lot.
Difficulty Level – one and a half miles – flat with sandy trails.
Leader – Mary Raje
June 22
Durand Open Space 8:30AM – 11:30AM
GPS Coordinates – (35.003587, -106.689749)
Meet in open space parking lot at 4736 Isleta SW. From I-25, exit on Rio Bravo, west on Rio Bravo. South onto Isleta Blvd for two miles. Open space is on left (west side).
Difficulty Level – one and a half miles on flat, sandy trails.
Leader – Sara Jayne Cole
June 29
David Canyon/Mars Court 8:25AM – 12:00PM
GPS Coordinates – (34.98416, -106.349736)
Meet in Mars Court Parking Lot.
From I40@NM337 drive south approximately 8.5 miles; turn right (west) onto Raven Road and follow 1.6 miles; turn right (west) onto Mars Court to trailhead parking lot. Warning – Mars Court is short, but typically in very poor condition!
Difficulty Level – a challenging three mile walk on rocky trails (mixed juniper, pinyon, Ponderosa forest) down to David Canyon’s (open meadow with some shrubs and Ponderosa), returning up a steep dirt (potentially muddy) road to parking lot.
Since the trail down to David Canyon is narrow and the parking lot small, please carpool from the Tijeras Ranger station. If you need help arranging to carpool, email us at thursdaybirders@gmail.com.
Leader – TBD
JULY 2023
July 6
Ojito de San Antonio Open Space 7:55AM – 11:00AM
GPS Coordinates – (35.101973, – 106.380139)
Meet in the parking lot behind the church.
Difficulty Level – one and a half miles – slight incline with some uneven trails
Please do not park in church parking lot.
Leader – Ginny Davis
July 13
Ellis Trailhead 8:25AM – 11:30AM
GPS Coordinates – (35.209247, -106.441023)
Meet at Ellis Trailhead in the Sandia Mountains-the last parking lot on Highway 536 before the Crest.
A $3 parking fee or federal pass is required.
Difficulty Level – two miles, medium incline, high elevation, uneven and rocky trails.
If you need help arranging to carpool, email us at thursdaybirders@gmail.com.
Leader – Perrianne Houghton
July 20
Jemez Mountains 7:25AM – 3:00PM
GPS Coordinates (35.328132, -106.539206)
248 E Hwy 44, Bernalillo, NM 87004.
Meet behind the McDonald’s in Bernalillo (restrooms).
Carpool to birding spots, Short stop at La Junta, where NM 4 meets Forest Road 276, northeast of Jemez Pueblo, and Guadalupe River joins Jemez River, (no restrooms). Continue to Jemez Falls Campground (restrooms available). Bird the campground and walk down to Falls, notable for Black Swifts, White-throated Swifts, and many forest songbirds. Optional walk; many species can be seen from trailhead. Drive 5.5 miles to Conchas Trailhead: short walk along East Fork followed by picnic lunch. Return to Bernalillo. Please wear hiking shoes, bring a sack lunch, snacks, water and a rain shell as trip is during monsoon season. 6 cars, 15 birders max. Please email us at thursdaybirders@gmail.com by July 13 to reserve your spot.
Difficulty Level – 130 miles drive, some optional walking, including flat trails and a steep slope to and from Jemez Falls.
Leaders – Susan and Jim Hunter
July 27
Oak Flats 8:25AM – 11:30AM
GPS Coordinates – (34.996524, -106.322724)
Meet in west most (Pine) parking lot.
Take NM-337 south for approximately ten miles to Oak Flat Road on the east side of the road. Follow this road to the turning on the left into Oak Flats.
Difficulty Level – one and a half miles – mainly flat paved and sandy, uneven trails.
If you need help arranging to carpool, email us at thursdaybirders@gmail.com.
Leaders – Angela Hawthorne and Glenda Morling
AUGUST 2023
August 3
Sulphur Canyon 8:25AM – 11:30AM
GPS coordinates – (35.172724, -106.376006)
Meet in the lower parking lot area of Sulphur Canyon.
$3 fee or a federal pass is required.
Difficulty Level – one and a half miles – partly steep incline, downhill return.
If you need help arranging to carpool, email us at thursdaybirders@gmail.com.
Leader – Bob Wilcox
August 10
Pueblo Montaño Trailhead 7:55AM – 11:00AM
GPS coordinates – (35.147886, – 106.684174)
Meet in the trail head parking lot on the south side of Montaño Rd NW, just east of Coors Blvd NW.
Difficulty level – two miles – flat with some uneven, sandy trails.
Leader – Claude Vallieres
August 17
Willow Creek Bosque Open Space 7:55AM – 11:00AM
Meet in trailhead parking lot. Directions: go east on Willow Creek Rd NE from 528, 1.8 miles south of 550 in Bernalillo. After 0.1 mile, turn left after Spruce Mountain Rd NE. (gravel road marked Bosque Trail leading to trailhead parking lot).
Difficulty Level – one and a half miles – flat with some uneven trails.
NO RESTROOMS.
Leader – Ginny Davis
August 24
Jemez Road Trip 7:25AM – 3:00PM
Meet at US Eagle Federal Credit Union 53 Jemez Canyon Dam Rd, Bernalillo, NM 87004 (US 550 @ Jemez Canyon Dam Rd)
This trip will take us up the Jemez River with stops at San Diego Fishing Area (no facilities), Jemez Ranger Station (restrooms), Fenton Lake State Park marsh/lake and hopefully Seven Springs Fish Hatchery. If we decide to go into Fenton Lake State Park there will be a $5 entrance fee per vehicle.
There will be space for a maximum of 6 cars and no more than 12 people. As always carpooling is encouraged.
Difficulty Level – 120 mile total, possible very uneven footing, 7,000+’ elevation.
Bring folding chairs and lunch as this will be a pretty long day. Lunch location will be dependent on how long we spend at each site.
Leaders – Sarah and Tom Peterson
August 31
Shining River Bosque Trails 8:25AM -11:30AM
GPS Coordinates – (35.182104, -106.644486)
Meet at Shining River Parking Area off Rio Grande just south of the overpass over Paseo del Norte
Walk to Bosque trailhead and south along trails.
Difficulty Level – one and a half miles on flat, sandy trails
Leaders – Maxine Schmidt and David Watkins