CNMAS RYAN BEAULIEU YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND Central NM Audubon Society has established an endowed fund in memory of  Ryan Beaulieu, the teen who, with his friend Raymond VanBuskirk, sparked the rosy-finch banding operation at Sandia Crest.   Raymond, who was seriously injured in the auto accident that took Ryan's life in August, 2005,  has recovered and is carrying on the banding with great dedication and enthusiasm. NMOS  RYAN BEAULIEU RESEARCH GRANTS KEN'S BLOG: High Fives to an "Awesome" Birder! CLICK HERE FOR TRIBUTES TO RYAN BEAULIEU                            CREST HOUSE BIRD BOOK DEDICATED TO RYAN LATEST STATUS REPORT HERE      VIEW ROSY-FINCH SIGHTINGS LOG Search this site powered by FreeFind ROSY-FINCHES HAVE DEPARTED-- READ  NARRATIVE REPORTS AND EVOLVING PLANS FOR RESEARCH NEXT WINTER PLEASE CLICK HERE (and be sure to return to rosyfinch.com for lots more information!) Thursday Birder and Central New Mexico Audubon Society Spring Field Trips Revised rosy-finch and Rio Grande Nature Center banding schedule Click HERE for updated table and link to spreadsheet of all banding results. See narrative reports of banding and sightings on the CORRESPONDENCE page. ID Tips: Distinguishing between the four rosy-finch races that visit Sandia Crest. Check Weather and Road Conditions May through October, TUESDAY MORNING GUIDED BIRD WALKS in the Sandia Mountains sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service and Central New Mexico Audubon. Birders meet at 8:00 a.m. (8:30 in May and October) at the Sandia Ranger Station, 1176 Highway 337, in Tijeras. = = = = = WebCam Views-- The golf course camera has been updating irregularly. Even though snow may be melting down at the golf course, there may be frequent snow squalls up at the Crest.  The parking lots are being kept clear at Crest House, the ski area, and the Snow Play area. The lower road down to the Capulin Spring "bird log" is closed. No reports yet of Northern Pygmy-owl sightings, either at the entrance to the Snow Play or the base of the ski area. Is anyone looking for them? PAA-KO RIDGE GOLF COURSE LIVE VIEW The east slope of Sandia Crest is in the far central background, just to the right (north) of the ski runs that may be visible. The Sandia Mountains have received significant snowfall. Click on the image for a live enlarged view of conditions at the golf course (6,800 feet elevation), two miles north of the base of the Crest Road, where it is usually about 11 degrees warmer than at the top. Since the east slope of the Sandias is heavily forested, the snow line may not be clearly demarcated. There is usually much more snow on  the ground at Sandia Crest.  Check the weather and road information links below.  KOB-TV CITY CAM This view of downtown Albuquerque (elevation 5,312'), when aiming towards the east, shows Sandia Crest (10,678') in the far left background. South Sandia Crest (9,702') is the higest point in the right background. While snow melts quickly in the valley and on the west side of the Sandias, it sometimes persists all winter at Sandia Crest. Click on the image for other local WebCam views. Don't miss seeing this local PBS documentary about the Sandias that includes a segment on the rosy-finches, now archived on-line.  Click on the thumbnail to the left, or go to knmetv.org/ to open the "MY NEW MEXICO" tab, and then click on the "The Sandias" to get it started. The eight chapters of this film document a project for a one-night spectacular light show, but also delve into the cultural, geologic and natural history of the mountain. If you are pressed for time, go directly to Chapter Three, which describes the ecology of the Sandias, and features the rosy-finch banding project near the end. There are great views of the birds taken at the Crest House, at the feeders and in the hand, not to mention wonderful photography that makes me really miss my mountain home! Here are links to reports of recent visits by some interesting people.  Patrick Belardo of New Jersey has a Blog entry about his recent visit.   15-year-old Malkolm Boothroyd and his parents are cycling south from Alaska to Florida on a year-long, fossil-fuel-free BIRDYEAR journey (by bikes, boots and boats) in search of birds. Read Malkolm's mom, Wendy's blog entry about their Sandia Crest visit.  Also, see this video clip of Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch in Victoria, B.C. from birdcinema.com] Note that the bird depicted is the gray-headed Coastal or Hepburn's race. The yellow bill indicates that the bird was photographed in fall or early winter, as bill turns black as spring and breeding season approaches.  