NEW MEXICO 
A surprising fitid in tlie Great Plains, this Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher was at the 
Melrose Trap in northern RooseTCit County, New Mexico 4 October 2808. Pho- 
tograph by Jerry P. Oldenettel. 
Pueblo 13 Aug (WWe). A Carolina Wren 
along the Pecos R. at Santa Rosa 23-26 Sep 
(WWe, ph. JO, JEP) provided a Guadalupe 
first. An unseen, apparent Thryothoms wren 
near Radium Springs that responded to Car- 
olina tapes with trills (not song) on various 
dates 31 Oct-17 Nov (MS, JZ) may have been 
a Carolina. Efforts to distinguish Eastern and 
Western Winter Wrens yielded single apparent 
Easterns at N.R.T. 15-25 Oct (MH, MB, NP, 
JO, JEP) and R.S. 8 Nov (ph. JO) and single 
apparent Westerns at Corrales 11 Nov (DK) 
and n. of Espanola 26 Nov (DK). Seldom re- 
ported in fall, at least one Swainson’s Thrush 
was at N.R.T. 12-20 Sep (NP, JEP, MH, JPB). A 
Rufous-backed Robin at Rodeo 14 Oct (RW) 
was the state’s 10th record but only the 2nd 
away from the R.G.V. A female Varied Thrush 
e. to N.R.T. 13-15 Oct (DP, MH, WWi) pro- 
vided the 2nd record for that prairie site and 
one of the few for the e. plains. One to 2 
Brown Thrashers were at Maxwell 21 Sep (ph. 
MH, CR), N.R.T. on multiple dates 6 Sep-15 
Oct (m.ob., ph. JO), and at R.S. 19 Oct (JO). 
Often overlooked (or misidentified), single 
Bendire’s Thrashers were near the Victorio 
Mts., Lima 8 Oct (DG) and at San Simon 
Cienega 13 Oct (DH). A Crissal Thrasher was 
n. to Santa Fe’s Arroyo Chamiso 1-2 Nov QPB, 
B. R. Foy); another was e. to B.L.N.W.R. 7 Aug 
(JH). Migrant Sprague’s Pipits included one at 
Ned Houk Park n. of Clovis 16 Oct (MB), one 
to 2 at N.R.T. 15-26 Oct (MH, JEP, CR), and 2 
at Lordsburg Playa 13 Oct (DH). 
Cedar Waxwings in Aug are often 
a puzzle; presumed migrants were 
14 at Madrid 9 Aug (LS), 2 below 
Navajo Dam 10 Aug (BN), and 28 
at Rio Rancho 14 Aug (G. Gar- 
ber), while an ad. and a juv. at 
Corrales 27 Aug (DK) may have 
summered locally. Far n. was a fe- 
male Phainopepla at La Jara, San- 
doval 10 Aug (BN). 
WARBLERS THROUGH 
FINCHES 
Leading off a solid warbler sea- 
son, a Golden-winged Warbler s. 
of Santa Rosa 23 Sep (WWe) pro- 
vided a Guadalupe first. A Ten- 
nessee Warbler was at N.R.T. 19 
Sep (J. M. Black, JO); a late one 
reported at Madrid 18 & 20 Nov 
(ph. LS) is under evaluation. A 
Northern Parala at R.G.N.C. 25 
Sep (MH, DH) provided the lone 
report. A good Chestnut-sided 
Warbler season produced singles 
at La Cienega 19 Sep (CR), 
R.G.N.C. 7 Sep (NC, JEP), and 
N.R.T. 14 (MH) & 26 Sep (JEP et ah, ph. JO). 
A Magnolia Warbler was at Sumner Dam 28 
Sep (NP, JPB, ph. CW); at N.R.T., one was 
present 27 Sep (MB, JEP, ph. JO), 2 were re- 
ported 5 Oct (MH), and one lingered until 11 
Oct QEP, ph. JO). Black-throated Blue 
Warblers found N.R.T. to their liking, 
with a male there 27 Sep (MB, NP, JEP, 
ph. CW, ph. JO), a female there 2-6 
Oct (’WWi, JEP, ph. JO, MH), and up 
to 2 males there 15-26 Oct (m.ob., ph. 
