Southwest Excursion -- The Way Home

I originally intended to drive all the way home from Gila Cliff Dwellings in one day -- and I could have. But that would have been a long day! So, I decided to stop in Santa Fe on the way home so I could be a bit more flexible.

After I got on the Interstate coming out of Gila Cliff Dwellings, I decided to drive through Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, which I had visited in February to see Sandhill Cranes (click here to read about it). I knew there would be no cranes, but I thought I might see some other birds -- maybe even ducks on the lake. With my new lens, I would be able to get better shots. Immediately, I saw a Ring-necked Pheasant. Score! I have seen them before, but never gotten a picture.

A male Ring-necked Pheasant

As I snapped the picture, I realized that the Pheasant was in the lake, which was not a lake, but rather a field. Bosque del Apache is on agricultural land with a vast system of canals with floodgates. I guess they make a lake in the winter for the birds and then let it dry up in summer.

Where is the water?

There are still lakes and canals, but this Western Painted Turtle was heading away from the lake to the field! Maybe he was confused, too.

Western Painted Turtle

I drove around the entire area, looking for wildlife. There wasn't much for a NWR, but I did see some Mule Deer ...

Doe, a Deer

... A Snowy Egret (see, there is water!) ...

Very regal

... a raptor that I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was. When I got home, I found out that it was a juvenile Harris's Hawk. I know they live in the Southwest, but I didn't expect to see one in Central New Mexico. That's pretty exciting.

Who knew?

And, of course, there was a Great Blue Heron. There always is!

A common, but beautiful bird

Then, I just drove and drove until I got to Santa Fe (a newer part, not the cool part) and I passed out at the hotel. I was exhausted.

The next morning, I left early so that I could go to Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, one of the nation's new national monuments -- designated in 2013. 

A new place, but could I find it?

I, unfortunately, trusted my GPS, which I discovered about 10 miles too late was routing me to the wrong side of the National Monument. So, I had to turn around and drive to the east side, where the entrance is.

Wrong way!

Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (as opposed to the National Park Service, which administers most national monuments), Rio Grande del Norte National Monument is approximately 242,000 acres and includes two recreation areas, a portion of the Rio Grande designated as a Wild and Scenic River and the Red River Wild and Scenic River.

The Rio Grande

It includes portions of the Taos Plateau volcanic field, cut by the gorges of the Rio Grande and the Rio San Antonio and several volcanic peaks, the tallest of which is over 10,000 feet high. The park road skirts the edge of the gorge, where you can see churning whitewater.

Whitewater

The plateau itself is high desert with pinyons and sagebrush. There are many overlooks and trails that go down to the river and to springs near the river.

Trail on the plateau

It is not a heavily visited park. The Visitor Center is open only Thursday - Sunday, so it was closed when I was there. I just walked around a bit and looked at the river from various overlooks.

The river gorge

There were a variety of birds, as well. I could not capture the soaring Cliff Swallows, but did get a shot of other birds ...

Mountain Chickadee

American Kestrel

Pinyon Jay

The La Junta Overlook at the end of the road provides a great view of the confluence of the two rivers. There is a relatively short trail there to the bottom. I was tempted to hike down, but I really didn't have time (and it was warm -- not as hot as southern New Mexico/Arizona, but warm enough.)

Way below

The National Monument's main purpose is to protect a wild and scenic portion of the Rio Grande, which has it beginnings in Colorado and then flows through New Mexico and Texas, forming the border with Mexico. Rafting trips are available in Rio Grande del Norte.

A view from above

I had wanted to check out this new National Monument. Scott and I had even discussed camping there. Having visited, I think I'd rather camp in the cool mountains just north of the New Mexico border. But, I was glad I made a stop.

Green banks

Trip date: June 10-14, 2016

Southwest Excursion -- Gila Cliff Dwellings

As I prepared to go home, I headed for Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. It is located in the Gila Wilderness on the headwaters of the Gila River in southwest New Mexico -- not a place you would happen upon. You have to being going there to get there.