Winter finches may show up in better numbers-- already flocks of Pine Siskins, several Cassin's Finches and Red Crossbills (along with Red-breasted Nuthatches) have been reported nearby. Redpolls have been seen in Santa Fe. The Crest House is officially up for sale, but there is no information yet as to a possible buyer. Let's hope that it keeps its birder-friendly ambiance (with great chili and early access for the banders, not to mention tolerance for scopers and photographers who linger long near the windows as their coffee gets cold) and is not bought by a cookie-cutter fast-food chain. Avi-tourism has meant good business for the Crest House and also for other East Mountain businesses since the feeders were installed in 1999. Over 1000 sighting reports have been recorded in the Crest House logs by birders, and staff there have told me that fewer than one in 10 birders ever sign it. I have seen organized groups of as many as 20 birders leave without ever recording any observations. Even the conservative estimate translates into over 10,000 customers who otherwise may never have ventured up to the top of the mountain. Many of these people would have never heard of the place, much less visited, if it were not for the reputation of Sandia Crest as the “Rosy Finch Capital,” and the Sandia Crest House its “Capitol.” One indicator of the connection between the bird and the building is the fact that a Google search of “rosy finch” + “Sandia Crest House” yields 263 hits, while Sandia Crest House is associated with “gifts” 248 times and “food” only 217 times. See Ken's Blog for more on the Crest House sale. Look for the Rio Grande Bird Research banding crew on most Sunday mornings during the winter.  Remember that birders do not have access to Crest House until it opens, at 9:30 AM. Bad weather can delay opening time or even result in closure, as staff must make their way up before the facility can safely open to the public. For more information about arrival and departure dates, and patterns of abundance since 2000, see full records in the Sightings Logs. See visitors' e-mail and detailed reports from the banders at the CORRESPONDENCE link.  For a review of highlights of this and past winter sightings visit this page. There are always many birding opportunites in and around Albuquerque. Central NM Audubon maintains an active field trip schedule. Also see the Thursday Birder trip schedule (They will be visiting Sandia Crest on February 7, 2008). Upcoming events: SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MORNING BIRD WALKS are held at the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park located at the far west end of Candelaria Road NW. The walks start at 8:30 a.m. during the months of March through November (9:00 a.m. in the winter). AN ENCOURAGING FORECAST FOR FINCH WATCHERS? While based more heavily upon boreal tree seed crop reports and observations in eastern Canada, Ron Pittaway's Winter Finch Forecast for 2007-2008 may provide New Mexico with some hope for increased numbers of Pine Grosbeaks and Red-breasted Nuthatches this winter. On the other hand, it suggests that Pine Siskins may remain rather scarce, and offers a mixed picture for Red Crossbills. Last winter's poor Red Crossbill and Pine Grosbeak showings seemed to correlate with his previous forecast for the winter of 2006-2007, which was based upon bumper cone crops in the far north. Rosy-finches, which do not feed upon conifer seeds, and Cassin's Finches, which breed into western Canada, are not included in his forecast (excerpts follow): PINE GROSBEAK: This grosbeak will irrupt south of the breeding range because crops on native mountain-ashes (rowan berries) are generally poor in northeastern Ontario and across the boreal forest. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: They have been moving south since mid-June presumably because of the poor cone crop in central Canada. Almost all Red-breasted Nuthatches will depart Ontario's boreal forest by late fall... EVENING GROSBEAK: This grosbeak will irrupt south of the boreal forest this fall because tree seed crops are generally very poor in northeastern Ontario and western Quebec... PINE SISKIN: Similar to the White-winged Crossbill, most Pine Siskins departed Ontario this past summer, presumably attracted to huge spruce and fir cone crops in Alberta and British Columbia and/or to big spruce and balsam fir cone crops in Newfoundland and Cape Breton Island and probably elsewhere in the Atlantic Provinces... Large southward irruptions occur when cone crop failures span much of Canada... Fran and Dave asked us to remind you that the Crest House Staff allow only five members of the banding crew to enter the Crest House BEFORE opening time to set up , etc.  However, they would appreciate it if the other banders, visitors and observers would respect the 9:30am opening time.  Prior to the opening time, all the staff have not yet arrived and finished preparing the building for the day.  Some of the staff can be seen in the building earlier in the morning because some of them live in the Crest House and because there are things they must do BEFORE opening the doors at 9:30am.   Please be considerate and do not plan to observe the banding or the birds from inside the Crest House until after the 9:30am opening time. Fran and Dave also wish to thank those who left seed.   Note that if you do wish to donate seed, the "hull-less" or "patio" style is now in use as it poses the least problem with waste. Please do not leave bags of seed outside, as the "critters" quickly get into it. Neither the Crest House or the US Forest Service will accept cash donations, but we do appreciate those who have offered. Writing in Central NM Audubon's newsletter (BURROWING OWL), Raymond VanBuskirk estimated that the winter of 2004-2005 rosy-finch flock numbered about 150 birds, of which 120 were banded.  The number newly banded the next winter (2005-2006) swelled to 298 (plus 255 re-captures), suggesting that the flock now was more than 4 times larger. Banding success was largely due to traps that Raymond constructed. On page 4 of the above article, he describes the newly-designed traps and invites you to observe the banding.  