NEW MEXICO 
One of three Hooded Warblers in New Mexico in June 2009, 
this male was north of Pecos at Monastery Lake, San Miguel 
County 7 June. Photograph by Nancy E. Hetrick. 
VfREOSTHROUGHPHAINOPEPLA 
The Black-capped Vireo first found in May in 
Slaughter Canyon was last seen 22 Jun (SW). 
Noteworthy for w. Sierra were 2 singing Bell’s 
Vireos s. of Hillsboro along Tierra Blanca Cr. 25 
Jun (DC) and 2 more singing at Lake Valley 2- 
29 jul (DC). Gray Vireo surveys in the San An- 
dres Mts. produced astounding results — 194 
discrete territories along 475 km of linear tran- 
sects (D. Burkett et al); in the n., another large 
population was discovered on Santo Domingo 
Pueblo uplands, where preliminary results in- 
dicated some 100 territories (LS). In the ne., 
where the status of Gray Vireo is vague at best, 
a male was singing near Sabinoso, Sail Miguel 
and a pair was at the top of the escarpment s. of 
Solano, Harding 17 Jim (CR); other noteworthy 
Grays were a pair in Cebolla Canyon, El Mal- 
pais N.M. 19 Jul (NH), singles n. of Laguna, Ci- 
bola 14 Jun (DK), in Las Cabras Canyon, Bear 
Mts. 2 Jun (HS), and in Gold Gulch, Burro Mts. 
25 Jul (DG), three pairs in Bootleg Canyon, Los 
Pinos Mts. 2 Jul (KG), and three territories in 
Guadalupe Canyon 9 Jul (HW). A male Yellow- 
throated Vireo was singing near the Gila Cliff 
Dwellings 10 Jun (M. Ali); 2, believed to be a 
pair, were at R.S. 13 (WS), 16 (MS, ph. JZ), & 
19 Jun (JG). A singing Warbling Vireo was late 
at Sumner Dam 3 Jun (WH); a Red-eyed at 
N.R.T. 3 Jun (WH) provided the only report. 
Unusual was an American Crow at the San- 
ta Fe Ski Area 19 Jul (CR); others summering 
in obscure locales were singles near Techado, 
Cibola 5 Jun (DK) and e. of Mountainair 17 
Jul (SW), plus 2 at Poverty Creek, w. Sierra 18 
Jun (DC). An abundance of grasshoppers in 
the North Plains, Cibola area 5 Jun attracted 
29 Chihuahuan and 114 Common Ravens 
(DK). A partial survey found Bank Swallows 
present at 12 Sandoval colonies 9 Jun (HW); 
one was foraging at Belen 13 Jun (WH). Nest- 
ing Cave Swallows met stiff resistance at 
Whites City this season, where hotel staff de- 
stroyed some 20 nests containing eggs or 
young (SW). There was good news for New 
Mexico’s only known Mexican Chickadee 
population, with 6 or more observed in the 
Animas Mts. 27 Jun QP et al., ph. CW). Pro- 
viding a breeding first for the Burro Mts. was 
a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches feeding 
fledglings 26 Jun (DG). A Cactus Wren was n. 
to the base of Corazon Hill near Trujillo, San 
Miguel 8 Jun (WWi); a pair at Kirtland A.EB. 
19 Jun (ph. CW) provided another Bernalillo 
locale. A Carolina Wren at Bosque, first de- 
tected in May, was still singing 27 Jun and 6 
Jul (C. Fee). Surprising were 2 Marsh 
Wrens — one singing — at Isleta, Bernalillo 26 
Jul (JJ). Nicely documented was a Black-tailed 
Gnatcatcher pair on Antelope Ridge sw. of Eu- 
nice 1 1 Jun (ph. M. Watson); seven pairs were 
in the E.B.L. area 3 Jul (DC). Maintaining a 
Guadalupe Canyon presence, single Black- 
capped Gnatcatchers were seen and/or heard 
at two sites 18 Jul (MH). A singing Townsend’s 
Solitaire was in Fourth of July Canyon, Man- 
zano Mts, 11 Jun (HS); others where seldom 
reported were singles in the San Mateo Mts. 
on Mt. Withinglon and in Bear Trap Canyon 
25 Jun (SOW) and, in the Black Range, one on 
Lookout Mt. 11 Jul and 2 in Chloride Canyon 
15 Jul (DC). Late Swainson’s Thrushes were 
one at B.L.N.W.R. 2 Jun (ph. JS) and 3 at 
N.R.T. 3 Jun (ph. WH); 3 were singing along 
the Rio Pueblo, Taos 13 Jun (JP). A Brown 
Thrasher was w. to the R.G.V. at E.B.L. Dam 15 
Jun (ph. DC). Far e., an apparent ad. Bendire’s 
Thrasher was along Garita Cr., s. San Miguel 7 
Jun (CR). Crissal Thrashers were noted at 
three upland areas on Santo Domingo Pueblo, 
with one near Santo Domingo Canyon 18 Jun, 
2 near Borrego Canyon 12 Jun, and several in 
the Arroyo Fargo area 29 Jun (LS). Single 
Phainopeplas were n. to Santa Fe at Jacona 20 
Jun (JB) and Madrid 12 Jul (LS) and to Plac- 
itas, Sandoval 18 Jul (ph. P Spaltro). 
WARBLERS THROUGH FINCHES 
Far n. of expected range, a Lucy’s Warbler was 
in the Corrales bosque 12 Jul (DK). A female 
Chestnut-sided Warbler was in dense alder at 
Taos 12 Jul (ph. HW); there are New Mexico 
summer records in six of the past ten years. 
Two Audubon’s Warblers singing in the Burro 
Mts. 20 jun (DG) and a hatch-year bird net- 
ted there 25 Jul (DG et al.) suggested local 
breeding. Earliest southbound Townsend’s 
Warbler was one in the Burro Mts. 30 Jul 
(DG). An unusually busy Black-and-white 
Warbler season found singles at Bandelier 
N.M. 2 Jun (ph. B. Zimmer), Albuquerque 16 
Jun (CR), Madera Canyon, Manzanita Mts. 19 
Jun (ph. CW, MB), Oscura Mts., Socorro 30 
Jun (CW, MB), E.B.L. Dam 2 Jun (DC), and 
R.S. 19 Jun (JG). Following a strong spring 
showing, a Kentucky Warbler was at Edge- 
wood, Santa Fe 6 Jun (A. Johnson). Hooded 
Warblers were conspicuous into early Jun, 
with single males in Santa Fe Canyon 1 Jun 
CWWi), at Monastery E., San Miguel 1 Jun 
(CB, ph. NH), and Chloride Canyon 10-11 
Jun (ph. DC). At least 2 Wilson's Warblers 
were summering at the Taos Ski Area 31 Jul 
(ph. JO). A Red-faced Warbler was n, to the 
Datil Mts. 14-19 Jun OH). Far n. of expected, 
a Painted Redstart visited the Santa Fe Opera 
13 Jul (M. & R. Reed); noteworthy for Lincoln 
was a territorial pair above Three Rivers C.G. 
2 Jul (WWe). A female Scarlet Tanager lin- 
gered at R.S. 1 Jun (MS, JZ); most unusual 
was an ad. male banded at Los Alamos 23 Jul 
(ph. C. Hathcock), the 2nd late Jul record for 
the Jemez Mts. in recent years. 
Cassin’s Sparrows continued to show close 
association with local rainfall; uneven distri- 
bution of precipitation this year produced 
record-high counts in some areas, record lows 
in others. A Botteri’s Sparrow in the s. Animas 
Valley 26 Jun QO) and 2 Jul QP) was some 30 
km s. of the species’ stronghold; noteworthy 
were one probable Botteri’s heard s. of Gage in 
Jun (R. Wilcox) and one near Rodeo 19 Jun 
(CW). Unusual in Harding were 2 Rufous- 
crowned Sparrows w. of Rosebud near Ute Cr. 
7 Jun (CH). Additional evidence of Chipping 
C A in recent years, summering Cedar Waxwirigs were much in evidence in n. New Mexico, and several breeding 
4 r (records were obtained, including 2 nestlings rescued when their nest tree was cut down near Abiquiu 29 Jun (ph. K. 
Eagleson). In San Juan, waxwings were found breeding at four sites: a pair at Simon Pt. below Navajo Dam was feeding one 
or more nestlings 14-17 Jun (ph. TR); a pair was feeding 2 recent fledglings at Farmington's Berg-Animas Park 14 Jul (TR); a 
pair was feeding fledglings in the Farmington Glade area 7 Jul (A. Nelson, fide JR); and an ad. was carrying nest material at 
Shiprock 23 Jun (S. Wagner, fide TR). Other summering waxwings suggestive of local breeding included 2 or more at Chama 
14 Jun (CW), 2 each near El Rito 23 Jun (JO) and at Chamisai, Taos 13 Jun (JP), about a dozen as ones and twos seen on each 
of three Rio Grande float trips through San Juan Pueblo 8-22 Jun (DS), and up to 4 at the old San Juan Pueblo bridge 5-8 Jul 
(CR, S. Wilson). Since the state's first active nest was discovered at San Juan Pueblo in 1995, Cedar Waxwings have now been 
confirmed breeding in San Juan, Rio Arriba, Sandovai, Bernaliilo, and San Miguei. 
632 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
