male Summer Tanager
It wasn't all hanging around in Eldorado being lazy, and / or gorging on the world's greatest cuisine in lovely Santa Fe; Charlie and Alice provided a multitude of other bespoke services too, including excursions both near and far.
One such was to El Rancho de las Golondrinas, an old ranch along the historic Camino Real, and now a 'living museum' - and on a narrow, lush river valley running through the endless semi-desert, about 10 km outside of Santa Fe. A few hours here in the intense heat provided plenty of species, understandably staying in the shade, as well as stunning dragonflies and a range of other wildlife.
Highlights included several Yellow-breasted Chats, Western and Summer Tanagers, Blue Grosbeaks, a nest full of Black Phoebes (see following post), and numerous Western Wood-pewees, as well as the first woodpecker sp. in a long time - a dark-faced, local-race Downy.
Western Wood-pewee
Yellow-breasted Chats
Blue Grosbeak
Lark Sparrow