He and the team from Rio Grande Bird Research are hoping that recapture data will provide information about the birds' longevity and winter site fidelity.   During the winter  of 2006-2007, 773 rosy-finches (579 Blacks, 186 Gray-crowned [including 104 Hepburns], and 8 Brown-capped) were newly banded, and 22 were recaptured from previous seasons.  One Black Rosy-Finch was recaptured for three winters in a row. Click here to see the available banding statistics. Rio Grande Bird Research is working in coordination with Blair Wolf, a professor at the University of NM, on hydrogen isotopes. Nancy Cox said "this will hopefully allow us to know where an individual bird comes from latitudinally. We don't have to collect blood for this analysis... Our Ryan and Raymond had been looking at the average distance traveled per species and comparing it to the age ratio. It was looking very interesting. The hydrogen isotope information should help analyze this data more accurately." FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS, SEE: Isotopes Link Birds to Breeding and Moulting Areas: "Since the isotope composition of birds' feathers reflects their diet at the location where feathers are grown, feathers sampled from young-of-the-year as they migrated southward indicated breeding ground location..." Isotopes From Feathers Reveal Bird Migrations: "The principle behind the work is simple: birds are what they eat. And what birds eat while growing feathers on the breeding grounds contains isotopes of hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen. These vary in predictable patterns across North America." Also follow these links to results of studies of migrating Cooper's Hawks and Wood Warblers. TO READ RECENT CORRESPONDENCE CLICK HERE NEW:  Bird book published in Ryan Beaulieu's Memory on Sale at Sandia Crest House Gift Shop. OR CLICK TO BUY NOW (Introduction and dedication by Ken Schneider, who has no financial interest in this publication) View Front Cover                                                        View Back Cover Visit the links at the top of this page (e.g., BIRDING THE SANDIAS,  SUMMER BIRDING,  BIRDER'S GUIDE TO CREST ROAD), and check out the THURSDAY BIRDERS SCHEDULE for best local birding locations and walks.  Enter a target bird in the search box at the bottom of this page for more information about where to look for a certain species. You may also wish to participate in weekend bird walks sponsored by the Central New Mexico Audubon Society, or weekend morning bird walks at the Rio Grande Nature Center. Click Here For Road Conditions (NM-536, NM-14, I-40)  or call Road Advisory Hotline at:  1-800-432-4269.  If still in doubt about road conditions to Sandia Crest, call the USFS Sandia Ranger Station in Tijeras (505-281-3304). Winter Hours: 8:00am-4:30pm Monday through Friday; Closed Saturdays and Sundays.   If unable to contact the Forest Service, call the Sandia Crest House Gift Shop (505-243-0605) only during regular business hours (after 9:30 AM until sunset).   Be sure to check the Rosy-Finch Sightings Log.  People from all over the US and the world are visiting, and only relatively few sign in.  During the winter of 2004-5 there were no "negative" reports (days on which observers recorded failure to see rosy-finches) until early April.  This winter, there have been no negative reports to date. ================== Look for the Northern Pygmy Owl at its favored spot in the lower ski area parking lot. The Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC) visited on December 5th, 2004.  Click here for their interesting report. IMPORTANT Anyone who attempts to ascend the Crest Road during or soon after a snow event should be aware of the dangers.  Even our SUV with "low-low 4WD" and limited slip differential  sometimes was not up to the task.  My best advice to birders bent on seeing the Rosies is to defer visiting until the State Highway Department has had a chance to plow and sand the road, which may be 24 hours after the snow stops falling.  The crews do their utmost to clear the first seven miles up to the ski area, but even their big trucks can  find the going increasingly difficult as the 8000 foot mark is approached (at about Capulin Spring).  The Crest House is a private business that depends on its employees to provide service to the public.   It is not unusual for the restaurant and gift shop to remain closed for safety and security reasons if the parking lot is iced over or under 3 foot drifts or if its staff cannot make it to work.  The management and staff have been most courteous to birders and welcome our presence even if we do not always make purchases.  The banders have often helped the staff open the restaurant by sweeping and arranging tables before opening time at 9:30 AM.  I've sometimes been guilty of cluttering the tables with outerwear and blocking the view with my spotting scope while other patrons were trying to enjoy lunch and landscape.  Life can be very harsh at 10K feet, and one should not visit without being prepared.   I often tell people to plan to visit at least two days, allowing time to adjust to the altitude and provide extra observation time in the event the birds or the weather do not cooperate.  Dress warmly so that you can observe the birds from outside the Crest House if necessary.  This Web suite has other SUGGESTIONS about how birders may increase their enjoyment and extend courtesy to others while visiting the Crest House.

