9 replies to this topic

[Texachusetts]

Early morning walk dodging deerflies, but we saw an indigo bunting, a scarlet tanager, huge turkey family, eastern phoebe and heard hermit thrush and many warblers, but these two I am unsure about: 1., I think and hope is an Ovenbird. I hear them all the time but never see them so this would be a lifer , 2. I thought was a wren until we looked at the picture..song sparrow?

[TheBillyPilgrim]

I'll confirm both. Congrats on the lifer!

[Liam]

Seconded. Congrats!

[Totah Sam]

Congrats and JEALOUS! I want an Ovenbird sooooo bad!




Harvard has a forest? ::yiddish accent::

[BarnSwallow]

I want to hear that in a Massachusetts/yiddish accent.

[Texachusetts]

Totah Sam...Harvard does indeed have a large research forest about 75 miles NW of their main campus and about 1 1/4 miles from my house north of the Quabbin reservoir. They have a visitor's center/ museum and numerous trails as well as huge numbers of deerflies and elusive hermit thrushes. I am pretty sure I saw an ovenbird perched on the edge of my yard, but no camera and not a great look, so I was pleased to catch this one with the camera. I hear them all the time! Not sure I can do the accent combo though, sorry! I actually hope to catch some pics of your birds in March..plan on being in NM then.

[Totah Sam]

Totah Sam...Harvard does indeed have a large research forest about 75 miles NW of their main campus and about 1 1/4 miles from my house north of the Quabbin reservoir. They have a visitor's center/ museum and numerous trails as well as huge numbers of deerflies and elusive hermit thrushes. I am pretty sure I saw an ovenbird perched on the edge of my yard, but no camera and not a great look, so I was pleased to catch this one with the camera. I hear them all the time! Not sure I can do the accent combo though, sorry! I actually hope to catch some pics of your birds in March..plan on being in NM then.

What part of New Mexico? North, central or south?

I want to hear that in a Massachusetts/yiddish accent.

Ayup mashuga!

[Texachusetts]

We will be RVing, probably in the south for early March and moving north to end up near Santa Fe by the end of March. Still in planning stages. Any don't miss birding areas? NM is one of 8 states I have not ever visited. My grandmother used to say "Ayuh" but you don't really hear that much anymore. I think we replaced it with "wicked"... which we say all the time!

[Totah Sam]

We will be RVing, probably in the south for early March and moving north to end up near Santa Fe by the end of March. Still in planning stages. Any don't miss birding areas? NM is one of 8 states I have not ever visited. My grandmother used to say "Ayuh" but you don't really hear that much anymore. I think we replaced it with "wicked"... which we say all the time!

My family originally came from Newbury, Massachusetts. They settled there in 1635. I'm a direct descendant of Nathaniel Merrill. We came out here with Brigham Young and ended up in Mexico for a while. In fact we didn't live very far from the Romneys. Pancho Villa took umbrage and chased the family out of Mexico. We ended up in New Mexico. Been here ever since. .

As far as good areas for birding? I'm still new at this so I'm not too sure about the rest of the state. I know that Morgan Lake in the Navajo Nation is a great birding area as well as the River Walk at Berg park in Farmington. Navajo Lake has some wonderful spots too. I'm planning a trip up to the Lukachukais next weekend to see what's there. I'm hoping to (depending on weather) try Todacheenie Lake. I'm a little nervous because the Navajo families around the area have been talking about a large hairy bipedal something roaming the woods. I'm not saying that I'm a believer but.... when natives talk you learn to listen.

I'll let you know how it goes. If I come back alive. Maybe I'll have some shaky footage with a fleeting image that could be a bigfoot... or a lost cow.... or a curious sheep. Who knows.

[Texachusetts]

Thanks for the suggestions. I know we'll check out the 2 NWR on the Rio Grande. Good luck on your expedition...maybe a giant 2 legged tarantula?