Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!lanl!unm-la!unmvax!nmtsun!john
From: john@nmtsun.nmt.edu (John Shipman)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Birding (for a change)
Keywords: twitcher, ticker, lister, ABA, Mexican specialties
Message-ID: <873@nmtsun.nmt.edu>
Date: 3 Aug 88 20:36:03 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Zoological Data Processing
Lines: 67

TRIP REPORT: GUADALUPE CANYON, N. M.

Guadalupe Canyon is only about six miles long, half in
Arizona and half in New Mexico, within shouting distance of
Mexico.  Some Arizona birders say it's their second favorite
site, after Madera Canyon.  I've wanted to go there for a
long time now, after reading about all the great Mexican
specialties that occur there; I'm a N.M. state lister and
figured to get several good twitches down there.

My friend Phil and I finally got to Guadalupe July 15--18,
and it was every bit as wonderful as the word-of-mouth.  Here
is a list of JUST the birds that were new to me (for New Mexico;
I'd seen all these species previously, but in Arizona).
  Gila Woodpecker           Zone-tailed Hawk
  Varied Bunting            Strickland's Woodpecker*
  Violet-crowned Hummer     Hutton's Vireo*
  Hooded Oriole             Painted Redstart**
  Thick-billed Kingbird     Olive Warbler**
  Dusky-capped Flycatcher   Magnificent Hummer**
  Broad-billed Hummer

Not all of these were in Guadalupe; species marked with one *
were seen in Clanton Canyon in the Peloncillo Mountains, not
far north; species marked with ** were seen in the Pinos Altos
Mts. just north of Silver City, NM.  There are other good
birds not on the above list because I've seen them in NM
before; for example, Vermilion Flycatcher was probably
the commonest bird in the canyon.

Guadalupe Canyon cannot be reached from New Mexico; you have
to go to Arizona first.  I will be happy to e-mail directions
if anyone wants them.  The entire canyon is privately held
by a gentleman (and I *do* mean gentleman!) named Drummond
Hadley.  If you do visit, start by driving all the way up
the canyon to the Hadley Ranch and let them know you'll
be birding in the canyon.  If Drum isn't there, leave a note
with one of his employees (none of whom speak English).
Camping in the canyon is all right if you check in first
and are a responsible camper.

WARNING: The entire canyon is a flash-flood area.  Be
prepared to seek higher ground on fifteen seconds' notice;
listen for a load roaring noise.  Such floods are not rare;
Hadley says they happen several times a year.  He has a
Caterpillar that he uses rather frequently to rebuild the
road.  To be safe, you should camp at least 20' above the
creek-bed, since 15' walls of water are not rare.  Don't
mess around with flash floods; forget your camping gear
and car and concentrate on saving your bod.

We missed some of the specialties due to the late date.  If
you arrive around early July, expect Northern Beardless-
Tyrannulet and Brown-crested Flycatcher, and be on the
lookout for Lucifer's and Costa's hummers.  Bell's Vireo and
Gray Vireo are also possible.  There are a few records for
Buff-collared Nightjar (=Ridgway's Whip-poor-will), but don't
count on it; a friend of mine spent an entire summer here
and managed *one* sighting.

Hope y'all don't mind my interrupting the sparrow-flaming to
talk about this dull stuff.
-- 

John Shipman/Zoological Data Processing/Socorro, New Mexico
USENET: ucbvax!unmvax!nmtsun!john  CSNET: john@jupiter.nmt.edu
``The wise duck keeps his mouth shut when he smells frogs.'' -Ernest Bramah