Feedback from visitors to the Rosy-Finch feeders at Sandia Crest

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[Thanks so much for your dedication, Fran and Dave! We all appreciate how you have maintained the feeders and kept us up to date on the Rosies! Ken]

Date: April 15, 2009
From: Fran Lusso and Dave Weaver
Subj: Last report of the season

Hi Ken,
Well, Dave went up to the Crest today (26 degrees and windy) and brought the log book and the remaining seed down.  There were no reported sightings since last week's log (even though we got more snow over the weekend!) so we've shut down for the season. 
 
Dave reports large numbers of robins and a standoff between a ground squirrel and an Abert's squirrel...
 
Hope all is well down there.
 
Fran & Dave

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[One to 6 rosy-finches have been persisting through April 8, the day the feeders were taken down. Please report any more stragglers in the log at Crest House. In past years, a few have been seen up to the end of the third week of April.Ken]

Date: April 9, 2009
From: Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,

We went up to the Crest yesterday.  Spring is almost here.  It was in the mid-30s with a building warm wind.  We did get a little bit of snow last night, much less than an inch, and thunderstorms are predicted for this weekend.  The air feels like spring, if you know what I mean.

We took down the feeders as planned, but left some seed and the Log up there for at least another week.  The Crest House staff report seeing no more than 6 finches at a time, and usually only one or two.  And even those are seen very infrequently.  So, it looks like the season is officially over.

Anyway, I have attached a Log Update, probably the penultimate one for this year.  Hope all is well!

Best, Dave

= = = = = = =
[Though we have stopped flying the rosy-finch flag, 3-12 stragglers have continued to show up at the feeders through yesterday, March 31. Please keep an eye out, as a few often persist through the first week of April. Larger flocks are still present at Taos Ski Valley. Ken]

Date: April 1, 2009
From: Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,

We just returned from the Crest.  The road is clear and there is just a bit of snow left in the woods from last week's snow.  A bit more snow may fall tonight and perhaps this weekend, but not enough to restore snow cover.  It is still winter up there though - 14 degrees, overcast and windy.

As you will see in the Log Update, the Crest House staff are still seeing a few rosy finches, but very sporadically and in very, very small counts.  We left the feeders up until next week, but for visitation purposes the season does seem to be over.  We almost certainly will take down the feeders next week.

Hope all is well!  Dave

[The rosy-finches have not been seen since March 22. Snow is expected, so please keep an eye out for any late stragglers. In past years they have sometimes been seen into early April.  Ken]

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Date: March 25, 2009
From: Dave Weaver and Fran Lusso

Hi Ken,


We are back from the Galapagos - fantastic trip!  We went up to the Crest today and so have attached a Log Update.  There is almost no snow left on the mountain and the Crest House staff say that they have not seen a Rosy Finch since Sunday.  Nancy and the Banding crew saw a very few on Sunday.  We saw none today.  So, if the lack of sightings continues, we plan to take down the feeders and close out the season next week, probably Wednesday.

There may be a light snow tomorrow and Friday (3 - 6 inches expected on top), so perhaps the finches will come out of the woods.  But we think they are already gone for northern climes. Hope all is well!

Dave and Fran

= = = = = = =
Fran and Dave are the tireless coordinators of the Cooperative Rosy-Finch Feeder Project at Sandia Crest. We welcome them back! They will be checking for stragglers and will let us know whether the flag will keep flying for a few more days. It appears that the flocks have departed. Ken]

Date: March 22, 2009
From: Fran Lusso and Dave Weaver

We just got back from being out of the country (Galapagos) for about 12 days.  We plan to go up to the Crest on Wednesday and will let you know what we see and find out.  Sounds like the season may be close to winding down.

Fran and Dave

= = = = = = =
[Here is the latest, and probably the final report from the Rosy-Finch Banding Team.  The rosies will soon be gone. See http://rosyfinch.com/RosySightings.html for the normal departure dates of flocks and stragglers in previous winters. Ken]

March 22, 2009
From: Nancy and Steve Cox

Hi all,

We did not capture any Rosy-Finches today.  We only saw 2 - 3 Blacks, 1 Gray-crowned (interior) and 1 Brown-capped and they spent very little time at the feeders.

We will be calling Gene [Romero, Resident Manager of Sandia Crest House Gift Shop and Restaurant] and his crew before next Sunday to see if there are any Rosy-Finches around.  However, this is probably our last day.  We will let Ken Schneider know one way or the other.

Nancy & Steve

= = = = = =
[The banding team appears to have reached the saturation point, as nearly all the rosy-finches now have bands on them. Recaptures greatly outnumber newly banded birds. Ken]

Date: March 15, 2009
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

We had a fun day today although we only banded one Rosy-Finch.  It was a Gray-crowned interior.  We did have 25 recaptures (some from this winter and some from previous years).  One of the recaptures was a Black Rosy-Finch male from the winter 2005/2006.  He is now a 5 year old and is gorgeous.  We also had a Brown-capped male that we originally banded during the 2007/2008 winter.  He is now at least an after second year bird.  We recaptured another 5 Rosy-Finches from previous seasons but they were ones we have already seen this season.

We were able to recapture 2 of the Rosy-Finches that we put transmitters on back on 18 January 2009.  We removed the transmitters because it has been eight weeks since they were deployed.  The estimated life span of these transmitters is only 3 weeks.  One of these transmitters was still working but it was sending a very weak signal.  We also saw the third bird from the 1/18 deployment but we could not recapture it.

Raymond, Michael, and Bill have been getting a lot of exercise following the transmittered birds.  Raymond and Michael plan to present more information on this project at the NM Ornithological Society's Annual Meeting in Los Alamos next month.

We also banded 2 more Pine Siskins.

Nancy & Steve

= = = = = =
Date: March 8, 2009
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

We only banded 2 Rosy-Finches today (1 each Brown-capped and Gray-crowned interior) but we did see all 3 species and at least one Hepburn's.  We recaptured one Hepburn's that we originally banded on 27 January 2008.  She is now an after third year bird. We recaptured a female Black Rosy-Finch that we originally banded on 10 December 2006.  She is now a 4 year old.  We put a radio transmitter on her.  We put a transmitter on another recaptured Black Rosy-Finch.  This bird is a male, originally banded on 26 November 2006.  He is also a 4 year old.  We have seen him previously this season (11 Jan 09). We also had two Brown-capped Rosy-Finches that we had banded in a previously season.  One was from 2 December 2007 and the other was from 24 February 2008.

We had a large number of visitors today including a group from the Tucson Audubon Society.  Raymond and Michael tried hard to find a Three-toed Woodpecker for the group, but to no avail. We now have 7 Rosy-Finches outfitted with radio transmitters.  We are still hearing the first Black Rosy-Finch with a transmitter.

Thanks again to all our crew for all their work and dedication to this project.  It looks like we have banded most of the Rosy-Finches currently at the Crest.  We only saw 3 birds without bands when we took our traps away.

Nancy & Steve

[This follow-up was posted on the Arizona-New Mexico RBA]

Date: March 8, 2009
From: Vivian MacKinnon
Subject: Rosy-Finch all 3, yes!

Howdy Birdsters,

Quick note, thanks to the generous help of the banding team at Sandia Crest, everyone on the TAS trip had wonderful looks at all three species of Rosy-Finch.

2 special thank you's go out to Michael and Raymond, two outstanding young birders that were willing to take our group out to look for the Three-toed Woodpecker. Although we dipped on the woodpecker, it was truly something to see these young guys scampering up and down the icy trail while we stumbled and fumbled along behind them.

Full report after we stop by Bosque Del Apache tomorrow... New Mexico Birders Rock (and so do the birds)!
Virtual Vivian

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Date: March 5, 2009
From: Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,

Got back from Big Bend on Monday (as you know, a fantastic place!) and we went up to the Crest Wednesday.  The road is clear and most of the snow in the woods is melted away.  Perhaps that will mean an early departure for the rosies?

