Common: Usually easy to see

Fairly common: Should be able to see

Uncommon: Can be missed

Rare: Only 1-5 records

Canada Goose: Uncommon winter visitor.

Gadwall: Common winter visitor. Rare in summer with an individual present 27-29 June 2011.

American Wigeon: Common winter visitor.

Mallard: Common winter visitor. The Mexican race (shown below) is resident in small numbers. Three chicks were first observed on 30 May 2011.

Blue-winged Teal: Uncommon migrant. The male is pictured on the left, female on right.

Cinnamon Teal: Common winter visitor usually observed well into spring. The female is pictured on the left, male on right.

Northern Shoveler: Common winter visitor.

Northern Pintail: Uncommon winter visitor.

Green-winged Teal: Common winter visitor, uncommon migrant.

Canvasback: Uncommon winter visitor.

Redhead: Uncommon winter visitor.

Ring-necked Duck: Common winter visitor.

Common Merganser: Rare summer visitor. 10 females were present on the 30 June 2011.

Common Goldeneye: Rare winter visitor. A female was observed on the lake 7 December 2011.

Bufflehead: Rare. A pair observed on the lake 28 March 2011.

Ruddy Duck: Uncommon migrant. A high count of 8 birds on 18 May 2011.

Scaled Quail: A male was first observed paired with a female Gambel's Quail on the 8 June 2011.

Gambel’s Quail: Common throughout the year in desert scrub.Breeding has been confirmed on the property with chick first noted in mid-June. Male is pictured on the left, female on right.

Pied-billed Grebe: Fairly common resident. A pair was first observed with 5 chicks on 1 June 2011.

Eared Grebe: Uncommon winter visitor.

American White Pelican: Rare migrant. An individual was present on 29 April 2011.

Great Blue Heron: Fairly common in spring, uncommon in summer. A high of six birds were seen at the lake on 21 March 2011.

Great Egret: Fairly common spring migrant, rare in summer.

Snowy Egret: Uncommon spring migrant.

Green Heron: Uncommon spring migrant.

Cattle Egret: Rare. Three birds were present at the lake on the 22 June 2011.

Black-crowned Night-Heron: Rare. An individual was found on 21 April and 19 May 2011.

White-faced Ibis: Fairly common migrant. A high of 42 birds were observed on 18 April 2011.

Turkey Vulture: Common summer visitor. Typically arrives the last week of March.

Osprey: Rare migrant. Individual's present on the 29 April and 5 and 15 September 2011.

Northern Harrier: Common winter visitor.

Sharp-shinned Hawk: Status uncertain. An individual was seen on 28 April 2011.

Cooper’s Hawk: Fairly common throughout the year.

Common Black-Hawk: Rare. A first year bird was photographed at the lake on 28 September 2011.

Swainson’s Hawk: Common summer visitor. Typically arrives the first week of April.

Red-tailed Hawk: Common winter visitor, fairly common throughout the rest of the year.

Ferruginous Hawk: Uncommon winter visitor.

Golden Eagle: Uncommon throughout the year.

American Kestrel: Fairly common throughout the year.

Peregrine Falcon: Rare. An adult was observed on the 16 June 2011. Another was observed on 23 August 2011. This species breeds in the nearby Chiricahua Mountains.

Prairie Falcon: Rare. An individual was observed on the 30 August 2011 and another on the 14 November 2011.

American Coot: Common throughout the year. Five chicks were first observed on 31 May 2011.

Sora: An individual was observed by Carolyn Noble on 21 August 2011. Two birds were present during September 2011.

Sandhill Crane: Small numbers can be found during the winter at the lake.

Killdeer: Common throughout the year.

Black-necked Stilt: Uncommon migrant. The potential exists for this species to eventually breed.

American Avocet: Uncommon migrant. The following image was taken by Don and Elizabeth Van Akker.

Spotted Sandpiper: Fairly common migrant.

Solitary Sandpiper: Uncommon migrant.

Greater Yellowlegs: Uncommon winter visitor and migrant. Rare in summer with 4 birds present on 1 July 2011.

Lesser Yellowlegs: Uncommon fall migrant.

Long-billed Curlew: Rare migrant. An individual was observed at the lake on 28 August 2011.

Willet: Fairly common migrant. High count of 120 birds on 27 April 2011. Rare in summer with an individual present on 28 June 2011.

Western Sandpiper: Fairly common migrant. Rare in summer with 1 bird on 1 July 2011.

Least Sandpiper: Common migrant.

Long-billed Dowitcher: Fairly common migrant.

Wilson’s Snipe: Fairly common winter visitor arriving mid-September.

Red-necked Phalarope: Rare migrant. An individual was present with 11 Wilson’s Phalaropes on 1 May 2011.

Wilson’s Phalarope: Fairly common migrant, rare to uncommon in summer.

Ring-billed Gull: Uncommon migrant. A high of 8 birds were recorded on 29 March 2011.

Eurasian Collared-Dove: Common throughout the year. A rare leucistic (diluted plumage) bird was present on 4 May 2011 (photo on the left).

White-winged Dove: Common spring through fall.

