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
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 7:55AM -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
Leader – Ginny Davis
SEPTEMBER 2023
September 7
Rio Grande Nature Center – 8:25AM – 11:30AM ♿️ center trail
Meet at the wetland blind in the northeast corner of the Nature Center parking lot.
Rio Grande Nature Center location
Note that a $3 parking fee, State Parks Pass, or Friends of the RGNC pass is required per car, and that the Visitor Center and restrooms open at 10AM.
Difficulty Level – one to two miles on flat, even trails.
Guided walk behind the Nature Center, followed by walk in Bosque if time.
Leader – Lefty Arnold
September 14
Manzano Pond and Quarai Ruins – 8:00AM-3PM ♿️ path
Trip to Manzano Pond and Quarai Ruins of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument on NM 55. Meet at the Sandia Ranger District Station at 8AM Tijeras Ranger Station location one half mile south of NM 333 on NM 337 at Tijeras exit of I-40. Bring lunch. Bathroom at Ranger Station, poorly maintained one at Manzano Pond. Good restrooms at Quarai Ruins.
Leader – Barbara Hussey
September 21
Cienega Canyon – 8:25AM – 11:30AM ♿️ boardwalk
Meet in the parking lot at the bottom of the hill. Cienega Parking
Note you will need to pay a $3 parking fee or use a federal pass.
Difficulty Level – one and a half miles on paved road – steep incline, downhill return.
Leader – Glenda Morling
September 28
Tingley Ponds and Bosque – 8:25AM – 11AM ♿️ pond trail
Meet at the north end parking lot, Tingley ponds, north parking area location.
Difficulty Level – one and a half miles – flat with sandy trails.
Leader – Mary Raje
OCTOBER 2023
October 5
Calabacillas Arroyo Open Space – 8:25AM – 11:30AM
Directions: go east onto Westside Dr. from Coors Blvd., north of Paseo del Norte. Westside is the first right after crossing Irving Blvd. Follow Westside 0.2 of a mile. Take open gate on left to arroyo and parking lot.
Click here for Calabacillas Arroyo parking location.
Difficulty level – 2 miles on flat, sandy trails.
NO RESTROOMS
Leader – Sara Jayne Cole
October 12
North Corrales Siphon Beach – 8:25AM – 12 noon
Meet at 8:25AM in the parking lot north of Boxing Bear Brewery, 10200 Corrales Rd, Albuquerque, NM 87114 Boxing Bear parking. Carpool to north end of Corrales to Siphon Beach bosque access as there is limited parking at the trailhead. Those going directly to Siphon Beach, Siphon Beach access location, meet there at 8:45AM.
Difficulty level – one and a half miles on flat trails – some uneven, one short incline.
NO RESTROOMS
Leader – Ginny Davis
October 19
Albuquerque Bosque Open Space Trails South toward Montano Bridge – 7:55AM – 11:30AM
Meet in the east end of the parking lot of Sagebrush Church Sagebrush Church east parking near the trail bridge: from Coors Boulevard NW turn east on La Orilla Rd. Proceed to the end of La Orilla and turn left into the parking lot.
Difficulty Level – two and a half miles on flat trails, some uneven and some soft sand.
NO RESTROOMS
Leader – Brian Anderson
October 26
Mariposa Basin Park – 8:25AM – 11AM ♿️ park trail
Meet at south end the parking lot of Mariposa Park, off Taylor Ranch Rd NW just north of Kachina St NW Mariposa Basin parking lot. The park has a pond and a natural, swampy area, in addition to trees and lawns.
Difficulty level – one mile on flat, even ground, with one short incline.
Leaders – Susan and Jim Hunter
NOVEMBER 2023
November 2
Oak Flats Group Picnic Area – 8:25AM – 11:30AM ♿️ pavement around Oak Flats
Meet in west most (Pine) parking lot. Oak Flats parking lot location.
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 with carpool, email us by October 26 at thursdaybirders@gmail.com
NO RESTROOMS
Leader – Glenda Morling
November 9
Copper Trailhead Open Space – 9:00AM – 11:30AM
Hike the Copper Trailhead Open Space at the east end of Copper Avenue NE, east of Tramway Boulevard, in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains.
Meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Copper Trailhead Parking area. There is also parking along Copper. The one-mile walk winds uphill and downhill on disintegrating granite, so a walking stick might be helpful.
NO RESTROOMS
Leader – TBA
November 16
Los Poblanos Open Space – 8:55AM – 12 noon ♿️ trail
Meet in parking lot off Montaño Rd Los Poblanos Open Space parking location.
Difficulty level – one and a half to two miles on flat, even trail
Leaders – Deanna Nichols and Angela Hawthorne
November 23
THANKSGIVING – NO BIRD WALK
November 30
Paseo del Bosque Trail: Alameda Trailhead – 8:30AM – 11:00AM
Walk in the Alameda Open Space in the North Valley. Meet in open space parking lot on the south side of Alameda Boulevard, just east of the Rio Grande Alameda Trailhead location. Difficulty Level – one and a half to two miles on flat, even trail
Leader – Perrianne Houghton
DECEMBER 2023
December 7
Festival of the Cranes/Bosque del Apache NWR – 7:50AM – 3PM ♿️ boardwalks
Special Festival of Cranes trip.
There will be space for eight cars. If you’d like to go, please arrange to carpool and email us at thursdaybirders@gmail.com by November 30th to reserve your spot.
Meet at South Valley Railrunner parking lot, Camino del Tren Ave South Valley Railrunner Station.
Difficulty Level – 90 mile drive each way, plus driving and some short walks at Refuge.
Bring a picnic lunch.
Leader – TBA
December 14
Rio Grande Nature Center State Park – 8:55AM – 12 Noon ♿️ center trail
Holiday Event and bird walk
Meet at the wetland blind, northeast corner of the Nature Center parking lot Rio Grande Nature Center parking
Note that a $3 parking fee, State Parks Pass, or Friends of the RGNC pass is required per car, and that the Visitor Center and restrooms open at 10AM.
Difficulty Level – one mile on flat, even trails.
Following a guided walk behind the Nature Center, holiday get-together inside RGNC Education Building. Please bring donation of $3 towards cookies and hot drink.
Leaders – TBA