In any event I have attached a Log update.

We will be in the Galapagos from March 9 - 19 but will check on things at the Crest soon after our return. Hope all is well,

Dave

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[Perhaps the warm weather is a factor in the scarcity of rosies. See THIS LINK for the normal departure dates of flocks and stragglers in previous winters. Ken]

Date: March 2, 2009
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

We had a fairly slow day yesterday.  We only banded 4 Rosy-Finches (2 Blacks and 2 Brown-capped).  We had all 3 species as recaptures (24 total. Most were 1st banded this season).   2 recaptures (Blacks) were originally banded in 2006.  They are both now 5 year old birds. Two of the birds with transmitters have been heard in the area. There as been no new snow and the road is very clear.

Nancy & Steve

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[Good news about the American Three-toed Woodpeckers that returned to the Sandias only a few years ago. They're still there! Ken]

Date: February 22, 2009
From Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

We had one of our best recaptures days today.  There were  68 previously banded Rosy-Finches of which 12 were from past seasons.  6 of these were  Blacks and 6 were Brown-capped.  Two of the Blacks were originally banded in the 2005/2006 season, 2 were banded in the 2006/2007 season and 2 were banded in the 2007/2008 season.  Only one Brown-capped was originally banded in the 2005/2006 season and 5  were originally banded in the 2007/2008 season.  Overall the recaptures were 41 Brown-capped, 20 Blacks and 7 Gray-crowned (1 Hepburn's and 6 Interiors).

We newly banded only 12 Rosy-Finches.  Eight were Brown-capped, 1 was a Black and 3 were Gray-crowned (1 Hepburn's and 2 Interiors).

It was a very exciting day and as usual we want to thank the whole team.  The road is clear.
Many people did get to see the Three-toed Woodpecker while in the area as part of the Audubon woodpecker quest.

Nancy & Steve

= = = = = =
Date: February 15, 2009
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

The banding team handled 95 Rosy-Finches today of which 36 were newly banded birds.  There were 25 newly banded Brown-capped, 9 Blacks, and 2 Gray-crowned (interiors).

There were 59 repeats.  One was a Black that had one of our radio transmitters.  It is still working.  Six of the repeats were from previous seasons.  There were two Brown-capped that were originally banded in the winter of 2007/2008, one Gray-crowned (Hepburn's) from 2006/2007 and one Gray-crowned (Interior) from 2007/2008.  The oldest repeats were Blacks but we had already seen them this season.  One was banded in the 2005/2006 season and the other was banded in the 2006/2007 season.

There was little evidence of the snow that fell last week.  The road was clear. Thanks everyone for the great work.

= = = = = =
[Scott Rashid, who, last year,  banded 299 rosy-finches in Estes Park, Colorado, provided the surprising news that the rosies have practically disappeared there this winter (February 9, 2009). Ken]

Hi Ken,

Glad to hear that someone is getting rosy finches.  We haven't seen a single one this year and have only seen two in the month of December.

However, last fall, we had three fledgling Brown-caps at our feeder. I have photos  of the young birds.

My wife has updated my website, so if you look at scottrashid.com  and hit the link to bird banding. you will see the totals.

Scott

= = = = = =
[The influx of the Coastal (Hepburn's) race of Gray-crowned Rosy-finches peaked in the winter of 2006-07, when the team banded 104 birds (representing over 13% of all rosy-finches banded that winter). The previous winter marked the first captures of the Hepburn's race (5 birds). Last winter the percentage of Hepburn's decreased to 29 birds (6%). This winter they represent only only 6 of the 221 captures (less than 3%). Little seems to be known about the fluctuations in species mix from one winter to another. We have seen unusual patterns of abundance in the Brown-capped species as well, both at Sandia Crest and in Estes Park,Colorado. This is an area ripe for research into possible factors, whether they may be related to climate fluctuations, local weather or habitat changes on breeding grounds or migratory routes, food supply, population pressures, and so on. Do they correlate with the irruptive behavior of other northern finches? The spreadsheets at this link provide day-by-day banding statistics, compiled since 2004. Their analysis may provide a starting point for further research. Ken]

Date: February 8, 2009
From: Steve and Nancy Cox

Hi all,

The team banded another 25 birds today.  There were 20 Brown-capped Rosy-Finches, 4 Black Rosy-Finches and 1 Gray-crowned (interior) Rosy-Finch.  They quit when the wind started blowing the traps off the deck.  It started snowing on them as they drove down the mountain.

All five of the birds with transmitters were heard today and a couple of them were seen (with color bands) at the feeders.

Thanks to all.

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Date: February 8, 2009
From: Laurel Ladwig

Hi y'all, My friend Deanna took pictures today and posted a great sequence of shots!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholsphotos/sets/72157613529227126/

Enjoy!

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Date: January 31, 2009
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

We only banded 14 Rosy-Finches today but we were able to put transmitters on two more birds (one Brown-capped and one Hepburn's Gray-crowned).  We newly banded 9 Brown-capped, 2 Blacks, and 3 Gray-crowned (one interior and two Hepburn's).  We also recaptured a Brown-capped Rosy-Finch that we originally banded on 12/2/2007.

This week we found out that Kim Potter, a bander in Colorado, had recaptured a Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch that we had banded on January 20, 2008.  This is our first recapture by another bander.  We are hoping this will happen more often.

We have not had any new snow so the roads are still clear. Nancy & Steve

[PS- We forgot to mention that we also saw the southwestern form of the long-tailed weasel while we were banding on 1 February 2009.  It was very cute and gave us quite a show.  Raymond was even able to get video of it running around.]

[Ken replied:I saw a long-tailed weasel a couple times at (and under) the log at Capulin Spring, once chasing a chipmunk. Having seen the "plain" version around Dallas, I was puzzled a bit by the distinct mask, and first thought it was an escaped exotic species (too small and too high up and too rare for Black-footed Ferret, but it reminded me of a shrimpy version)].

= = = = = =
I copied Kim's e-mail to the Crest House banding team; Nancy Cox of Rio Grande Bird Research, Inc, replied:

This is great information.  We banded this bird on a year ago on 1/20/2008.   We called it an AHY Female.
I will get band numbers for you at a later date.
Nancy


Date: January 30, 2009
From: Kim M. Potter, Wildlife Technician, White River National Forest [Colorado]

Greetings,

We started banding Rosy-Finches this year on January 21st.  We band one day per week (Wednesdays at Snowmass Mountain) and we have banded 90 Rosy-Finches so far the season.  The first stormy day was our best day.  Wednesday we captured a banded Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch with the following band number 2291-41732 and are wondering if this is one of your birds.  If not I was wondering what number series of bands you are using so I can recognize one right away when we finally do capture one of your Rosy-Finches.  In 2006-2007 we had 1331-09742 thru 1331-01000.  Now we have 2291-53000 series.  Thanks for the information.  Kim

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[We received the sad news that Steve Cox's father passed away on January 24. We extend our condolences to Steve and his family. Carol Davis was in charge of the rosy-finch banding, and provided the report to Nancy. Ken]

Date: January 25,2009
From Nancy Cox

Hi all,

Our crew banded only eleven Rosy-Finches today.  Ten were Brown-capped and one was an interior Gray-crowned.  Black Rosy-Finches were present but none were captured by the team.

All three of the birds that were outfitted with transmitters last week were heard this morning.

Nancy

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Date:January 21, 2009
From: Fran Lusso and Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,

We are back from the Crest this morning.  The road is clear all the way up and it was a sunny, warm (40's) day up there.  The road department is adding guard rails along the Crest Road - they have been working on it since the summer and have added quite a lot.  It will make it nicer for nervous drivers!
There were lots of birder/photographers today taking advantage of the mild weather.  Attached is the latest log update.
 
