July 2 Curtis Canyon with friends

Getting together with friends is just one of the happy side effects of birding, so we decided to show Terri a new location that we really love. As she is almost a full time Cloudcroft resident these days, we were surprised she and Rocky had never ridden this secluded forest road.

The drive in to the end of the road is about 5 miles, but with parking and walking and birding we spent almost 4 hours enjoying the forest, the birds, the butterflies, and the company. 

There is only one house on the road and forest boondockers don't seem to favor this area so we were the only humans around. 

At the top of the hill is Upper Rio Penasco Site 2 Dam, obviously hasn't seen water for a while. 

A wide open grassy area frequented by swallows and sparrows. 

Several side roads offer other exploration opportunities and we opted to walk a short way down this track to the dry creek bed. 

We could hear nuthatches and towhees, but only Dark-eyed Junco and Broad-tailed hummers were seen.  A small flock of Bushtit teased from the shrubby oak across the creek. 

Back at the jeep, an elk snorted and whistled from the mountain behind us, but we never could locate him. Not a full bugle, but more of a chuffing barking sound. 

Birds were slow so b'flies were the focus. I lucked out on this Duskywing basking along the road. 

I think it is Meridian Duskywing. 

Purple thistle inflorescences are large and attractive to bumblebees and other insects. 

  The only flowers other than the showy thistle were tiny inconspicuous blooms.

Frances called these belly flowers. 

The first of two water troughs, a wildlife magnet for sure. Say's Phoebe on the fence. 

Would love to walk this canyon with a geologist who could explain the topology as I explained the birds and butters. 

We located this rib cage and spine at another forest camp spot, a mystery to be solved. 

At the second water tank, I left the camera in the jeep so we had great looks at the Green-tailed Towhee down at the water seep. He even bathed and then groomed on a pile of "BOB WIRE". 

the flock of immature Dark-eyed Junco were enjoying the water seep when a tiny grey blob darted out of the brush to the tank and back. The distance was far, but I managed a glimpse of yellow throat and under-tail with a smudge of yellow-rump. The blip came back to the tank and bathed in a puddle, then retreated to the shrub to  preen, but stayed in view. I had a gut feeling, but no real proof.  Had chalked it up to another UFO. 

The upper reaches of the canyon are still scarred by the last fire. 

On the drive out we came upon a family of Spotted Towhee in the road when a little grey warbler dropped into the mix. We quickly connected to the UFO at tank #2, same behavior and field marks at a close range. Didn't take long to put the name Virginia's Warbler to this bird. 

Opting to walk this stretch of the road, we chased another UFO, I'm leaning toward Plumbeous Vireo after eliminating the other possibilities. 

The icing on the cake of this great find, Orange-headed Roadside Skipper. Confession, this is not my photo, camera was in the jeep. 

We finished the morning with a great lunch at Mayhill Cafe and back to Deer Springs RV where the Rufous Hummingbird treated us to dessert.