Cliff Dwelling

The park was established in 1907 to protect the remains of a Mimbres Culture community. It features interlinked dwellings within five cliff alcoves above Cliff Dweller Canyon. I am a big fan of cliff dwellings (in their natural locale, not transplanted like the ones in Colorado Springs). So, I have visited many in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona. This was a nice, but small, one.

A wall under the arch

The Mogollon (pronounced MUG–EE-AHN) Peoples built the Gila Cliff dwellings some time between 1275 and the early 14th century. It is believed they lived in the cliff dwelling for only 30 years or so.

A large dwelling

Archaeologists have identified 46 rooms in the five caves on Cliff Dweller Canyon, and believed they were occupied by 10 to 15 families. 

Nice view

No one knows why the people migrated to this area, but they were probably driven there by drought and they may have left because of worsening drought or invasion. 

The dwellings are in a canyon

... near the Gila River ...

The river provided water for the people living there

It’s a 45-mile drive from Silver City, New Mexico, up SR 15, a winding, but well-maintained road to the park. I had decided to hit it on my way home because it looked like the drive would take awhile and driving back south just didn't make sense. It was a good plan.

A curvy drive

I wouldn't recommend taking a large vehicle on 15. It is better to come in on 35 from the east with a trailer or RV.  That's the drive I took out. The drive in on 15, which took about 90 minutes, was very pretty and, on the day I went, traffic free.

Butte

After I arrived, I went to the Visitor Center. To reach the ruins, I then drove about a mile and a half to another area ...

This way

.... and hiked a mile-long loop trail with several footbridges over a stream ...

The walk

The day was warm, as evidenced by this turkey vulture cooling himself across the canyon.

Was he or watching us?

You can walk through the ruins by yourself or go on a tour with a ranger. I started by myself, but quickly caught up with a tour. I learned and saw things I wouldn't have had I not stuck around to listen to the ranger.

Ruins

Local Native Americans were aware of the location of ruins, but when white men found the spot, they trashed the ruins so severely that artifacts were difficult to catalog. In the early 1900s, the Act for the Preservation of Antiquities, commonly known as the Antiquities Act, set aside land that contained prehistoric and historic ruins by executive order. So, the destruction was ended.

A big archway

Although the dwellings are built in the Mogollon style, they have a T-shaped doorway, which was an ancient Pueblo convention. The Mogollon people were known for frequent contact with other tribes and it is believed they copied this design element from another group.

Distinctive door

The ruins are in excellent condition, due to the dry climate. 

Inside

There are some cave drawings on some of the walls that you have to crane your neck to see (I wouldn't have seen them unless the ranger had pointed them out).

Drawing

When you finish touring the ruins, you can walk around to pick up the trail, but it’s more fun to climb down the ladder to the trail.

Some climbing is involved

The ruins are interesting and the setting lovely, but they are not as spectacular as Mesa Verde – and they are definitely difficult to get to.

Simple beauty

I would recommend the trip only for National Park or cliff dwelling junkies.

Final look up

On the wildlife front, I didn’t see much – lizards …

Plateau Lizard

Gila Spotted Whiptail

 There were also lovely Prickly Pear flowers ...

A pretty desert flower

 ... and a giant swath of forest that was destroyed in a wildfire in 2011 ...

Fire damage

I am glad I went because I like the variety of the dwellings and I enjoy going to obscure places. It's not for everyone, but it works for me.

A good stop

As I was driving northeast to connect with the Interstate, I saw a gorgeous agave plant in bloom.

I have never seen these yellow flowers before

They were beautiful.

Trip date: June 10-14, 2016

Southwest Excursion -- Pinery Canyon and Patagonia

Following a long day a Chiricahua, I had to decide what to do the next day. Option1: Drive north to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and back to Lordsburg; Option 2: Drive Pinery Canyon Road back to Chiricahua. Pinery Canyon starts in Cave Creek, which is allegedly the best birding area in the U.S. Since Gila Cliff Dwellings was on my way home (sort of) and I could do it the next day, I went for Option 2.

Chiricahua

There are lots of warnings about the Pinery Canyon Road: gravel, winding, narrow, etc., etc., etc. It runs 29 miles from Cave Creek Canyon over the Chiricahua Mountains, ending up at the Chiricahua National Monument entrance. It is narrow and rough in some points. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone not comfortable with mountain roads.