= = = = = =
[Rio Grande Bird Research has begun a new phase in the study of the rosy-finches at Sandia Crest, by placing transmitters on birds of each of the three species in an effort to track their wanderings. Ken]

Date: January 18, 2009
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

Today we got to put transmitters on 3 birds (one of each species).  It was very exciting and we were able to refind the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch approximately 1/4 mile south of the Crest House around 4 p.m.  The Black Rosy-Finch was west of the Crest House at 4:30 p.m.  We also had the Brown-capped an hour after we banded it with a flock of Rosy-Finches near the Crest House.

We newly banded 24 birds.  There were 17 Brown-capped, 5 Blacks and  2 Gray-crowned (both were interiors).
We had a lot of volunteers today as well as two Audubon groups from Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth and El Paso).  Thanks for being so patient with the whole process.  It was a nice day.

The road was clear but we are hoping for snow during the week.

...We had a lot of fun today with finally getting to put transmitters on the birds.  We didn't stay as long as planned but it was still a long day.  They are going to try to do some more transmitter work throughout the week.


Nancy & Steve

= = = = = =
Date: January 14, 2007
From: Fran Lusso & Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,
Went up to the Crest today - clear sunny day. 16 degrees at 10am this morning. The log is attached. 
We didn't see any finches but the Crest House staff said that the Abert's Squirrels and Steller's Jays were being especially greedy about the seed this morning! 
 
The road was clear all the way to the top.  The road department had brought in some heavy duty snow-eaters late last week to cut through the snowdrifts that the high winds had created across the road .  So now the road is pretty much at its full width from top to bottom.  They are also continuing to add guard rails so the road is one lane where they are working.
 
Regards,
Fran & Dave

= = = = = =
[The banding team has newly banded over 100 rosy-finches just in the past two sessions. This means there are now well over 100 birds visiting the feeders. Ken]

Date: January 11, 2009
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

Weather wise, today was a gorgeous day up at the Crest and we were able to band another 40 Rosy-Finches (23 Brown-capped, 10 Blacks and 7 Gray-crowned (1 Hepburns, 6 interiors). 

We also re-caught 2 Rosy-Finches from previous seasons.  One was a Gray-crowned (interior race) female that we originally banded on 12/30/2007.  It was an adult then so it is now an after third year bird.  The second was a male Black that we originally banded on 11/26/2006.  It was a hatch year bird then and is now a 4th year bird.

The road was clear all the the way to the top.   We had a large crew plus many spectators.  Thanks to all that helped.

Nancy & Steve

= = = = = =
[If anyone knows of photos of any rosy-finch species in juvenal plumage, please respond directly to Steve Fettig. Here is his request. Ken]

Date: January 7, 2009
From: Stephen Fettig, Los Alamos, NM

Dear Ken and Mary Lou:

I'm one of the people that helps with banding rosy-finches on Sandia Crest.  Our group has a question about rosy-finches in juvenile plumage before they go through their pre-formative molt.  To answer our question, we are looking for photographs and wondering if you can help us.

We are looking for photographs of young rosy-finches (any or all species) taken during July, August or September.  Winter photos will not help us.  We are specifically looking for photographs that show the buff-cinnamon wing bars of these birds like Sibley shows on page 527 for the Black Rosy-Finch.

We are not interested in selling or printing any of the photos we are seeking.  We just want to look at them to improve our identification skills.  If you can point us in the right direction (like to a web site or a contact person), we would be very appreciative. Sincerely, Steve

= = = = = =
Date: January 7, 2009
From: Dave Weaver

Hi Ken, Best of the New Year to you and yours!  I went up to the Crest today, so there is a Log Update attached.  Not much birder activity these days, according to the Crest House staff.

The road is passable, but has icy patches and 1 foot deep snow drifts (with tracks through the drifts) in several places above mile 9.  The weather at the top at 10AM was 6 degrees F, with steady winds in the 20 -30 mph range and gusts in the 50 - 60 range.  The wind is supposed to decrease and temperatures are supposed to rise over the "next few days".  So it is fine up there.

That's all for now.  We did see an Rough Legged Hawk on a power pole at the bottom of our street on Monday.  Very impressive bird. Hoping all is well,

= = = = = =
Date: January 4, 2008
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

We had plenty of wind and snow and Rosy-Finches today.  We newly banded 51 birds.  Brown-capped Rosy-Finches were the most numerous and we banded 31 of them.  We banded 11 Blacks and 9 Gray-crowned (8 interiors and 1 Hepburns).  We only had 4 recaptures of which all were Brown-caps from this season.

The road is snow packed and icy and did present problems. Thanks to all.  We hope that the road conditions are better next week.

Nancy & Steve

= = = = = =
[Thank you so much, Fran and Dave, for all your work on behalf of the Sandia Crest Rosy-Finch Project. Best wishes for a wonderful 2009! Mary Lou and Ken]

Date: December 31, 2009
From: Fran Lusso & Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,

Attached is the log update.  A nice, clear day at the top today - even if a bit windy! The road is mostly clear with a few icy patches where it pays to be a little cautious.  Tons of sledders all over the mountain and parked along the sides of the road in several places. At the Crest House there were lots of birders and well-mannered photographers...
 
In a separate email I copied you on a note to a fellow we met up there today: Aaron Floyd.  He's working on an ambitious project to create a sort of 'atlas' of birding hotspots.  His website is www.aviatlas.com and it is quite interesting.  It could become a very nice resource for birders around the world.  Hope he gets in touch with you as I think you could add alot to it.
 
Best wishes to you and MaryLou for a happy, healthy and bird-filled New Year!
 
Best,
Fran & Dave

= = = = = =
Date: December 28, 2008
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

We got to the Crest House only to find out that they were not going to open.  The power went off some time during the night.  We waited until 10:15 hoping that it might be restored but to no avail. The road was not a problem today but yesterday the Crest House crew had a hard time getting up.  The sun was out this morning and had melted away a lot of snow.

We just wanted to say thanks to all the volunteers who showed up today ready to band Rosy-Finches.  Hopefully we will have better success next time.

Nancy & Steve

= = = = = =
[Please check out weather reports and road conditions by following the links on the main rosyfinch.com page, and drive carefully. Ken]

Date: December 26, 2008
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

Steve and I were up at the Crest House today as it was part of our area for the Sandia CBC.  The wind was blowing between 40 - 70 mph and snow/ice was blowing everywhere.  The temperature was -11F.  We did not have any Rosy-Finches until just before 10:30 (sorry to the folks from Oregon who gave up just before that) when two Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches showed up for 2 minutes.  We finally did see all 3 species but the numbers were definitely low.  We don't blame the birds since the weather was miserable.  It was snowing harder lower on the mountain.

On the way back down the mountain, it seemed to be snowing harder.  The road was snow packed but currently NOT icy.  There are many people and vehicles on the road and many of the drivers did  not know how to drive in the snow.  We saw 2 emergency vehicles just below Capulin Springs.  Many vehicles were deciding to turn around there.  If you drive up, use caution and be safe.

[We did add some seed to the feeder just before noon.  It had been so windy before that the feeder was turning upside down several times and the Crest House employees only put seed out on the corner of the deck.  Within one half hour of when we added to seed to the feeder, we had the  largest group of  Rosy-Finches (14 at one time) in the feeder and a couple on the deck.]

= = = = = =
[The Rosies have finally arrived at the Kandahar Condominiums in Taos Ski Valley. Just in time for Christmas. It is puzzling why they were so late showing up, a full six weeks after the species was recorded at Sandia Crest, which (as the rosy-finch flies) is over 120 miles southwest of Taos. Ken]

Date: December 23, 2008
From: Gil Bachmann

Hi, Ken. The Rosy Finches are Back!!!!  I have been missing them very much.  Just this morning at 11:00 the flock flew up to the feeders.

Last week we had about 36 inches of snow.  The last couple days we got another 18 or so, with lots more on the way.  I guess this finally brought them back.

= = = = = =
[Reminder to Birders-- Please enter your sightings in the feeder log that is at the desk just to the left of the main entrance to Crest House. As the banding team also notes, there were many birders there, but no one entered any sightings the entire week. Ken]

Date: December 21, 2008
From: Fran Lusso & Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,
We were up at the Crest today - the road is pretty good - some icy patches to be careful on.  We are expecting several snow storms to come through this week so the road might get more difficult.
 
