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L ate summer rains continued into au- 
tumn 2008, especially in the south, re- 
sulting in improved grasslands, wood- 
lands, and wetlands generally, and resident 
and migrant birds dispersed to take advantage 
of these conditions. The season was notable 
for rarities, highlighted by a Black-tailed Gull 
in August and a Sungrebe in November, the 
latter the first of the pantropical family He- 
liornithidae (Finfoots) to reach the United 
States. 
Abbreviations: B.L.N.W.R. (Bitter Lake 
N.W.R.); Bosque (Bosque del Apache 
N.W.R.); E.B.L. (Elephant Butte L.); 
L.V.N.W.R, (Las Vegas N.W.R.); Maxwell 
(Maxwell N.W.R. and vicinity); N.R.T. (n. 
Roosevelt migrant trap w. of Melrose); 
R.G.N.C. (Rio Grande Nature Center, Albu- 
querque); R.G.Y (Rio Grande Valley); R.S. 
(Rattlesnake Springs area, Eddy). 
WATERFOWL THROUGH FALCONS 
Two Tundra Swans reached Stubblefield L. 1 5 
Nov (ph. NEI). Wood Duck concentrations 
away from usual areas included 35 below Co- 
chiti Dam and 20 near Belen 9 Oct (MW); 
one was e. to Clovis 3 Oct OEP). Noteworthy 
for Santa Fe was a Greater Scaup at Santa Fe 
25 Oct-3 Nov (ph. JPB). A good Surf Scoter 
season found singles at Stubblefield L. 26 
Oct-8 Nov (ph. JPB, WWi, ph. MB, NP), 
Heron L. 8 Nov (MB, NP), Wagon Mound 15 
Nov (ph. NH), and s. to Tyrone 26 Oct (EL). 
Two Black Scoters were at Bluewater L., Ci- 
bola 1-4 Nov (CR, m.ob., ph. JO, ph. MB), 
marking the 3rd consecutive year the species 
has appeared in the state. A Long-tailed Duck 
at L.V.N.W.R. 30 Nov (ph. JPB) provided the 
lone report. A female Hooded Merganser was 
at Socorro 23 Aug QEP); another appeared at 
a desert playa w. of Las Cruces 23 Aug and 9 
Sep (MS, pit. JZ). Four White-tailed Ptarmi- 
gan were near Jicarita Peak 23 Aug (ph, G. 
Soehnel). Dusky Grouse had a good season 
in the s. Sangre de Cristo Mts., with fledg- 
lings noted in Aug at Aspen Vista, Holy 
Ghost Canyon, and Black Canyon (WWe). 
Montezuma Quail were notably successful in 
the n. Peloncillo Mts., with flocks of up to 16 
in four canyons Sep-Nov (CL). 
Unseasonable Common Loons were singles 
at Cherry L., Mora 4 Aug (WWi) and Con- 
chas L. 20 Sep (WH) and 3 at Stubblefield L. 
1-7 Sep (CR, MH). Up to 20 Eared Grebe 
pairs were nesting at Clovis 8 Aug (ph. MH), 
where some were still on eggs 27 Aug (MH). 
A Brown Pelican mini-invasion produced an 
imm. at Brantley L. 14-15 Aug (ph. RD) and a 
remarkable 4, including one ad., at E.B.L. 13- 
15 Nov (ph. DC, ph. CW, m.ob). Noteworthy 
was a Least Bittern n. to Isleta, Bernalillo 23 
Aug (DK). Among the rarer herons were an 
imm. Little Blue Heron at 
Six Mile Dam 2 Oct (SW) 
and an imm. Tricolored 
Heron at E.B.L. 4-21 Aug 
(ph. DC, m.ob.). Late 
Cattle Egrets included 4 
at Belen 15 Nov (DH), 
one at Mims L., Sierra 18 
Nov (ph. DC), and 4 at 
Bosque 30 Nov (ph. SE). 
An imm. Yellow-crowned 
Night-Heron was n. to 
Clovis 27 Aug-26 Sep 
(MH,JEP, vt. JO), and an 
ad. was at Six Mile Dam 
16 Aug (SW); the species has become annual 
in New Mexico in recent years. Late was a 
Turkey Vulture at Deming 13 Nov (LM). 