Mourning Dove: Common throughout the year. Breeding was first confirmed on the property 23 May 2011.

Inca Dove: Rare. An individual was observed on the 11 October 2011.

Common Ground-Dove: Rare to uncommon summer visitor. An individual was first observed on 10 May 2011. Three birds (a female and two males) were observed near the bird-feeding area on the 31 May. One of the males copulated with the female. Two birds were heard calling on the 15 September 2011. This species is considered rare statewide.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo: Rare. An individual was observed in salt cedars at the lake on 9 June 2011. Another was observed on 21 August 2001 by Carolyn Noble.

Greater Roadrunner: Fairly common throughout the year.

Barn Owl: Uncommon year-round resident. This nocturnal owl can occasionally be found roosting during the day in salt cedars by the lake.

Great Horned Owl: Fairly common throughout the year. A pair can sometimes be found roosting in the salt cedars by the lake.

Lesser Nighthawk: Fairly common summer visitor typically seen flying low over the lake before dusk.

Common Poorwill: An individual was found during daylight in the bird-feeding garden on 6 April 2011.

White-throated Swift: Fairly common summer visitor.

Broad-billed Hummingbird: Rare. This male was photographed at the feeders on 29 June 2011.

Plain-capped Starthroat: An individual was observed by Carolyn Noble on 21 August 2011. This record is the third "unconfirmed" for New Mexico. The previous two sightings also in Hidalgo County during August. A photograph, specimen, or sound recording is needed to officially add this species to the state list.

Black-chinned Hummingbird: Common summer visitor. Typically arrives middle of April.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Fairly common migrant.

Calliope Hummingird: Uncommon fall migrant.

Rufous Hummingbird: Rare spring migrant with a male present on 4 March 2011. Very common fall migrant.

Belted Kingfisher: Uncommon migrant.

Red-naped Sapsucker: Uncommon migrant.

Ladder-backed Woodpecker: Fairly common throughout the year.

Northern Flicker: Fairly common winter visitor.

Olive-sided Flycatcher: Rare spring migrant. An individual was photographed on 17 May 2011.

Western Wood-Pewee: Fairly common migrant arriving last week of April.

Willow Flycatcher: Uncommon migrant.

Hammond’s Flycatcher: Uncommon migrant.

Gray Flycatcher: Fairly common migrant.

Dusky Flycatcher: Uncommon migrant.

Pacific-slope Flycatcher: Rare migrant? An individual was heard calling on 29 April 2011. Several other non-vocalizing “Western” type flycatchers were also observed ad presumed to be this species.

Black Phoebe: Fairly common winter visitor. Uncommon in summer.

Say’s Phoebe: Fairly common throughout the year.

Vermilion Flycatcher: Fairly common throughout the year.

Ash-throated Flycatcher: Fairly common summer visitor. Typically arrives mid-April.

Cassin’s Kingbird: Fairly common summer visitor. Typically arrives mid-April.

Western Kingbird: Common summer visitor. Typically arrives mid-April.

Loggerhead Shrike: Common winter visitor, uncommon in summer.

Bell’s Vireo: Fairly common summer visitor. Typically arrives the first week of April.

Plumbeous Vireo: Uncommon spring migrant.

Cassin’s Vireo: Uncommon spring migrant.

Warbling Vireo: Fairly common migrant typically arriving the last week of April.

Chihuahuan Raven: Common throughout the year.

Common Raven: Fairly common during winter months.

Horned Lark: An individual was observed on 3 May 2011. May prove to be a fairly common winter visitor.

Purple Martin: Rare migrant. 2 males were observed by several observers at the lake on the 10 May 2011. A juvenile was photographed on the 26 August 2011.

Tree Swallow: Fairly common during spring. Typically arrives the third week of February.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow: Fairly common summer visitor.

Violet-green Swallow: Fairly common migrant.

Bank Swallow: Uncommon late spring migrant.

Cliff Swallow: Common summer visitor. Typically arrives the last week of March.

Barn Swallow: Common summer visitor. Rare during winter with a single record of an individual on 7 January 2011. Nesting has been documented on the property.

Verdin: Fairly common throughout the year.

Cactus Wren: Fairly common throughout the year. Confirmed breeding on property with a fledgling observed on 26 June 2011.

Rock Wren: Fairly common winter visitor.

Bewick’s Wren: Fairly common winter visitor.

Marsh Wren: Fairly common winter visitor.

House Wren: Fairly common migrant.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: Uncommon winter visitor.

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: Fairly common throughout the year in areas of desert scrub.

Mountain Bluebird: Uncommon winter visitor.

Hermit Thrush: Uncommon spring migrant.

American Robin: Status undetermined. 1 on 27 April and 1 May 2011.

Northern Mockingbird: Fairly common throughout the year.

Brown Thrasher: Rare. An individual was observed by Jack Holloway on 24 September 2011.

Bendire’s Thrasher: Status undetermined. Has been reliably coming to the feeders since April. An individual was observed carrying nesting material in mid-May.

Crissal Thrasher: Fairly common throughout the year in areas of desert scrub and riparian. A fledgling was observed in salt cedar by the lake on the 20 June 2011.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Common winter and spring visitor.

