April 20 - New Mexico

I ate at the motel; scrambled egg pieces and sausage patties.  Then, I left town and drove up to Dalhart, then across Highway 102 west toward New Mexico, en route toward home.  I stopped to check the birds at an abandoned farmstead, and then at a prairie dog town where I found a pair of Burrowing Owls.

There's an owl!

There were two, when I got the scope on them

I stopped to do a little birding at the Ute Creek Bridge, and a rancher came over to talk.  I imagine that he appreciated the chat, as Harding County only has a population of 665 people!  As I drove west, I spied this wonderful church building.  Bueyeros is almost dead center in the wide-open grassland that stretches across northeastern New Mexico.  Beyond a few ranch houses, the most amazing structure is the Sacred Heart Church - dating from 1894 - one of the most remote churches in northeastern New Mexico.  This church was built on a French design, and has a turquoise and copper steeple.  I read in Historic Churches in New Mexico Today, by Frank Graziano, that parishioners gather at the base of Dead Man’s Butte around the feast day of Santiago on July 25, to celebrate La Misa del Cerro - to pray for rain.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Bueyeros, N.M.

I continued west, stopping to check out a hawk nest, that turned out to host a Ferruginous.

Then I drove through the Carson Natl. Forest and stopped on the Corazon Hill summit to view the wide open spaces.

This Country Is Full!

There is a city of Las Vegas in New Mexico, much less glitzy than the one in Nevada.  And, there is a National Wildlife Refuge near town.  I spent some time birding around the Headquarters (which was closed) and entrance road, and around past the McAllister Lake Wildlife Management Area.

This Pond Needs Water

Stopping at the NWR’s Gallinas Canyon trail, I walked out to the head of the cañon and viewed the ruins of the old ranch.

A Rock Wren kept an eye on me

Arriving in Taos, I checked into the Super 8.  Clean and relatively inexpensive; I signed up for their ‘frequent flyer’ program.  Vanessa, the desk clerk, suggested the Old Martina's Hall for supper, and I found it to be a wonderful place.  I had the Red Ruby Trout and a couple Santa Fe Pale Ales for $30.  The trout had a ‘sauce’ of tomato and capers that were spiced just right.

Abandoned Farmstead eBird Checklist is Here

Prairie Dog Town eBird Checklist is Here

Ute Creek Bridge eBird Checklist is Here

Las Vegas NWR eBird Checklist is Here

McAllister Lake WMA eBird Checklist is Here

Gallinas Canyon eBird Checklist is Here