BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//jEvents 2.0 for Joomla//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT UID:4b2fd0412cfd0cadc484ef09405a8dcd CATEGORIES:North America CREATED:20170801T154417 SUMMARY:New Mexico: Bosque del Apache to Santa Fe DESCRIPTION:\nEvery winter tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese gather i n the stubble fields flanking the Río Grande in central New Mexico at Bosqu e del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. They are joined by thousands of Cana da Geese and enormous flocks of wild ducks. The spectacle of cranes and wat erfowl darkening the orange evening skies as they return to roost at the Bo sque is renowned as one of the most thrilling experiences available to bird watchers in the U.S. This is only one highlight of our tour through the “La nd of Enchantment,” the fifth largest state in the union and the best livin g symbol of both our pre-Colombian and Spanish colonial heritage. Although less well known, New Mexico also supports the fifth largest avifauna of the United States. Our leisurely, week-long tour will wander up the Río Grande Valley from Las Cruces to Santa Fe, skipping into the southwest corner to search for such specialty birds as Bridled Titmouse, Mexican Jay, and Acorn Woodpecker, and detouring up to the Gila Cliff Dwellings, a 42 room apartm ent complex constructed in the 13th century by the people of the Mogollon c ulture. Late winter is an excellent time of the year to see New Mexico’s ar ray of raptors, some already commencing courtship and nesting. Among the sp ecies at the cliff dwellings are both Bald and Golden Eagles. Nearby desert valleys host literally hundreds of Red-tails and American Kestrels, and oc casional Ferruginous Hawks, Northern Harriers, and Prairie Falcons. Februar y also marks the onset of nuptial activities for both Crissal and Curve-bil led Thrashers, Gambel’s Quail, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Verdin, and many o ther desert dwellers. After two nights at Silver City, a charming little fr ontier town with a mountain top university, and another two nights at Socor ro, savoring bird-filled sunrises and sunsets, we transfer to Santa Fe, the New Mexico state capital and, of course, arts capital of the entire United States. Established in 1610 as the provincial seat for New Spain, the city plaza that fronts Don Pedro de Peralta’s Palace of the Governors is still in use, nowadays a mecca for Native American vendors. Field excursions outs ide the small city, population 70,000, will lead us to the ruins at Pecos N ational Monument, Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, and up into the nearb y mountains. Some of the birds we hope to see include Rough-legged Hawk, Le wis’ Woodpecker, Clark’s Nutcracker, Black-billed Magpie, and Townsend’s So litaire, as well as other boreal specialists from the high Rockies. There i s even a possibility of Northern Shrike and breeding-plumaged McCown’s and Chestnut-collared Longspurs. If this birding excursion to the birthplace of Southwest culture sounds intriguing, we invite you to join us as we explor e the mosaic of deserts, mountains and watercourses that create the land of contrasts that is New Mexico.\nLeader: John Yerger (index.php?option=com_ content&view=article&id=29:john-yerger&catid=18:leaders-and-sta ff&Itemid=155)\n\n Cost of New Mexico: Bosque del Apache to Santa Fe includes all meals, accom modations, entrance fees, and transportation beginning in El Paso, TX and e nding in Albuquerque, NM—$2795.\n(Note: most major airlines will ticket arr ival in El Paso and departure from Albuquerque for the same fare as a round trip ticket.)\nTO REGISTER: Print out a PDF Registration Form (images/borde rland/borderland_tours_reg_v4.pdf), call us at (520) 558-2351 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to v iew it. document.getElementById('cloak80b08729b362bf23974e4cd3cd938d65' ).innerHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; v ar path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; var addy80b08729b362bf23974e4cd3cd938d65 = 'info' + '@'; addy80b08729b362bf23974e4cd3cd938d65 = add y80b08729b362bf23974e4cd3cd938d65 + 'borderland-tou rs' + '.' + 'com?subject=Tour%20regi stration'; var addy_text80b08729b362bf23974e4cd3cd938d65 = 'send us an email';document.getElementById('c loak80b08729b362bf23974e4cd3cd938d65').innerHTML += ''+addy_text80b0872 9b362bf23974e4cd3cd938d65+''; .\nSee also: Arizona Winter Specialties (December 3-9, 2017 OR December 2-8, 2018 (/tours/tour-c alendar/eventdetail/75/-/arizona-winter-specialties-2018.html))\n Photo: Sa ndhill Crane scene\nPhoto by: Rick Taylor\n\n(Photo Gallery under construct ion) X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:
Every winter tens of thousan ds of Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese gather in the stubble fields flanking the Río Grande in central New Mexico at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. They are joined by thousands of Canada Geese and enormous flocks o f wild ducks. The spectacle of cranes and waterfowl darkening the orange ev ening skies as they return to roost at the Bosque is renowned as one of the most thrilling experiences available to birdwatchers in the U.S. This is o nly one highlight of our tour through the “Land of Enchantment,” the fifth largest state in the union and the best living symbol of both our pre-Colom bian and Spanish colonial heritage. Although less well known, New Mexico al so supports the fifth largest avifauna of the United States. Our leisurely, week-long tour will wander up the Río Grande Valley from Las Cruces to San ta Fe, skipping into the southwest corner to search for such specialty bird s as Bridled Titmouse, Mexican Jay, and Acorn Woodpecker, and detouring up to the Gila Cliff Dwellings, a 42 room apartment complex constructed in the 13th century by the people of the Mogollon culture. Late winter is an exce llent time of the year to see New Mexico’s array of raptors, some already c ommencing courtship and nesting. Among the species at the cliff dwellings a re both Bald and Golden Eagles. Nearby desert valleys host literally hundre ds of Red-tails and American Kestrels, and occasional Ferruginous Hawks, No rthern Harriers, and Prairie Falcons. February also marks the onset of nupt ial activities for both Crissal and Curve-billed Thrashers, Gambel’s Quail, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Verdin, and many other desert dwellers. After tw o nights at Silver City, a charming little frontier town with a mountain to p university, and another two nights at Socorro, savoring bird-filled sunri ses and sunsets, we transfer to Santa Fe, the New Mexico state capital and, of course, arts capital of the entire United States. Established in 1610 a s the provincial seat for New Spain, the city plaza that fronts Don Pedro d e Peralta’s Palace of the Governors is still in use, nowadays a mecca for N ative American vendors. Field excursions outside the small city, population 70,000, will lead us to the ruins at Pecos National Monument, Las Vegas Na tional Wildlife Refuge, and up into the nearby mountains. Some of the birds we hope to see include Rough-legged Hawk, Lewis’ Woodpecker, Clark’s Nutcr acker, Black-billed Magpie, and Townsend’s Solitaire, as well as other bore al specialists from the high Rockies. There is even a possibility of Northe rn Shrike and breeding-plumaged McCown’s and Chestnut-collared Longspurs. I f this birding excursion to the birthplace of Southwest culture sounds intr iguing, we invite you to join us as we explore the mosaic of deserts, mount ains and watercourses that create the land of contrasts that is New Mexico.
Leader: John Yerger
Cost of New Mexic o: Bosque del Apache to Santa Fe includes all meals, accommod ations, entrance fees, and transportation beginning in El Paso, TX and endi ng in Albuquerque, NM—$2795.
(Note: most major a irlines will ticket arrival in El Paso and departure from Albuquerque for t he same fare as a roundtrip ticket.)
TO REGISTER:
Photo:
Sandhill Crane scene
Photo by: Rick Tay
lor