audubon monthly birdwalk

Join the Audubon bird guides on Sunday, November 17, 7:45 am-noon, for a great morning outdoors

Audubon Birdwalk along the Rio Laja near Rancho Jaguar

By Signe Hammer

Join Audubon de México on Sunday for a birdwalk along the Rio Laja with leaders Luke Rich, Michael Burns, Norman Besman and Bob Graham. If the water in the river is high, we might find waterfowl such as a wintering Gadwall, or a resident Least Grebe or Mexican Duck. Last year we saw large resident waders—Great and Snowy Egrets and a White-face Ibis—as well as a (much smaller) wintering Spotted Sandpiper (no spots). There might also be a resident Green Kingfisher, and/or a wintering Belted Kingfisher.

Many other snowbirds have arrived by now. Among the smaller ones are a good variety of sparrows, warblers and others. Last year, we found Clay-colored, Lark, Chipping and Lincoln’s Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers (the Western, yellow-throated “Audubon’s” subspecies), Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

We’ve usually see a good variety of raptors at this site. Last year we spotted resident a Crested Caracara and Turkey Vultures, wintering Cooper’s Hawk, American Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon, and Common Ravens.

We’ll look for our resident songbirds, too, from a colorful Blue Grosbeak to a tiny, yellow-faced Verdin or a flock of equally tiny Bushtits (including Black-eared, with a black mask). At this site we’ve seen Bullock’s, Hooded, Black-backed and Black-vented Orioles, as well as such familiar friends as Cassin’s Kingbird, Vermilion Flycatcher, Curve-billed Thrasher and Golden-fronted Woodpecker.

The walk is open to all birders, beginning and experienced alike. Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes and bring water and a hat. We’ll have our Audubon de México bird guide, Birds of San Miguel—with 81 species commonly found in the San Miguel area—for sale. Our guides carry telescopes so that everyone can see distant birds clearly, and we’ll also have a few pairs of binoculars to lend.

Steady rain cancels.