MORE LINKS

BIRDERS WORLD features the Rosy-Finches at Sandia Crest in the October, 2004 issue!  "The world's most accessible location to see all three rosy-finches is in New Mexico..."

NOTES ON ROSY-FINCH TAXONOMY, DISTRIBUTION AND IDENTIFICATION  by Rick Wright  (Arizona Field Ornithologists)

10% BIRDERS' DISCOUNT AT KOKOPELLI'S RESTAURANT (click here for hours and menu), located a half mile north of the Crest Road junction on NM-14, announces 10% discount for birders during the Rosy-Finch season.  Just show your binoculars and mention the ROSYFINCH Web site.  We invite other merchants to join in welcoming our Birders!

EAST MOUNTAIN TELEGRAPH ARTICLE ABOUT BIRDERS AT SANDIA CREST  (March 3, 2005)  "There should be pain involved with these birds. It shouldn't be so easy," Obmascik said with a bit of guilt. "I'm used to snowshoeing for birds or sea kayaking for birds."

ALBUQUERQUE TRIBUNE ARTICLE (DEC 31, 2004) ON ROSY FINCH BANDING PROJECT  Now, birders can sit in the comfort of the Crest House and watch rosy finches swarm around the feeders just outside..."

REMEMBERING NEW MEXICO: A STORY FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN ABOUT A COTTONWOOD SEED AND A COCHITI PUEBLO DRUM-MAKER  "Red Feather hardly noticed the shadow cast by a large bird.  He did not look up.  In his hands, he was transforming a stout wooden log. ..."

CREST HOUSE STAFF HONORED BY CENTRAL NM AUDUBON SOCIETY

CLICK HERE FOR SIGHTINGS FROM CREST HOUSE VISITORS LOG (1999 through present)

FEEDER LOCATIONS 

CHECK PRESENT WEATHER CONDITIONS AT SANDIA CREST AND VIEW WEB CAMS

DIRECTIONS TO SANDIA CREST; HANDICAPPED ACCESS; ALTITUDE SICKNESS INFORMATION        

CLICK HERE FOR TIME OF SUNRISE AND SUNSET YEAR 'ROUND

We have relocated to Miramar, Florida.  Only 8 feet above sea level, our new home (rear view to the left-- click on thumbnail for more views of our home and lake) is 42 feet from the shoreline of a lake at the edge of the Everglades.  Our "yard birds" now include Wood Storks and Anhingas and even a hurricane-driven flock of Greater Flamingos.  In May, 2004,  Fran Lusso  and Dave Weaver,  our neighbors and fellow USFS Volunteers  assumed our duties at Sandia Crest.   Fran and Dave were new to New Mexico, in about the same position we found ourselves when we moved there from Dallas in 1993.  They were already experienced in providing interpretation to the public at the Sandia Crest House Visitors Center.  We will continue to keep up ROSYFINCH.COM indefinitely until/unless someone else wishes to take on the task of Webmaster.  We started the rsoy-finch feeding project in 1999, and welcome this opportunity to remain virtual "observers" and "residents" of our beloved New Mexico.