There were lots of birders, along with the banding crew, today.  While we were there a large flock of rosies made repeated visits to the deck area.  It would be really nice if more birders would add their entries into the log book at the USFS Desk at the Crest House.  There were no entries for the last week.  Ours today and the banding report are the only additions.  The log is attached.  Best Regards, Fran & Dave

= = = = = =
Date: December 21, 2008
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all,

Today we banded another 32 Rosy-Finches. We banded 10 Blacks, 16 Brown-capped, and 6 Gray-crowned (5 interiors and 1 Hepburn's).  We also had 2 recaptures from previous seasons.  One was a Black that we originally banded on 12/10/2006 and one Brown-capped that we banded on 3/2/2008.
We had quite a few people admiring the birds today.  The road was clear so many people were able to make it up without any problems.

We still plan to band on the 28th of December but we will be without Raymond, Michael and Cole (the teenagers) who will be out doing Christmas Bird Counts.

= = = = = =
[I dropped this  note to Gil Bachmann, Manager of the Kandahar Condominiums at Taos Ski Valley. His rather surprising reply follows.
Hi, Gil-- I was wondering whether (and hopefully, when) your rosy-finch drought might end. Have you seen them yet? Any winter finches? Ken]

Date: December 19, 2008
From: Gil Bachmann

Hi, Ken. No rosy finches yet.  I was just talking with Jacob Spindelow again several days ago, and we're both puzzled by their disappearance.  The only birds I've seen at the feeders are several chickadees and a persistant Stellar's Jay. 

= = = = = =
Date: December 14, 2008
From: Beverly Robertson,
      Upper Greenwood Lake, NJ

Hi!   I just got back from a business trip to Albuquerque where I had the chance to see the Rosy-Finches.   The first time I was there I only saw 2 Black Rosy Finches, in 3 hours,  I was terribly disappointed.  But then I went back several days later and got them all.  Awesome.  I just blogged about the trip and linked to your site.  http://behindthebins.wordpress.com/2008/12/13/birding-at-sandia-crest/

They do not have the T-shirts by the way.  I suggested to the shop staff both times that it was a shame.  Hopefully they will restock.

[Thanks, Beverly. The coming and goings of the Rosies can be rather unpredictable, especially early in the winter, though snowstorms usually bring them in more frequently. For the past several winters, the  logs have never documented a day with a "negative" report (meaning that no rosy-finches were sighted over a reasonable period of time).Your experience proves that persistence pays off. Your Blog makes very interesting reading for anyone planning a visit to Sandia Crest, and I am providing a reciprocal link on my own "Rosyfinch Ramblings" Blog. As for the T-shirts, the Crest House Gift Shop is feeling the effects of the economic downturn. They must provide a minimal staffing level just to keep the doors open, and they need to clear out quite a bit of inventory before they can again stock the rosy-finch T-shirts. Ken.  BTW-- check out the photo of the new hanging deck feeder on Beverly's Blog, courtesy of Lee Hopwood, Wild Bird Center of Albuquerque. Thanks, Lee, for all you do for the feeding project!!]

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[30 to 60 Rosy-Finches of all three species are now visiting the feeders. Fran and Dave report sighting of two Mountain Lions on the road up to the Crest. PLEASE WATCH THE WEATHER REPORTS and ROAD CONDITIONS-- links on the rosyfinch main  page-- for the next few days. Ken]

Date: December 13, 2008
From: Fran Lusso & Dave Weaver

Good Morning Ken,
Just back from a quick trip up to the Crest.  There was some snow last night and it was just beautiful!  There was more snow on the road making it sloppy and slippery - especially the upper half.  We are expecting a bigger storm over the next few days so we thought we would go up today in case road conditions were ugly on Wednesday!  Also, we made a sign listing the banding dates and also things to be aware of for birders and photographers...
 
The birders we talked to up there today were VERY excited not only about seeing rosies as soon as they arrived, but also at having seen a mountain lion crossing the Crest Road at about milepost 10 on their way up.  They said the the people who arrived just before them reported seeing 2 mountain lions together crossing the road.  On our way down, we looked for tracks along the side of the road as it had not been plowed and there was fresh snow.  We did locate two places (between mileposts 10 and 11) where lions had crossed going from north to south since the snow last night.
 
We've attached a photo of some of the lion tracks we found.  Dave's knife in the photo for scale is 3.5 inches long.
 
Best regards,
Fran & Dave

= = = = = =
[More concerns about behavior of visitors to Crest House. Dave and Fran are pretty mellow folks, but they obviously want birders and photographers to continue to be welcomed at the Sandia Crest House Gift Shop and Restaurant. First, the establishment has set hours, must prepare both areas before opening, and cannot safely or securely conduct business without a minimum staffing level. Doors open at 9:30 unless a storm or other emergency causes short staffing. A few members of the banding team are permitted to enter earlier to set up on Sunday mornings. Please do not ask or expect to be admitted until the business is open. Second, not only the deck, but also the walkways on the east side of the building can be very hazardous after a snowfall, as snow on the sloping metal roof partially melts and re-freezes overnight, only to cascade down as the sun reheats the roof. Heavy sheets of ice sometimes slide down all at once, with great force. Please obey the signs and do not enter prohibited areas. The Crest House certainly appreciates the business that the Rosy-Finches draw in, but there also want all of their birding and non-birding visitors to enjoy their stay. It is impossible for them to accomodate every need. As noted, the east feeder is available for photographers who wish to brave the elements and take their pictures outside. Ken]

Date: December 10, 2008   
From: Fran Lusso & Dave Weaver, Co-Coordinators, Rosy-Finch Feeding Project

Hi Ken,

We're just back from the Crest.  The log is attached.  It was a beautiful morning up there - clear sunny skies and trees frosted with snow!  There was about 4 inches of snow yesterday at our house - a bit more on the mountain.  But the road is virtually clear except for a few patches of compacted snow/slush which drivers should approach with caution.
 
We didn't see any rosies while we were there, but there were a few birders waiting for their arrival.
 
We were happy to see that you made a point to direct photographers to Dave's 12/3 email regarding tampering with the feeders and sharing deck access.  It might be necessary to go even further and establish a special section on Guidelines for Photographers.  Or you may have some other idea on how to get this information out...even though it seems like plain common sense and courtesy.  Apparently, this year the 'serious' photographers have discovered the rosies and are visiting in increasing numbers which is great, but some have been a been overstepping boundaries and giving the Crest House staff a hard time.
 
In addition to the problems Dave reported earlier about the feeders being moved or tampered with, the Crest House Staff today advised us that they have run into two other problems with the photographers:
 
1) Some photographers come early and are upset when they can't come into the building as soon as they arrive - even though the Crest House is not yet open for business. 

2) There are times when the Crest House Staff prohibit access to the deck due to danger of melting snow and ice sliding off the roof onto the deck.  It is their right and responsibility to do this.  However, today, a photographer unlocked the door and set up on the deck in spite of signs advising otherwise and then gave the Crest House staff a hard time when they told him that he had to leave the deck.   The Crest House staff pointed out the lower feeder and even offered to provide a cup of seed for him to take down there.  But he was very unhappy, telling them they needed to provide space for photographers to work.
 
The Crest House is a private business and viewing the rosies is greatly enhanced by their good will.  They really want to support the rosy project and they try to make it a good viewing experience for everyone.  It is clear that the photographers are very serious and intent about capturing the rosies on film, but it is important that they, as do the birders and other visitors, respect the Crest House hours, rules and staff.

