Sandia Crest - Rosy-Finches

Sandia Crest is one of two unquestionable reasons for birders to visit New Mexico during the winter months. Only a short distance east of Albuquerque, there is a paved, well-maintained forest service road to the crest - elevation 10,600 feet. At the crest there is a deli-type eatery and gift shop. There is also a bird feeder, making Sandia Crest the most dependable place (anywhere, from all I have read) to see all three species of Rosy-Finch.

I have heard accounts from birders of long hikes in the tundra of mountain tops in the hopes of seeing these birds. During the winter they flock together, and a mixed flock dependably visits the feeder maintained by the operators of the Sandia Crest lodge.

I made the pilgrimage on a Sunday when the Rosy-Finch Project was doing banding (more in a future post).

It almost seemed too easy - sipping hot chocolate and sitting inside while the flock made multiple forays through the pines, and visits to the feeder. But guilt over such a situation no longer bother me in the least.

I saw the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch almost thirty years ago in Montana. One Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was in the flock, and it only provided me with one opportunity to photograph it.

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

The other two Rosy-Finches were life birds for me, and each provided many excellent photo opportunities.

Black Rosy-Finch ...

Black Rosy-Finch

Black Rosy-Finch

Black Rosy-Finch

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch ...

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch

 Note the "jewelry" worn by this Rosy-Finch ...

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch

 Good Birding!