Meet 8:00am at the WNMU Fine Arts Center (south parking lot). Carpool to the Gila bird area and check along the river for wintering duck, as well as checking the fields and woodland edges for wintering birds. There are always a good variety of birds even without the migrants and summer visitors, and wintering species could include Green-tailed Towhee, Northern Cardinal, Belted Kingfisher, various woodpeckers, and a range of possible sparrows. We’ll also check Bill Evans Lake for wintering duck and grebes. Note that travel involves dirt roads which, though usually in good condition, may be muddy given the wet winter we’ve had to date. Four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended. Bring drinks and lunch. Dress appropriately. We should be back by mid-afternoon.

Meet 7:30am at the Fine Arts Center south parking lot. We’ll carpool along Hwy 90 to Lordsburg where we’ll make a brief stop to check the sewage ponds for wintering duck and grebes–cranes are also a possibility. Then we will continue to the Animas junction of I-10 and south through Cotton City and Animas to the Diamond A Ranch area in the bootheel of New Mexico. Here we can expect large mixed sparrow flocks that should test our identification skills–several comparatively unusual species are possible in this area. There should also be a range of birds of prey; Prairie Falcon and Northern Harrier are strong possibilities. The southern end of this trip will be on a dirt road which may be muddy; high clearance should not be needed but four-wheel drive is strongly recommended. Bring drinks and lunch; because of the distance, this will be a full-day trip, probably getting back to Silver City late afternoon/early evening.

For more information on field trips contact Field Trip Leader Brian Dolton at 388-4210