= = = = = =
[Report from the banding crew, on their first day of banding at the Crest House this winter. The rosy-finche flocks are fairly large, and should increase in number as the winter progresses. Ken]

Date: December 8, 2008
From: Nancy & Steve Cox

Hi all, We had an interesting day for our 1st day of the 08-09 season.  By 10 a.m. we had banded 4 Rosy-Finches and had one repeat.  It was another 3 hours before we caught any more birds.  In the end we banded 9 Black Rosy-Finches, 7 Brown-capped, and 8 Gray-crowned (1 Hepburn's and 7 interiors).  The recapture was a Brown-capped that we originally banded on 3/2/08.  For most of the morning we only saw a flock of 25 birds.  At 1:30 we probably had a flock of 50 - 60.

We also banded 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Mountain Chickadees and recaptured one Mountain Chickadee.  It was originally banded on 12/12/2004

The road does have several icy patches but easily passable. However, there is a storm forecasted for Monday or Tuesday of this coming week.
The chicken quesadillas were great as usual.

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Date: December 6, 2008
From: Gil Bachmann, Manager, Kandahar Condominiums, Taos Ski Valley, NM

Hi, Ken. I have been very disappointed that there have been NO rosy finches here at the Kandahar in Taos Ski Valley yet this winter.  I am surprised, concerned, puzzled.  I've heard that they've been here every winter for ages.  Have you any idea what's going on with the finches this year?

Gil, That is surprising, as I believe they have been there every year, and often in greater numbers than at Sandia Crest. I noted on my visit there  a couple of weeks ago that the Brown-capped species was rather scarce, and total flock size has been relatively small, in the 30-50 range. Since the Brown-caps nest nearby in Colorado, maybe they are waiting for a good blizzard to move them down to New Mexico. Hopefully, they will bring their friends with them!

I'm confident that they will be showing up-- let me know when they do! Ken

= = = = = =
[Remarkably, the first "recapture" of this winter occurred even before the banding operation started at Sandia Crest House. Ed's e-mail was accompanied by 2 views of the Black Rosy-Finch and 7 enlarged crops, at various angles, of the band on its right leg, along with Ed's graphic reconstruction of the band. The bird was first banded at Sandia Crest three years ago. Ken]

Date: December 5, 2008
From: Edward L. Ruden

Ken,  I found your email at http://blog.rosyfinch.com/?p=191.  I get 2241 along the top and 71622 along the bottom, with OPEN and ABRE crosswise at opposite ends of the band.
 


I was able to reconstruct these numbers on the aluminum band on the right foot of a black rosy finch from several photographs I took of it feeding on the ground at the Sandia Crest House feeder on 05DEC2008 in the afternoon. I've attached reduced and cropped images from which I made the reconstruction. The bird was not captured or otherwise disturbed. It was not my intention to read the band when I took the pictures; I assumed it was infeasible. Only after organizing the shots did I realize the information was there.  Please let me know if this is useful in case I have a similar opportunty again.  Ed
 
[I forwarded Ed's e-mail to the Rio Grande Bird Research researchers:

Edward, Great job! I am forwarding this to the banding team for their information, with a request that they get back in touch with us if they can track down this number.Since they do not start banding until this weekend, you have "captured" (or, probably "re-captured") one of their birds already! Thanks, Ken]

Nancy Cox replied:

This is wonderful.  The band number that Edward was able to read is attached to a Black Rosy-Finch that we banded as an adult on 11/27/2005!  We have seen it once since then (3/2/2008).  It is an after 4 year bird.  I hope we can recapture it tomorrow and put a radio transmitter on it.

Thank you for this information.

= = = = = =
[An important message from Dave Weaver. I know this is a difficult topic, as photographers want to get the best possible shots of the rosy-finches. Naturally, they do not like to photograph through the window glass. Also, shooting towards the southern and western sky may create backlighting and exposure problems for them. Whether or not their presence on the deck causes the birds to spend less time at the feeder is probably not so much an issue as the fact that birders who view from inside believe that it does. Their views may be obstructed, and many come from far and wide to see the finches, and do feel strongly about this.

The birds do visit the lower feeder, located just east and downhill from the Crest House, quite regularly. Since the photographers are willing to expose themselves to the elements outside anyway, we suggest that they photograph the birds at the lower feeder. Depending on the angle of the sun, they can utilize vantage points to the east, south and west (and all points in between). It is stocked regularly, but if it has run out of seed, photographers can offer to add some from the reserve storage. (If anyone brings seed it should be the hull-less patio mix, to reduce waste, hull aflotoxins and germination of exotic seedlings in the spring).

When we visited Sandia Crest a couple of weeks ago, we did add a dead branch to permit a more "natural" perch for avian photographic subjects. There have been complaints that too many of the birds are banded, thanks to the efficiency of our researchers. (They will also be adding some radio transmitters in the interest of science). My answer to these complaints in one word is "Photoshop."  Also, please do not remove and/or replace the feeders. They need to be anchored against the high winds with a cable to prevent damage. So, we ask that photographers please understand Dave's very valid concerns. Ken]    

Date: December 3, 2008
From: Dave Weaver,
Feeder Project Co-Coordinator

Hi Ken, We went up to the Crest today, so a Log Update is attached.  The road was passable, with occasional patches of thin snow and ice starting at the bottom and a continuous thin snow and ice pack on the road from Mile 11 to the top.  It will be cold for the next few days so road conditions should not improve much, if at all.

We have been having a new set of problems this year with some people who come up to photograph the birds.  Photographers sometimes take down the feeder on the deck and either move it or replace it with their own equipment.  There is no need to do this and it sometimes means that someone has to come along behind them and replace the feeder.  The second problem is with people who come up and set up their photography equipment on the deck itself, which may obscure the viewing for other people, can reduce the number of birds coming to the feeder, and certainly shortens their stay at each visit.  Both behaviors show little consideration for other people who also have made the trip to the Crest to see the birds.  The people who do these things often stay for hours, so it is not a minor inconvenience.  Perhaps a note could be put on the website asking people not to rearrange the feeder and to show consideration for others, who also have a right to observe the birds.

That's all for now.  We plan to go up again next week and will be in touch after that trip.  Hope all is well! Dave

= = = = = =
[Rosy-finch banding will start this coming weekend. When received, we will post the full schedule at the link in the drop-down menu on the main page. Ken]

Date: December 3, 2008
From: Nancy Cox

Hi Ken... We are indeed back from Costa Rica and looking forward to seeing the Rosy-Finches.  We will be banding on Sunday December 7th.  The Albuquerque CBC is on the 14th so we won't be banding then.  Steve will be working up a schedule soon.  I will e-mail it to Ken as soon as we have it.  I am pretty sure that we won't be banding on the 28th.  I believe that one of the Portal/Peloncillo area CBC are on that date.  I do not know yet about the 21st of December.

Nancy


= = = = = =
Date: November 26, 2008
From: Fran Lusso and Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,
We went up to the Crest today to find a beautiful day (high 30s, clear with very light wind) and several birders present.  Everything seems well up there.  We have attached an updated Log.  We will go up again next week, of course. Best wishes for Thanksgiving,

= = = = = =
[This note was posted on the AZ/NM RBA. As Cole notes, the birds do not tarry at the feeders early in the season, particularly if there is no snow. They are probably finding plenty of food elsewhere. Be patient, and they will show up, even if their visits are an hour or more apart. Ken]

Date: November 23, 2008
From: Cole Wolf

Hi all, Bill Talbot and I went up to try for Rosy-Finches this morning. A  small flock that consisted of 7 Black (at least two were banded), 2 Interior Gray-crowned, and 1 Brown-capped came in to the Crest House feeders at about 10:45. The birds are very flighty this early in the season and only stayed for about a minute.

Other highlights were a flock of 11 Red Crossbills and a single Clark's Nutcracker near the parking lot. We walked down to Kiwanis Meadow to try and turn up a Three-toed but could only find a couple of Hairy Woodpeckers. Good Birding, Cole Wolf

= = = = = =
[Today we have both Black and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches at the feeders.  Nancy also said that banding at Crest House should begin on Sunday, December 7th.  "After that, we have the Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) to contend with.  I will send you a schedule once we have looked at all the CBC dates... We now have transmitters, receivers, color bands, and lots of enthusiasm." More about the transmitters here. Ken]

Date: November 8, 2008
From: Nancy Cox

Hi Ken...Raymond and Michael saw Black Rosy-Finches today along with 4 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches.  They also said that all the adult Blacks were banded!  I am forwarding you what Michael had sent out. We are glad to hear that they are here but we won't be able to start banding until we return from Costa Rica.