Called the “Sky Islands” ... 

Top-of-the-mountain formation

... the area includes pine forests ...

Driving up

... grasslands ...

Agave

... meadows and fabulous views ...

Pretty views

I did not see many birds – I am not sure I have this bird-watching thing down. I suppose one has to arrive in the early morning (I couldn’t because I was staying two hours away) and then stake out an area and wait, wait, wait. I had too much to do to wait, so I just drove slowly.  I did see some hawks and lots of little birds flitting quickly about, not even landing long enough for me to identify them.

The few other cars I passed coming the opposite direction were not in the narrow spots – that would have been be tough.  A few birds landed long enough to photograph – most notably Yellow-Eyed Juncos ... 

Looks like an Angry Bird

Interestingly, I saw more birds at the end of the road by the Chiricahua entrance, including American Kestrels ...

Posing on the wire

... and more of the fabulous Acorn Woodpeckers ...

Love these guys

Once I arrived at Chiricahua, I had to make another decision -- Option 1: Go back to Lordsburg and try to make it to Gila Cliff Dwellings or Option 2: Go down to Patagonia Lake (another two hours or so away) to see what kind of birds I could see. Obviously, I opted for the latter. I always take the long road or pick the long day.

I arrived at Patagonia Lake, where we had visited in February (click here to read about it), and immediately questioned whether it was a good idea.

Patagonia Lake

It was Sunday and the place was packed with boaters, picnickers and swimmers -- so much so that that there was limited parking. Fortunately, they let me go up to the birding trail and park, so I avoided the craziness (although I could hear it, which probably spooked the birds).

It was my goal to sit at the area with bird feeders and hummingbird feeders to see what comes up. That's one of the things I had done in February. I just felt like I hadn't given it enough time.

Patagonia feeders in February

But, to my surprise, the feeders were gone! So, I decided to walk down the path along the lake. The rushes had grown so high that I couldn't even see the lake (just some mud where cows were grazing).

Nothing here

Plus, it appeared that there had been a flood and many trees were down. I picked my way through the downed trees and the cow patties as it got hotter and hotter. All I saw were some gorgeous Vermilion Flycatchers that posed nicely for me ...

Male Vermilion Flycatcher

Female Vermilion Flycatcher

But, that was it. The Visitor Center was closed and the feeders there were gone, too. Just as I was beginning to think I had wasted my day, I remembered that there was a hummingbird garden somewhere in Patagonia. So, I Googled it and discovered that the Paton Center for Hummingbirds, run by the Tucson Audubon Society, was open until dusk. So, off I went.

Male Broad-billed Hummingbird

The Center has a small canopy with benches and chairs that face a variety of bird feeders, There was only one other person there when I arrived and he left shortly afterwards, so I had the place to myself ... well, not really, it was packed with birds.

Most notable were many Broad-billed Hummingbirds ...

The most beautifully iridescent birds I have ever seen

Female Broad-billed Hummingbird

Male Broad-billed Hummingbird

Broad-billed Hummingbird at a feeder

Broad-billed Hummingbird in a tree

There were also Black-Chinned Hummingbirds ...

Hovering

... and a Violet-crowned Hummingbird that flitted by just as I arrived and then totally disappeared. I never got a picture, so I am still stuck with the crummy picture I got last February ...

The only shot I got

While I waited and waited for the Violet-crowned to return, I admired all the other birds in the garden. Gambel Quails (I was so happy because I seen them several times along the road, but they always scurried away when I pulled over) ...

Real beauties

... White-winged Doves ...

Taking advantage of good light

... Inca Doves ...

A cute little Dove

... Green-backed Lesser Goldfinches ...

A male at the feeder

... Gila Woodpeckers (male and female) ...

On a tree

... and, when I finally decided to leave (after making a donation in the "Sugar Fund" box), some more Broad-billed Hummingbirds feeding in the garden ...

A favorite shot

It was definitely worth the drive, the wait and the bug bites I acquired as I photographed the birds.

So cool to watch

Definitely.

Definitely

Trip date: June 10-14, 2016