Field trips are free and open to the public. Entry fees to some areas may be required and driving costs are shared. On all field trips wear appropriate clothing and bring water and binoculars. Locations subject to change due to weather, lack of birds and other factors.

Scheduled Field Trips:

April 24 & 25, 2010: All Audubon Meeting/Milnesand Lesser Prairie Chicken Area

Join us for a multi-day trip to the eastern plains south of Portales, New Mexico during the height of the Lesser Prairie Chicken mating season. Witness the increasingly rare Lesser Prairie Chicken fantastic courtship where birds gather to display and choose mates. All are invited: This will be a joint trip between Audubon New Mexico, New Mexico Audubon Council, all NM Audubon chapters and other bird clubs. There will be a meeting to hear updates from chapters, the state office and the NM Audubon Council, as well as to discuss planning and strategies. MVAS members will meet other Audubon members from around the state and learn of their projects. We will also volunteer on a work project related to Lesser Prairie Chicken conservation, which will provide a connection between you and the future survival of this declining species. The best part of the trip will be an early pre-dawn visit to one of the leks in the area to witness first-hand the booming calls of a courting male and marvel at his inflated burnt-orange air sacs, erect neck feathers and cocked tail, all while he struts and jumps and tries to win the heart of some nearby female! For more information about this trip visit our Newsletter page and search under April 2010 for registration and accomodation information; or check the Audubon New Mexico website at: http://nm.audubon.org/.


Birding Las Cruces!
MVAS conducts local birding trips on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.
Trips start at 8:00 am and last 2 to 2.5 hours. Meet at the north end of the Loretto Town Center parking lot (south of the downtown mall at Lohman Ave and Main St). The trips will be geared to the Beginning Birder. Destinations will be determined the day of the trip based on weather and recent sightings. All trips will be within 15 - 20 minutes of Las Cruces. For further information and reservations, please contact John Douglas at 575-541-0133 or jlddouglas@zianet.com.


May 22, 2010: Dams, Ditches & Driveways: May Migrants in Mesilla.
On this trip we will visit local migrant hotspots in and around Mesilla. Spring migration will be nearing the end of its peak period here in the Mesilla Valley, but we shouldn't have a problem finding great birds. We will visit areas around Mesilla Dam where large numbers of migrants and resident breeding birds, such as warblers and vireos can be found. We will then make our way to a lushly-vegetated canal in Mesilla to continue our quest for migrants and possibly eastern vagrant species. We will finish the morning with a nice stroll through Mesilla Park; one of shadiest places in the Mesilla Valley and a great place to find birds in the spring. Trip will depart at 6:15am from Wild Birds Unlimited (the Arroyo Plaza parking lot at 2001 E. Lohman Ave). The trip will last until early afternoon, so bring snacks and a lunch, water, sun protection and be prepared for possible warm weather conditions. Easy walking. To register for this trip or for further information contact David Griffin by May 20 at GriffinBio@gmail.com or 575-382-2080. Trip is limited to 20 participants.


June 19 - Pine Tree Trail Hike: Aguirre Springs National Recreation Area.
On this trip we will beat the heat by going up in elevation and visiting some unique plant communities in Dona Ana County. The area around Aguirre Springs is a mix of oaks and evergreen shrubs and trees and provides habitat for breeding birds not typically found in the area. This trip includes a moderate to strenuous 5-mile hike with an elevation gain of about 1000ft. On the first portion of the hike birding can be quite productive and species such as Black-chinned hummingbird, Juniper titmouse, Bushtit, Gray vireo, Rufous-crowned sparrow, and Black-chinned sparrow are regular residents. The remaining part of the trail takes us through pockets of pine-oak woodlands, Ponderosa pine trees, and crosses a few small streams with riparian vegetation. Species typically found at these higher elevations include Broad-tailed hummingbird, Acorn and Hairy woodpecker, Mountain chickadee, Western wood-pewee, Hepatic tanager, and Virginias and Graces warbler. Trip will depart at 6:30am from Wild Birds Unlimited (the Arroyo Plaza parking lot at 2001 E. Lohman Ave). Trip will last until mid-afternoon. Bring snacks and/or a lunch, plenty of water, sun protection , sturdy/appropriate footwear, and be prepared for warm weather. Moderate to strenuous hiking. Note: This trip is Point #41 along the Southwest New Mexico Birding Trail. Aguirre Springs NRA has a $3/vehicle day use fee. To register for this trip or for further information contact David Griffin by June 17 at GriffinBio@gmail.com or 575-382-2080. Trip is limited to 10 participants.


Birding Hotspots

Southern New Mexico is lucky to have so many excellent places to bird. These are reproduced below for you. Enjoy!
Dona Ana County

*MVAS has compiled a preliminary bird list for Leasburg Dam State Park. This list is available as a printable .pdf document. It is designed as a double sided, three fold brochure. Click here to get your Preliminary Bird List for Leasburg Dam State Park.

 Other Hotspots within driving distance