Michael Hilchey wrote:

After John and BIll left the crest house VanBuskirk, Talbot, and I had a flock of about 30 Rosy-Finches come in. Mostly Black with 3 interior Gray-crowned and one Hepurn's Gray-crowned. Almost all the adult Black Rosy-Finches had bands, none of the Gray-crowns did.
We also had a few more Red Crossbills flyover at Capulin Springs. Cheers and good birding,

From: John Parmeter
Date: November 8, 2008

Hi all  ...On Saturday Nov 8 Wittman and I did Bernardo and Sandia Crest.

At Sandia Crest we had 5 GC (one Hepburn's) and 2 Black Rosy-Finches at the feeders, a few flyover Red Crossbills, a nutcracker, and a male Three-toed Woodpecker.  The woodpecker was near the bottom of the trail from the lower parking lot to Kiwanis Meadow, about 40 meters before the sign just before the meadow, and about 20 meters downhill.  We ran into Hilchey, Vanbuskirk, and Talbott at the Crest House, but as far as I know no one saw any White-winged Crossbills. Cheers, John

= = = = = =
[THE GRAY CROWNEDS HAVE ARRIVED!! Ken]

Date: November 6, 2008
From: Dave Weaver

Hi Ken, I just got a phone call from Bob and Ima Hafernik of San Antonio, TX, saying that they had confirmed sightings at the Crest House deck feeder of 6 GC Rosy Finches this morning from about 10AM til a bit before noon.  They did not sight any of the other species.  They sounded like pretty serious birders so I believe their sighting is a solid case.

So, as far as I know theirs is the first sighting for this season, although Lisa at the lunch counter told them she may have seen "one or two" yesterday... I am going up to the Crest this afternoon to check on things and will keep my eyes open too.  Hope all is well!

Dave

[Dave followed up later in the day with this report:]

Hi Ken, I am just back from the Crest.  It is cold, windy and clear up there (16 degrees F with 20 - 30 mph wind).  Almost all of the small snowfall of Wednesday is gone.  In about 1 hour of watching I did see a flock of 10 GC finches, along with 2 Steller's Jays, 1 WB Nuthatch, and 2 dark-eyed Juncos.  Did not see any BK or BC, so perhaps they are still on their way. We plan to go back up to the Crest next week and will update the Log after that, I guess.  Hope all is well!

= = = = = =
Date: November 6, 2008
From: Barry M

Hi Ken, My wife and I were wondering if there have been any recent sightings of the Rosy-Finches.  The latest report we could find on the web was from Oct 24.
We are planning to go up the gondola on Sat. when it reopens. Thanks in advance for any information....

[Hi, Barry-- so far I have heard nothing more since I posted the report on Oct 24 and updated it about the feeders being in place on the 29th. If I hear anything I will post ASAP on rosyfinch.com

IMPORTANT-- the feeders are NOT on SANDIA PEAK, which is the ski area and also the terminal for the Sandia Peak Tram/gondola. To get to SANDIA CREST, which has the feeders, you need to drive out I-40 east to NM 14 and thence north to the Sandia Crest road and drive 13 miles to the top. We do not recommend hiking the mile or so south from the tram to Crest House after cold weather and snow sets in, unless you are well prepared for adverse conditions. Detailed directions are linked to the pull-down menu on rosyfinch.com.  REPEAT-- There are no feeders at top of the tram!

Good birding, and let me know how you do. Ken ]
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Date: November 4, 2008
From: V...

Hello. My name is V... I found your bird list during a search for info on birds in and east of the East Mountains. I'm moving to Edgewood, and would like to know if your list covers that area, too. It's near enough, so I'd assume so. For the most part anyway.

Great work on your site. Your passion shows. I currently live in southern California, in the mountains. We have most of the same kinds of birds here as are in your list. So that's a nice surprise. I will terribly miss our Anna's hummers that live here year 'round.
Thanks in advance for your reply

[Yes, the lower elevation (7000 foot) birds are much the same as you approach the Sandia Mountains. Since Edgewood is more open, it is great for winter and migrating raptors such as Prairie Falcon, Merlin and Ferriginous Hawk. Also Northern Shrikes sometimes show up out there. Mountain Bluebirds may be much more common than in the mountains. Mountain Plovers did occur regularly in the turf farm north of  I-40, but it is now off limits to birders and one might hope to see them from the road or in adjacent fields. Best of luck in your new home, and let me know when you get up to see the Rosy-Finches at Sandia Crest!  Ken]

= = = = = =
[This report is from the AZ/NM RBA. The NM RBA also reported that  Paul Noble saw five  TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRES on  October 27 off of NM14 near Cedar Crest.  Ken]

Date: October 29, 2008
From:    Thomas Archdeacon

I found a dead, female White-winged Crossbill this morning, on the sidewalk outside the Sandia Crest House.  Unfortunately, no live crossbills of either species.  There wasn't much activity, a handful of juncos, ravens, and a Stellar's Jay was about it.  There were no feeders out at the Crest House [but see next post. Ken].

= = = = = =
[THE FEEDERS ARE UP! Ken]

Date: October 29, 2008
From: Fran & Dave, Coordinators, Rosy-Finch Feeding Project

Hi Ken,
We're just back from the Crest having put the 2 feeders up (deck and East side of building).  No sign of rosies yet but everyone is on the lookout!  Will let you know as soon as we hear of or see them.  It has warmed up again and was a lovely day for hiking.
Regards, Fran & Dave

= = = = = =
Date: October 26, 2008
From: Jon

Hi
I am a keen Brit birder coming to southern USA Nov 6-20. I'd love to see the Rosy-finches - will they be at the feeders during that time? Is there likely to be any problem getting there in a standard car?
Many thanks,
Jon

[Hi, Jon,
The Rosies will quite certainly be there during your visit, as the flocks usually arrive by the second week in November. Flock size builds quite quickly-- look at the archived sightings and banding reports on this page <http://rosyfinch.com/RosySightings.html>  to see the pattern.  All three species are normally present. Several years ago the Brown-capped Rosy-finches were, oddly, nearly absent all winter. The Coastal (gray-cheeked or Hepburn's) race of the Gray-crowned may wait until the latter part of your visit to show, if they do-- they had been erratic and usually were relatively few, but their numbers at the feeders have increased dramatically the past two winters, for whatever reason.

The road to Sandia Crest is quite well-maintained, especially the first 8 miles to the ski lift. If you are careful and look out for the guys going the other way you usually would have no problem with a front-wheel drive sedan-- four wheel drive is usually not much better in bad conditions or on ice-- so don't try it just after a blizzard-- wait a day or so. There's lots more info on this page: <http://rosyfinch.com/sandia.html#DIRECTIONS_TO_SANDIA_CREST>

Also, keep an eye out for other winter finches as well as the local winter resident birds. Check rosyfinch.com for scheduled field trips and descriptions of nearby birding locations. I will keep rosyfinch.com and my Blog updated, so keep an eye on the status of the birds and the weather. Hope to make a short visit to the Crest on November 11-12, so maybe will see you there. Let me know about your experience. Also, I am in the process of revising my Web suite, so please explore it and report any bad links or errors.