Late for the n. was an Osprey at Acomita L., 
Cibola 1 Nov (CR); 50 were counted at Capil- 
la Peak, Manzano Mts. 30 Aug-22 Oct 
(HWI), a substantial increase over the long- 
term average there. White-tailed Kites contin- 
ued in evidence in Hidalgo, with singles in the 
middle Animas Valley 8 Aug (vt, JO), the San 
Simon Valley 3 Aug (RW), and Rodeo 16 Aug 
(RW). A high 9 Mississippi Kites were n. to 
Santa Rosa 7 Sep (DH); noteworthy were sin- 
gles at Galisteo 9 Sep (ph. JPB), N.R.T. 16 Sep 
(WWi), and Arch, Roosevelt 8 Aug (MH); late 
was one at Tatum 3 Oct QEP, JO). A Cooper’s 
Hawk pair was observed nest-building at 
Cedar Crest 30 Sep 0- D- Ligon). An impres- 
sive 21 Northern Goshawks migrated past 
Capilla Peak 21 Sep-4 Nov (HWI). A Com- 
mon Black-Hawk was at Isleta 23 Aug (DK), 
where the species has nested in past years; mi- 
grants included single ads. near B.L.N.W.R. 
16 Sep (JIS) and in Guadalupe Canyon 7 Sep 
(AC, NM-C, NS). A record high 17 Broad- 
winged Hawks were counted at Capilla Peak 
17 Sep-1 Oct (HWI); others included one at 
Port Sumner 20 Sep 0EP)i 2 at Milnesand 27 
Sep (MB, NP, ph. CW), and 2 far w. to Silver 
City 3 Oct (M. Cantrell, Jide D. J. Beatty). 
Gray Hawk continued its remarkable surge 
into New Mexico, with three territories in the 
New Mexico portion of Guadalupe Canyon 7- 
8 Sep (AC, NM-C, NS), an ad. in Clanton 
Canyon 1 Sep (DH), and a juv. at Rodeo IS- 
IS Sep (RW); a pair in Eddy was successful, 
with the ads. tending one fledgling on various 
dates 19 Aug-6 Oct (m.ob., ph. RD, ph. JO). 
A remarkable 2952 Swainson’s Hawks were 
counted at Capilla Peak 3 Sep-6 Oct (HWI); 
noteworthy kettles were 45 near Deming 31 
Aug (LM) and 50 near B.L.N.W.R. 28 Sep 
(MW), while very late were 2 near Malaga 4 
Nov (T. J. Hines, Jidc SW). Noteworthy for the 
Sacramento Mts. was a Zone-tailed Hawk at 
Bluff Springs 23 Aug (DG); late was one at 
Providing only the ninth New Mexico record — and the third in the past three years — 
these two Black Scoters were at Bluewater Lake, Cibola County 1 (here) through 4 No- 
vember 2008. Photograph by Jerry R. Oldenettel. 
r A Unprecedented for the United States, a Sungrebe {Heliornis fulica), a waterbird of Middle and South American low- 
lands, was extensively documented at Bosque. First discovered 13 Nov (ph. S. A. King), the photographs were correct- 
ly identified 17 Nov (SF), and, after word was spread that evening, the bird was relocated 18 Nov (ph. JO, ph. SF, JEP, MB, NP, 
MH) but was not found 19 Nov or later. The wary and apparently healthy female was observed flying on several occasions as it 
moved up and down a small canal, actively feeding on insects. With the nearest known resident populations some 1370 km 
away in e. Mexico, the question of provenance naturally arose. However, extensive and ongoing efforts by the professional zoo 
community have yet to find evidence of the species being kept in captivity in the United States or elsewhere. Documented Sun- 
grebe occurrences beyond usual range and habitat, plus its ability to find and colonize newly-created habitat within its range, 
suggest some dispersal ability. As the New Mexico Bird Records Committee begins to evaluate this occurrence, anyone with 
useful information regarding the event, including current status in Mexico, is encouraged to contact the regional editor. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) 
NUMBER 1 
127 