American Pipit: Fairly common winter visitor.

Cedar Waxwing: Uncommon winter visitor.

Phainopepla: Infrequent visitor.

Orange-crowned Warbler: Fairly common winter visitor and migrant.

Nashville Warbler: Uncommon spring migrant.

Virginia’s Warbler: Uncommon migrant. An individual was present on 3 May and 2 June 2011.

Lucy’s Warbler: Fairly common summer visitor typically arriving the last week of March. Breeding confirmed on 6 June 2011 with apair feeding a chick in mesquite near the lake.

Yellow Warbler: Fairly common summer visitor typically arriving the first week of April.

Yellow-rumped Warbler: The western yellow-throated “Audubon’s” race (on the left) is a very common winter visitor. The white-throated eastern “Myrtle” race is an uncommon winter visitor. A very late "Audubon's" race was present on the 29 June 2011.

Townsend’s Warbler: A fairly common spring migrant.

Hermit Warbler: Rare spring migrant.

Black-throated Gray Warbler: Fairly common spring migrant, uncommon fall migrant.

Grace’s Warbler: Rare spring migrant. An individual was observed coming in to drink at the pond in the bird-feeding area on the 22 April 2011. Another was observed in salt cedar at the lake on 27 April 2011.

Northern Waterthrush: Rare spring migrant. An individual was present from the 3 thru 9 May 2011. It was observed with another bird on the 8 May.

MacGillivray’s Warbler: Uncommon spring migrant.

Common Yellowthroat: Fairly common summer visitor. Typically arrives the last week of March.

Wilson’s Warbler: Common migrant.

Painted Redstart: Uncommon spring migrant. The following image was taken by Don and Elizabeth Van Akker.

Yellow-breasted Chat: Fairly common spring migrant.

Summer Tanager: A female was observed on the 1 September 2011.

Western Tanager: Fairly common migrant typically arriving last week of April.
The male is pictured on the left, female on right.

Green-tailed Towhee: A fairly common spring migrant.

Canyon Towhee: Fairly common throughout the year.

Cassin's Sparrow: Uncommon during the monsoon season. Several were heard singing at the south end of the property on 28 August 2011.

Chipping Sparrow: Fairly common spring migrant.

Clay-colored Sparrow: Rare migrant. An individual was observed by Jack Holloway on 24 September 2011.

Brewer’s Sparrow: Common winter visitor with individuals first arriving mid-September.

Vesper Sparrow: Common winter visitor.

Lark Sparrow: Fairly common summer visitor.

Black-throated Sparrow: Common throughout the year.

Sage Sparrow: Fairly common winter visitor.

Lark Bunting: A very common winter visitor. Some several hundred birds visit the lake in small flocks to drink. An early individual was observed on 3 August 2011.

Savannah Sparrow: Fairly common winter visitor.

Lincoln’s Sparrow: Fairly common winter and spring visitor.

White-crowned Sparrow: A very common winter visitor staying well into mid-spring.

Dark-eyed Junco: Uncommon winter visitor.

Pyrrhuloxia: Fairly common throughout the year. The male is pictured on the left, female on right.

Blue Grosbeak: Fairly common summer visitor. Typically arrives the second week of May. Breeding was confirmed on property with a fledgling being fed on 25 August 2011.

Black-headed Grosbeak: Fairly common summer visitor. Typically arrives the third week of April. The male is pictured on the left, female on right.

Lazuli Bunting: Fairly common migrant. The female is pictured on the left, male on right.

Indigo Bunting: Uncommon spring migrant.

Painted Bunting: Rare to uncommon late spring and summer migrant. Normally rare, this species is uncommon in drought years. A high of 8 birds were seen on 1 August 2011.

Dickcissel: Rare. An individual was photographed on 14 September 2011.

Red-winged Blackbird: Uncommon throughout the year.

Western Meadowlark: Uncommon winter visitor.

Eastern Meadowlark: Very common winter visitor.

Yellow-headed Blackbird: Uncommon visitor throughout the year. Male is on the left, female on right.

Brewer's Blackbird: Uncommon winter visitor arriving the first week of October.

Great-tailed Grackle: Uncommon visitor throughout the year. A female is pictured.

Bronzed Cowbird: Two individuals were photographed at the feeders on the 14 May 2011. The female (left) and the juvenile (right) both appear to be of the darker "eastern" race that is typically found in Texas.

Brown-headed Cowbird: Very common spring visitor. Female is pictured on the left, male on right.

Hooded Oriole: Rare. A male was observed on 15 September 2011.

Bullock’s Oriole: Fairly common summer visitor. Typically arrives the third week of March. Male is pictured on the left, female on right.

Scott’s Oriole: Fairly common spring visitor. Typically arrives the last week of March.

House Finch: Very common throughout the year. Female is pictured on the left, male on right.

Pine Siskin: Fairly common winter visitor. Birds were present until the last week of May 2011.

Lesser Goldfinch: Fairly common throughout the year.

House Sparrow: Fairly common throughout the year. A rare leucistic bird was present in the bird-feeding area on 2 June 2011. Female is pictured on the left, male on right. Leucistic form is the bottom image.