Thanks, and good birding!  Ken]

= = = = = =
[Fran Lusso and Dave Weaver, coordinators of the feeder project, received this e-mail a few days ago and forwarded the information to Steve and Nancy Cox, of Rio Grande Bird Research, for a reply. Color banding permits identification of individual birds without the need to recapture them, and is especially useful in tracking day to day flocking and behavioral characteristics. Presently, no color banding is taking place at Sandia Crest, so be on the lookout for color-banded birds in the event that any of the White River birds show up at the feeders. Take careful note of the number, color and placement (right or left leg, above or below, if there is more than one band on a leg) of any bands you see. Report them to Steve Cox as well as Kim Potter. For a photo of the "trap contraption" visit this link in FLICKER photo collections. Ken]

Date: October 24, 2008
From: Kim M. Potter, Wildlife Technician, White River National Forest, Colorado

This will be my third year color banding Rosy-Finches on Snowmass Mountain in Colorado, so far we have not captured one of your banded birds but hope to sometime soon.  We've banded almost 1,ooo so far.  We did recapture a Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch in 2007 that had been banded more than six years earlier in Wyoming (just two months shy of an age record).  We catch our Rosy-Finches using mist nets and are very interested in learning more about your "trap contraption."  Any info you might have for me or other contact information would really be helpful. Thanks.

= = = = = =
[Good news and bad news. First the good: (1) Fran and Dave will continue their stellar role as coordinators of the USFS-Central New Mexico Audubon Society feeder project at Sandia Crest.  (2) Birders (and especially, photographers) may look forward to having an additional feeder on the deck, in full view of the picture windows and only 15 feet away!  (3) This suggestion for improvement originated with the management of the Crest House-- Kudos!! The bad news: Dave suffered a severe fracture of his left wrist last week and will be somewhat limited, as he is left-handed. We wish him a speedy recovery and know that other volunteers will offer to assist as needed. Ken]  

Date: September 7, 2008
From: Fran Lusso and Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,
Hope you and MaryLou are well.  We are still on track to put the feeders up around November 1st or sooner if we get reliable reports of sightings earlier.  We will keep you posted.   We will get in touch with Lee Hopwood later this month for seed.  Some of the Crest House staff have asked if we can put up a second feeder at the deck, using the post that holds the hummingbird feeder during the summer.  We'll check with Lee and see what she thinks about the type of feeder that might be appropriate there. 
 
Last year we only put up 2 feeders: one at the deck and one on the East side of the building.  We did not put up the one on the fence and it didn't seem to cause any problem.  It is the usual glorious autumn weather here in NM.  The State Fair is in full swing and Balloons are not far behind!...

Best to you both, Fran & Dave
= = = = = =

Date: September 6, 2008
From: Debbie Beer, Springfield, PA

Hello Ken -
...I am planning to visit the Albuquerque area for birding on Thanksgiving weekend.  My plan is to fly into Albuquerque Friday November 28, arriving around 1pm, drive to Bosque del Apache and spend one-and-half days there, then drive to Sandia Crest early Sunday AM, November 30, to hopefully see Rosy-Finches.  Can you tell me, are you planning to band on that day?  If so, what time?  Will the feeders be stocked with seed, even if you are/are not banding?  Is the gift shop open over that weekend?  Moreover, will I be able to get to the feeder area (or will the road be closed due to the holiday?).
 
I am active in the DVOC (Delaware Valley Orni. Club), Philadelphia PA as their Conservation Chairperson.  The club has done several successful trips to Albuquerque in the past, especially enjoying the Rosy-Finches at Sandia Crest.  Field trip chairperson Adrian Binns recommended that I contact you for details, so that I can maximize my chances to see the birds....  Thank you and Best Regards, Debbie Beer

[Hi, Debbie-- The banding team has not yet set out their schedule for Sandia Crest. They are now banding on Saturdays and Sunday mornings through November 2 at the Rio Grande Nature Center. It is likely they will be working at the Crest on most Sunday mornings from late November on, and I will post their schedule on rosyfinch.com when I do receive it. For the last two years, the team did carry out banding on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, so that should be encouraging (BUT SEE NEXT REPLY). Yes, the Crest House restaurant and gift shop viewing area will be open and the feeders in operation, from about the beginning of November through the winter.While a few members of the banding crew are permitted to enter earlier to set up, the building does not open until 9:30 AM, so birders are asked to be patient, even though they may see activity inside.

Watch the weather and follow links to road conditions on rosyfinch.com, as it usually snows before Thanksgiving. Allow yourself enough time to observe the banding before they wrap up around noon. Good birding, and please let me know how your trip goes! Ken ]

Nancy Cox of the Banding team then replied:  This year Steve and I will be out of the country with two of the teenagers (Raymond and Michael) and one other of our banding team over the Thanksgiving break.  We may be able to twist some arms to see if some of the team might be able to cover for us and band while Debbie is in town.  I cannot promise anything but I will get back to you as soon as I have an answer. Hope all is well with you and we will try to get you a schedule soon.  Of course, a lot depends on when the Rosy-Finches arrive. Nancy

= = = = = =
Date: August 31, 2008
From: Bob Keener, Shippensburg, PA

Ken,
I enjoyed your website.  I plan to be in NM in October.  Are the finches there at that time on Sandia Crest?   Bob Keener

[Hi, Bob--  It is possible, but not probable. If you are there late in the month, it is certainly worth trying for them, as people really don't start looking until after we announce that the feeders are up, usually near the end of October or the beginning of November.

They usually arrive by the second week in November. Last year they were early-- on October 31, the same day the feeders were first put up. Crest House Staff said they had seen  small  flocks of birds that might have been rosy-finches for about 2 weeks before that, but no birders had reported them at that time. In past years they were not recorded until at least a few days after the feeders were installed.

Follow the links on this page for more info: http://rosyfinch.com/RosySightings.html  (Scroll down to the green table for dates of arrival in prior years.)
Good luck, and please let me know the results of your visit.  Ken]  Bob's reply:

Hi Ken,
What a heartbreaker!  I will be birding Oct 19, 20, lodging in Santa Fe. 
The other species you mention that I need are Pine Grosbeak and Oct may be too early for them as well? 
I also need N Pygmy Owl and Saw Whet.  If I play the tape, will I perhaps get to see them?
The Three-toe Woodpecker and the Blue Grouse are also needed for my life list.  I may check out the Valle Grande for Blue Grouse and the Jemez Mt area for Three-toed.

It sounds like I am kind of missing the boat with October!  Summer or winter would be better! What is the hotline number for the area? Is there a birding guide that I could hire that you would recommend? Thanks for your help!  much appreciated!

Bob Keener

[Hi, Bob, Yes, you are visiting during a lull period, as the southbound migrants have mostly departed, and the winter visitors have mostly not arrived. There should still be good birding for some of your target birds. Three-toes have been seen lately at Sandia Crest and the Ellis trail head just below the crest (see the "correspondence" page and use the search box on Rosy-finch.com  to see recent reports). American Three-toed Woodpecker is a possibility at burn areas in the Jemez Mountains (particularly Forest Road 289 about 3.1 miles south of its junction with NM-4, and at Apache Springs Trailhead on NM-4 about 1.5 miles west of NM-501, the Los Alamos turnoff), but you might query the NM RBA before your trip to see if there have been any more recent reports. I do not think there is an RBA telephone Hotline any more, but I could be wrong.

I'm not sure, but rosy-finches may appear earlier, to the north, in such spots as the feeders at Kandahar Condominiums in Taos Ski Valley (the manager, Gil Bachman, is a birder--  and also at Eagle Nest, where the Paternosters maintain a feeder. Dave Cleary is an expert birder  who would know about Eagle Nest.  

Saw-whets and Northern Pygmy-Owls may be called up, especially in the area of the parking lot at the base of the Sandia Peak Ski lift (see the guide to Crest Road on rosy-finch.com) and at the entrance to the Capulin Snow Play area. I had better luck around June and at both ends of the day for Pygmy-Owls. Another spot where I had Saw-whets for a couple of months is around the 3.3 mile mark, but they seem to be hit and miss. Pygmy-Owls also might be seen, even in daytime, roosting in the small trees along the Crest Road, anywhere from the 3 mile mark up. However, I must caution that there have been very few reports of sightings during the past 12 months. I'm sure they are there, but maybe no one is looking as hard as before.