Three feeders are in use: Feeder #1 to the SE and #2 south of Crest House, both visible from the lower parking lot and Gift Shop picture windows;  #3 on west deck visible from dining room.

Ken reports:   In this picture, which I took on February 5, 2003, the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Hepburn's race) is partially obscured by a Black Rosy-Finch.  CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE.   Note that the pink on the undersides of the Gray-crowned species is rather dull as compared to the Black (and Brown- capped) species.  See Chris Fagyal's stunning photos of Rosy-Finches at  www.avianphotos.org

In March, 2003 Ken took a panoramic view from the deck of the Crest House.  Click here for a  view that will scroll itself in your browser.

OTHER SPECIES REPORTED AT OR ON THE WAY TO SANDIA CREST

NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL may be seen  intermittently  near  its usual perch opposite the base of the Sandia Ski Lift     It has been seen most often around sunrise and  sunset, but may appear any time of day.  It has shown up on the east side of the Crest road just uphill of the sign for the Sandoval- Bernadillo County line, and just off the deck of the Crest House   Once it perched right on the support for the hanging feeder on the deck.

During most winters, CASSIN'S FINCH (right, photographed by Ken at deck feeder on February 5, 2003- click on picture for larger image) flocks to the Crest feeders daily, as does HAIRY WOODPECKER, WHITE- BREASTED and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.   

TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE is fairly common below 7500 feet and appears at the Crest, especially later in the winter.

NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS may be heard near the Tree Springs Trail Head (see the Mile-by-Mile Guide to Crest Road  for directions).

PINE SISKIN and CLARK'S NUTCRACKER are irregularly present, and RED CROSSBILL may be abundant but are even more unpredictable, absent all of the winter of 2002-2003 and not returning until mid-summer, 2003, only to practically disappear in the fall of 2005 and appear intermittently during the winters since then.  CLARK'S NUTCRACKER can sometimes be seen at the base of Sandia Peak Ski Area, especially when skiers are present, and appears irregularly at the Crest.

The elusive PINE GROSBEAK has shown up near the deck of the Crest House and near Capulin Spring, as well as at the 10K trail head.  Nine Mile Picnic Area and the Ellis and 10K Trail Heads are also good places to look for Pine Grosbeaks.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK  nests in the lower reaches but may be seen any time of year at any elevation

AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER has reappeared at Sandia Crest after an absence of  nearly 10 years.  A pair has been  seen since  January, 2005 (most recently  on January 15,  February 4,  June 3, 2006, and December 3, 2006) along the trail that leads to Kiwanis Meadow, or in the wooded area just east of the Meadow.  This trail is accessed from the Crest House lower parking lot.  Just walk south about 100 yards to the meadow, take the spur to the right towards Kiwanis Cabin, and start looking for the birds and the stripped bark that results from their feeding.  They may have produced young, as three or more have been subsequently been reported there at one time, and a male was seen drumming in the spring of 2006.  An American Three-toed Woodpecker was seen from the lower  parking lot of Sandia Crest on
January 29, 2007. On March 25, 2007 a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER  was seen on the path from the Crest parking lot near the Kiwanis Meadow as well as a calling  NORTHERN PYGMY OWL near the start of the track that leads downhill from the south end of  the parking area to the Meadow. Celesten Brozek saw a female Three-toed Woodpecker feeding a full-fledged nestling on July 27, 2007, at the Crest, to the north of the radio towers. Another promising spot for three-toes may be the 10K Trailhead (Click here and then scroll down for a Panoramic winter view of this spectacular location).

Even before spring arrives,  RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER (one spot for them is the big snag right at mile post 6), WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS may fly over the Crest. 

Occasionally PURPLE FINCHES are reported  at the Crest, but so far their presence has not been confirmed.  Since this species is so unusual here, great care should be taken to distinguish between them and CASSIN'S FINCHES.  Photographs will be useful to confirm any sighting.   Some female Cassin's Finches can have strong face patterns, suggesting Purple Finch.  On these birds, check the bill (culmen or upper ridge very straight in Cassin's but slightly curved in Purple) undertail coverts (almost always unstreaked in Purple) and the pattern of breast streaks (narrow and sharply defined in Cassin's).   Listen for their distinctive calls, and  SEE THIS COMPARISON FROM CORNELL LAB.  HOUSE FINCHES do not favor the higher elevations and do not visit the Crest House feeders.

Check the Weather Conditions and Forecast: