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Audubon New Mexico
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Places to Bird Between Albuquerque and Santa Fe
Note that in early October the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is held. If
you do not already have reservations to stay in the Albuquerque area
during that time, do not expect to find any motel rooms available during
this period. However, a dawn to about 9 am ride up I-25 from the airport
north out of Albuquerque can be a marvelous sight with 200+ balloons
in the air.
| 1. |
Rio
Grande Nature Center
Follow I-25 north to I-40 west (towards Gallup). Take I-40 West to
the Rio Grande Boulevard exit. Exit and turn right or north. Follow
to Candelaria Boulevard. Turn left and follow to the end of the street
turning right into the Nature Center. The gated parking lot is open
from 8-5pm (Visitor Center opens at 10am). Waterfowl will be moving
through and this is a good time for unusual (for NM) neotropical
migrants in the cottonwood forest, though most regular breeding neotropical
migrants will have already left. Admission $3 or display of NM Parks
yearly entry placard is required. Easy walking. Rio Grande Cottonwood
gallery forest, constructed wetlands. Several trails and access to
the entire Rio Grande Bosque (forest) in case you’ve brought
your bikes or jogging outfits. Elev. 5,000 ft.
To get back to I-25 heading north, head out of the Nature Center
lot turning left onto Candelaria. Follow Candelaria east to I-25.
Turn left onto frontage road (University) heading north after crossing
I-25. |
| 2. |
Cochiti Lake and Tent Rocks
National Monument
Cochiti Lake is a large reservoir which may have Western/Clark’s
grebes, waterfowl and gulls. Follow I-25 north to the Santo Domingo
Pueblo exit (Hwy 22). Turn left off the exit ramp and follow past
Pena Blanca to Cochiti Lake, passing the spillway. Waterfowl and
perhaps an American Dipper can be on the river just below the spillway,
a little before the entrance to the lake access. However, walking
anywhere off the road shoulder has been prohibited by Cochiti pueblo
and parking can only be done on the large shoulders on either side
of the bridge. Later in the afternoon is best at the boat ramps for
scoping the lake as you are facing directly into the sun in the morning.
Elevation 5,300 ft. An alternative birding destination is to follow
the signs to Tent
Rocks, a fascinating geologic area. Hwy 22 cuts to the left just
past the spillway. Turn right off NM 22 at the pueblo water tower
(painted like a drum) onto Tribal Route 92, which connects to Forest
Service Road 266. From the fee station, travel five miles on a gravel
road to the national monument heading through some of Cochiti pueblo
before turning west on a good dirt road to the fee area ($5). It
is located approx. 9 miles from the spillway. This area is probably
the most reliable for Pinyon Jay in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe corridor.
Hiking here is moderate. Elev. 6,000 ft.
To get back to I-25 heading north take Hwy 16 off of Hwy 22 after
passing the spillway but before the town of Pena Blanca. Follow east
back to the interstate.
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| 3. |
Sandia
Mountains
Follow I-25 north to I – 40 east (towards Santa Rosa). Follow
I-40 east into Tijeras (pronounced tee-‘hair-us) Canyon and
exit at Tijeras. Bear left towards Cedar Crest. Follow NM 14 (about
6 miles) to San Antonito and turn left following signs to Sandia
Park and Sandia Crest road. Follow this road to Sandia Crest (about
10 miles of very windy road). There are several turnoffs, picnic
areas and hiking areas on the way up. You pass through ponderosa
pine, mixed conifer to reach subalpine conifer forest at the crest
(from about 7,000 - 10,700 ft in elevation). At the crest is a snack/gift
shop and spectacular views of the Rio Grande Valley. Note: It will
be too early to see wintering rosy-finches and too late for many
breeding southwestern neotropical migrants (i.e. Grace’s Warbler,
Plumbeous Vireo) but resident birds will be around such as Pygmy
Nuthatch. Parking anywhere along the Crest Road requires a $3 admission
or display of federal land access cards (Golden Eagle, Golden Age,
Golden Access). Hiking may be easy to difficult depending on which
sites are chosen. Note the elevation, be prepared. Follow the Crest
Road back to NM 14 to leave the area.
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| 4. |
Tres
Pistoles Canyon
This is a lower elevation canyon dominated by pinyon-juniper and
southern evergreen oaks. Follow the beginning of the directions to
the Sandia Mts. It is on the way to Tijeras, but you reach it by
taking the Carnuel exit at the eastern edge of Albuquerque on I-40
heading east. Excellent for resident pinyon-juniper birds such as
Juniper Titmouse and Canyon Towhee and on the canyon sides one can
find Rufous-crowned Sparrow. (Unfortunately Scott’s Orioles,
which breed here will probably already have gone.) Parking is $3
or the federal passes noted above. Hiking is moderate to strenuous.
Elevation is about 6,300 ft. |
| 5. |
Sunrise Springs via NM 14
Follow I-25 north to I – 40 east (towards Santa Rosa). Follow
I-40 east into Tijeras (pronounced tee-‘hair-us) Canyon and
exit at Tijeras. Bear left towards Cedar Crest. Follow NM 14 to the
top of the very long hill (about 6 miles) to San Antonito. Continue
north to Hwy 599 near I-25 (about 40 miles) which is the exit road
for Sunrise Springs off of the interstate. Follow regular directions
from 599. This is known as the “back road” to Santa Fe
and may have significantly less traffic than following I-25 up to
Santa Fe. It is also slower by a good 15-20 minutes. |
Note: To view species you may be likely to see, visit these eBird checklists.
• Bernalillo
County (Albuquerque area) eBird checklist
• Santa
Fe County (Sunrise Springs) eBird checklist:
If you are able to bird other areas in northern New Mexico don’t
forget the Randall
Davey Audubon Center in Santa Fe, at the end of Upper Canyon Road.
Also check out Birding
New Mexico: North-Central Region. And once in Santa Fe, please check
our North-Central
New Mexico Birding Trail.
Places to Bird
from Albuquerque to Santa Fe 
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