Blue Grouse are easier to see in the spring, but you can run across them on the way up to Santa Fe Baldy. Valle Grande is a great place to visit. Also look for Lewis's Woodpeckers there. Pine Grosbeaks may be seen (rarely) year round at the Santa Fe ski lift area.

One guide who might either offer an individual tour, or recommend someone for your target birds, is  Bill West, who lives in Santa Fe and is an excellent birder. His Web site has some good links, including a birding calendar.

Good luck, and please let me know how your trip turns out. Ken]

Ken, This wealth of information is greatly appreciated!  I am amzed at the amount of documentation that has gone into your website and that part of NM.  I did send an email to Bill West who is currently in Ecuador birding.  I'll continue to research the possibilities and let you know how it goes. Thanks a million! Bob

= = = = = =
[Continuing  good news on the American Tree-toed Woodpeckers from  BIRDWG05 Archives - 3 Aug 2008 to 4 Aug 2008 (#2008-218) Ken]

Date:    Mon, 4 Aug 2008 18:34:53 -0400
From:    Danny Paez
Subject: NM: Sandias, 4 Three-toed Woodpeckers

Today while hiking near Sandia Crest I saw four Three-toed Woodpeckers. I started my hike at the Ellis Trailhead just up the road from the 10k Trailhead. Right at the trailhead I saw two Red Crossbills. At the intersection of the Switchback Trail and the Survey Trail I saw two female Three-toed Woodpeckers. This is very close to the parking area. To get there from the trailhead go past the gate closing off the road. Just past this point there is an unsigned trail on the right. Take this a short distance uphill to the Switchback Trail.

Take another right here a short distance to the intersection with the Survey Trail. Both birds were foraging close together in the same tree. I may have heard a third bird nearby, but I didn't see it. This location is very close to Kiwani's Meadow and the previously reported Three-toed Woodpecker.

I continued up to the Crest Trail and went north all the way to the 10 k trail at its northern terminus. The wildflowers along the crest were fantastic, especially north of the Crest parking lot. I then took 10k downhill to the Ellis Trail which I followed back to the parking area. About halfway along this section of the Ellis Trail I heard some tapping uphill. Investigating led me to two male Three-toed Woodpeckers, also foraging in the same tree, with fantastic up close views. This area is probably under a mile from where the females were. If going north from the Ellis Trailhead it was about 1/3 mile past where the trail passes under some powerlines.

On my way down the road I saw one Red Crossbill at the parking lot just down from the ski area. I then saw a flock of about thirty at the turnoff for Cienega/Sulphur Canyons.
As a side note I saw two Burrowing Owls just east of Sandia Casino on this past Saturday 8/2. They are easily seen from Tramway Blvd. This area is just east of the easternmost?turnoff to the Casino/Hotel/Golfcourse right next to Tramway Blvd.

Goooood Birding,
Danny Paez
ABQ, NM

= = = = = =
Date:    Mon, 4 Aug 2008 17:11:11 -0700
From:    Carl Lundblad
Subject: Re: NM: Sandias, 4 Three-toed Woodpeckers


Sweet, I'd say the re-colonization of the Sandia Mountains by this species
is well under way.  They were thought to be extirpated from the range not
too many years ago.

= = = = = =
[More news about the American Three-toed Woodpeckers on Sandia Crest. Ken]

Date: July 20, 2008
Posted on     NBHC AZ/NM Birds
From:         Gale Owings 
Subject:      Sandia Crest, NM:  Three-toed Woodpecker

Sorry about the late posting, but this is to report that on Thursday afternoon (7/17/08) there was at least one female Three-toed Woodpecker to be found in the area about midway down the wide trail to Kiwanis Meadow from the south end of the exit road below the lower restrooms at Sandia Crest.

At about 1 PM, I had good looks at an actively foraging bird flaking bark off large spruce trees on either side of that trail around where several flattopped boulders border the upslope side and a large pile of recently felled trees lies on the downslope side. At about 4 PM, I observed the same or another female in that area as I was returning to the Crest via the Buried Cable bike trail, which is parallel to and below the aforementioned trail.

In both instances there were a couple of Hairy Woodpeckers calling and foraging nearby, affording a nice comparison between the two species. FYI if you go looking, last July and in early November I found a Three-toed within the first 50 yds. or so down a marked trail to Ellis trailhead that splits off from the Crest trail just below Kiwanis Meadow. Judging from the amount of apparently fresh bark chips I saw on that trail, it still is another good place to check for the bird.

= = = = = =
[Report on the Arizona-New Mexico RBA:  American Three-toed Woodpeckers have been appearing consistently at or near this location since their re-discovery in 2005, after being absent from the Sandias for over 10 years. Ken]

Date:    June 13, 2008
From:    Celestyn M Brozek

New Mexico, Sandia Mts., At Sandia Crest:

1 Three-toed Woodpecker at nature trail south of Crest  House (toward Kiwanis Meadow)
2 Clark's Nutcrackers by Kiwanis Cabin

= = = = = =
[Report on the Arizona-New Mexico RBA:  American Three-toed Woodpeckers have been appearing consistently at or near this location since their re-discovery in 2005, after being absent from the Sandias for over 10 years. Ken]

Date:    June 13, 2008
From:    Celestyn M Brozek

New Mexico, Sandia Mts., At Sandia Crest:

1 Three-toed Woodpecker at nature trail south of Crest  House (toward Kiwanis Meadow)
2 Clark's Nutcrackers by Kiwanis Cabin

= = = = = =
[From the Arizona-New Mexico RBA. The San Antonio Open Space is a splendid birding location on the way to the Crest Road, just off NM 14]

Date:    April 27, 2008
From:    Danny Paez
Subject: NM: Sandia Mountains Northern Parula, Rose-breasted Grosbeak

This afternoon at about 1:00 I saw a Northern Parula at the San Antonio Open Space in the southern Sandia Mountains. The bird was only a short distance up the trail near ruins of an old building. This is just before you go under some powerlines. The Parula was foraging in the trees along the creek and near the small acequia (ditch) which joins the creek in this area. About two minutes after seeing the Parula, while trying to relocate it, I saw a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the same place!
Also in the area were 3 or 4 Green-tailed Towhees, a male Western Tanager, a couple of House Wrens and 20 or more Cedar Waxwings.

If you are unfamiliar with this area it is about a mile north of I-40 on NM14. There is a small church with an Open Space parking lot behind it. From there just walk up the trail a short distance (maybe a couple of hundered yards).

Gotta love Spring!

Danny Paez
Albuquerque, NM

= = = = = =
[Gil is Manager of the Kandahar Condominiums at Taos Ski Valley. The rosy-finch flocks persisted 17 days longer at his location, with a few persisting today. Ken]

Date: April 27
From: Gil Bachmann

Hi, Ken.
 Most of the Rosy Finches have left TSV.  The last I saw of the large flock was Saturday a week ago, the 21st.  For several days after that there was a flock of perhaps 50.  Now there is just a handful around the feeders, and some of them are looking sluggish, like they are not up to their migratory flight.  Have seen three dead fiches over the past 6 weeks.
 
I miss the flurry of activity!

= = = = = =
Date: April 9, 2008
From: Fran Lusso and Dave Weaver

Hi Ken,
Well, we are just back from the Crest and have taken down the feeders and the log.  It was damp and cold but most of the snow has melting significantly since last week.  Colorado is expecting 10-20" of snow but we might be getting some rain. 
Tony, at the Crest House, saw one lonely GC yesterday but the sightings have been just one or 2 since Saturday.  The last recorded sighting of a flock was on Friday 4/4/08.
 
We've left a note by the window asking anyone who does sight any rosy finch to email the sighting directly to rosyfinch@rosyfinch.com.
 
So that's the season for 2007-2008!
 
We...  will resume going up to the Crest to staff the Visitor Center each Wednesday about Memorial Day.
Happy birding!
Fran & Dave

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