10-K TRAIL BBS IN THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS: TRANSECT 05-H
Conducted by Hart R. Schwarz on June 30, 2003

Key to the columns in the table below: 
•	St. = Status, i.e. R (resident), N (neotropical), S (short-distance migrant).
•	1-11 = Numbered and mapped Points where all birds seen and heard are counted for ten minutes.
•	’03 = The sum total of all birds recorded on this transect on Count Day in 2003.
•	YP = “Years Present” indicates how many times in four years a particular species was recorded.
•	RA = “Relative Abundance” indicates the average number of birds detected over the 4-year period. 

Brief Comments: Brian Routhier and John Wilcox from the Sandia District accompanied me on this survey along the first two miles of the North 10-K trail. The day was sunny and warm, with little wind. At the 10,000 foot level, the habitat oscillates between closed canopy Mixed Conifer and Spruce/Fir forest, but small meadows occurring here and there, as well as long strip meadows cleared for a road never built and a telephone line, seem to contribute to bird diversity by admitting species that require the openness of shrubby meadows, such as the Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Violet-green Swallows, House Wrens, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Green-tailed Towhees and Chipping Sparrows. Rapidly maturing cones on the spruces (Engelmann’s) and firs (White & Corkbark) promise a prosperous fall table for the nuthatches and crossbills. At Point 11 a less than stellar avian presence may be attributable to Media Spring having dried up.

SPECIES	St	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	‘03	YP	RA	
01. Turkey Vulture	N											1	1	3X	.75	
02. Red-tailed Hawk	R													1X	.25	
03. Band-tailed Pigeon	N													3X	1.25	
04. White-throated Swift	N				2								2	2X	1.00	
05. Broad-tailed Hummingbird	N	3				1							4	4X	4.25	
06. Williamson’s Sapsucker	S													3X	1.25	
07. Hairy Woodpecker	R	1				1				2			4	4X	4.75	
08. Northern Flicker	R	1										1	2	4X	3.25	
09. Cordilleran Flycatcher	N		1		2		2			1		1	7	4X	5.50	
10. Warbling Vireo	N				1	1							2	3X	2.00	
11. Steller’s Jay	R	1											1	4X	2.27	
12. Clark’s Nutcracker	R										1		1	2X	.75	
13. Common Raven	R	3			2	1	1	1				1	9	2X	2.50	
14. Violet-green Swallow	N	1										1	2	4X	4.75	
15. Mountain Chickadee	R	1			1	4			1	4	2	1	14	4X	14.25	
16. Red-breasted Nuthatch	R		1		1	2		1		1			6	4X	11.75	
17. Brown Creeper	R			1		1		1	2	3			8	4X	6.75	
18. House Wren	N	2							1	1	2	2	8	4X	4.25	
19. Golden-crowned Kinglet	R			2			1	2	2				7	4X	6.75	
20. Ruby-crowned Kinglet	S	2				3		1					6	4X	4.75	
21. Hermit Thrush	S	1	3		3	3	2	3		2	3	2	22	4X	14.50	
22. American Robin	R	2								2			4	4X	3.00	
23. Yellow-rumped Warbler	N	3	2	2	1	4	4	3	1	3	3		26	4X	20.50	
24. Green-tailed Towhee	N	1											1	3X	1.50	
25. Chipping Sparrow	N	3				3	1	2					9	3X	3.00	
26. Dark-eyed Junco	R	5			2	4	1			3		1	16	4X	12.00	
27. Black-headed Grosbeak	N										1		1	3X	1.00	
28. Red Crossbill	R	18				4		2	1				25	4X	13.75	
29. Pine Siskin	R	2		1		2							5	4X	8.00	

Four-year Summary
2003 (6-30): 26 Species & 000 Individuals	1996 (7-05): 25 Species & 133 Individuals	
1998 (6-25): 25 Species & 152 Individuals	1995 (6-29): 24 Species & 162 Individuals