JO); a female at Sumner Dam 28 Sep 
(MH, JPB) provided the only addition- 
al report. A Black-throated Gray War- 
bler was far e. to McAlister, Quay 1 Sep 
(CR); Black- throated Greens were one 
at N.R.T. 23 Aug (CR, BN), a male 
there 3-4 Oct OEP, MH, ph. JO), and 
an imm. there 23-25 Oct (ph. JO, 
JEP); single Townsend’s were late at 
N.R.T. 2 Nov (DH) and Madrid 11 
Nov (LS). Earliest Hermit Warblers 
were singles near Eagle Peak, Catron 
13 Aug (WWi) and Clanton Canyon 
13-14 Aug (HW), where there was 
also one 1 Sep (DH); individuals were 
in the P. O. Canyon area 14 Aug, 17 
Aug, 18 Sep and 12 Oct (CL). A Blackpoll 
Warbler put in a brief appearance at N.R.T. 27 
Sep (ph. JO, ph. CW, JEP, MB, NP); late was a 
Black-and-white Warbler at Bernardo 8 Nov 
OEP). One to 3 American Redstarts were at 
six sites from the R.G.V eastward 30 Aug-24 
Sep (m.ob.), including 2 at Shoemaker, Mora 
30 Aug (CR); west was a continuing pair near ! 
Alma 3 Aug (DH). A Prothonotary Warbler 
enjoyed tent caterpillars below E.B.L. Dam 30 
Sep-7 Oct (ph. DC). A good Worm-eating , 
Warbler season found singles at R.G.N.C. 25 I' 
Sep-5 Oct (DH, m.ob., ph. DK, ph. JPB, ph. 
CW), N.R.T. 10-15 Oct (MH, ph. CW, JEP, ph. 
JO), and Tatum 3 Oct OEP, WWi, ph. JO). 
Latest Hepatic Tanager was one in the n. Pel- 
oncillo Mts. 19 Oct (CL). Noteworthy for the 
upper Pecos R., an ad. male Summer Tanager i 
was feeding a juv. at Sena 13 Aug (’WWe); un- 
usual was one n. to Reserve 7 Sep (CR). 
Responding to favorable summer rains, 
Cassin’s Sparrows were conspicuous in the 
south, especially in Hidalgo and Luna in Aug 
(CL, DH), and many ads. were with juvs. in 
grasslands near the Cedar Mts. 8 Oct (DG). 
Providing a first for Grant, a Botteri’s Sparrow 
was in sacaton grasslands at Burro Cienega on 
the Pitchfork Ranch n. of Separ 14 Aug. (C. E. 
Bock); n. of Rodeo, single Botteri’s were at two j 
sites along the San Simon R. 3 Aug (RW). A 
Rufous-crowned Sparrow pair was feeding 
fledglings near P. O. Canyon 28 Sep (CL). An 
American Tree Sparrow was s. to Alameda by 
16 Nov (CR). Lingering in the sw., single 
Clay-colored Sparrows were in the n. Peloncil- 
lo Mts. 12 Oct (CL), Rodeo 14 Oct (RW), and 
the Uvas Valley 24 Oct (DK). An apparent 
Field Sparrow was w. to the Cedar Mts. 8 Oct 
(ph. DG), where there were also 4 Grasshop- 
per Sparrows 8 Oct (DG). Single Baird’s Spar- 
rows were at Maxwell 14 Sep (ph. JSS), Otero 
Mesa 5 Oct (SW), and w. of Bingham 28 Nov 
0EP). Single red Fox Sparrows were at N.R.T. 
23 Oct OO) and Bernardo 8 Nov (JEP). North 
were 2 Swamp Sparrows at Ute L. 29 Nov 
Carolina Wren continues its colonization of New Mexico. This one was i 
observed along the Pecos River at Santa Rosa 23-26 (here 25) September 1 
2008, a first for Guadalupe County. Photograph by Jerry R. Oldenettel. ; j 
130 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
