General Information

The Thursday Birders is a dedicated, inquisitive, jovial, and friendly group of birdwatchers. They embark on field trips nearly every Thursday throughout the year. Any exception to this regular schedule is posted on the BACNM Calendar. Thursday Birders is open to anyone interested in birds regardless of their experience. Trips last between 2.5 and 3 hours. For most trips, you don’t need to let the leader know you will be attending – just show up at the meeting spot no later than the specified time. You are encouraged to check this page before heading out in case of schedule changes or weather cancellations. For trips with limited numbers of vehicles or people, or for any other questions you have, contact thursdaybirders@gmail.com.

Please consider a voluntary $1 donation collected at the start of each trip that helps fund nature-related organizations. 

Click here – Checklist Archive – for eBird Checklists from past Thursday Birder trips
Click here – Thursday Birder Checklist – for a printable Thursday Birder Checklist or click here for how to print eBird checklists
Click here – History of Thursday Birders – for a history and more information on Thursday Birders


JANUARY 2025

Tingley Beach Trails and Ponds 
Date: January 2, 2025
Departure/Finish Time: 8:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location: North parking lot, Tingley Drive SW. Here is the link to map: https://newmexicooutdoorscoalition.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/tingley-beach-map-go-day-event.pdf.
Description: bird at ponds and along open trails at Tingley Park.
Facilities: portable restroom at parking lot; restrooms by fishing ponds
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: 1-2 miles, flat, some narrow, sandy trails, partially ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit:  none
Leader(s): Mary Raje
eBird Hotspot:  ABQ BioPark–Tingley Lagoon

Willow Creek Bosque Open Space
Date: January 9, 2025
Departure/Finish Time: 8:50 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location: Willow Creek Rd NE, Rio Rancho, click here for map to Willow Creek parking
Description: Explore bosque trails and river.
Facilities: none
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: 1-½ miles mostly flat, sand and gravel trails, uneven in places; partially ♿ accessible 
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Perrianne Houghton
eBird Hotspot:  Willow Creek Bosque Open Space

Bosque Trails at Sagebrush Church
Date: January 16, 2025
Departure/Finish Time: 8:50 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location: Sagebrush Church, 6440 Coors NW,  park here, east parking lot
Description:  Walk along north valley ditches and through bosque
Facilities: none
Fees:  none
Difficulty/Accessibility: one to two miles some on flat sandy; some uneven sandy trails, partially ♿ accessible.
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Asher Gorbet and Lee Hopwood
eBird Hotspot: Rio Grande Valley State Park–Open Space Visitors Center bosque trails

Embudito Canyon
Date: January 23, 2025
Departure/Finish Time: 8:50 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Meeting Location: Meet at the trailhead parking lot. Drive east on Montgomery Blvd. past Tramway, then turn left on Glenwood Hills. Continue 0.4 miles then turn right on Trailhead Road. Parking lot located here.
Description: Bird along the trails in the canyon.
Facilities: none
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: This is an easy 1.5 mile walk up a sandy wash.  Some mild inclines. Partially ♿ accessible.
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Darlene Benedict and Connie Jo Baca
eBird Hotspot: Cibola NF Embudito Canyon

Petroglyphs – South Point Day Use Area Trail
Date: January 30, 2025
Departure/Finish Times: 8:50 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location: Meet at entrance/parking lot of South Point Day Use Area. From Unser boulevard, head west on Tierra Pintada boulevard. Take a right (heading north) on Mirehaven Parkway. Immediately north of the Tres Volcanes Community Collaborative School is a turn off to the left (west). Go through the gates and take this road down to the South Point parking lot and trailhead. There are no entrance or parking fees at Petroglyph National Monument. Click here for parking lot map.
Description: This is the latest of the improvements at the Petroglyph NM, opened in May 2024. South Point Day Use Area and trailhead accesses the Mesa Prieta area of the Monument, which is the southernmost extent of the volcanic escarpment. The area is home to approximately 200 petroglyphs, a network of walking and hiking trails, and historic roads. Visitors should always remain on designated trails to protect the irreplaceable resources in this sacred landscape.
Facilities: Vault toilet at trailhead
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: An easy road surface and sandy trails south of the volcanoes. This area gives birders an opportunity to see open field birds as well as a Jackrabbit or two. Approximately 2 miles in length. ♿ accessible.
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Sara Jayne Cole
eBird Hotspot: No hotspot at this time at this specific location at the Petroglyphs.


FEBRUARY 2025

Torrance County Raptors – Clements Road
Date: February 6, 2025
Departure/Finish Time: 7:50 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Meet at the Tijeras Senior Center at 8:20 am, departing for Moriarty at 8:30, carpooling if possible. Map here:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/VvY7u3q266G5AGRq6.  At Moriarty, take the second exit where we will stop at the Pilot truck stop for a few minutes for snacks/bathrooms, then head south on Route 41, about 9 miles, to Clements Road.  The turnoff is marked by a tall radio tower and several greenhouses (turn to left). Then, we will slowly head east, looking for raptors to the dead end, about ten mile distance. Please bring a spotting scope if you have one. We will also likely see meadowlarks, Horned Larks and Loggerhead Shrikes. This is one of the best places to view Ferruginous Hawks and Chihuahuan Ravens.  Returning to NM 41, we will go back to Moriarty, where there are two options. If you don’t need to get back immediately to Albuquerque, we will take NM 41 north from the Pilot truck stop about 1/4 of a mile and take a left onto Homestead Drive. Then go north on Valley Irrigation Road. We will be looking for Chihuahuan Meadowlarks especially on the fence lines and farm fields. Turn left on Dinkle Rd., five miles north. This road takes you to Edgewood and I-40 west. Afterward, there is a small restaurant in Edgewood called the All Roads Café where we could have an optional lunch. We will make reservations.
Description: 100 mile round trip driving tour; focus on raptors on Clements Road.  Dirt farm road that is quite dusty.
Facilities: Only at Pilot truck stop
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: Slow driving along dirt/gravel road with frequent stops – ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: None, but please carpool as much as possible.
Leader(s): Susan and Jim Hunter
eBird Hotspot:  Clements Rd., McIntosh, Torrance, US-NM

Los Poblanos Open Space and Fields
Date: February 13, 2025
Departure/Finish Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Los Poblanos Field Trails off Montano NW, click here for parking location
Description: walk along roads around fields to community gardens
Facilities: portable restroom at south parking lot and community garden
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: 1-2 miles, flat, on dirt roads and trails, mostly ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Pete Chandler
eBird Hotspot:  Los Poblanos Open Space

Alameda Bridge Bosque Trails
Date: February 20, 2025
Departure/Finish Time: 8:50 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location: south side of Alameda just east of river, click here for parking
Description: Walk along north valley ditches and through bosque
Facilities: none
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: one to two miles some on flat sandy; some uneven sandy trails, partially ♿
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Phil Dickinson
eBird Hotspot:  Rio Grande SP – Alameda Bridge Bosque Trails (including Alameda Open Space)

Sevilleta NWR
Date: February 27, 2025
Departure/Finish Time: 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Meet at the North parking area of Embassy Suites (Lomas and I-25). If driving directly to refuge, take Exit #169 and turn west to the parking lot for the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and Headquarters. Click here for refuge location
Description: Specific location TBD; bring a sack lunch.
Facilities: none
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: Drive approximately 100 miles round trip on I-25. Partially ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Asher Gorbet and Lee Hopwood
eBird Hotspot:  Sevilleta NWR