If you pay attention to birding news, then you will have heard about the very rare Rufous-Necked Wood-Rail spotted at Bosque del Apache NWR this past week. This may very well be the first recorded sighting of the bird north of Mexico. I initially wanted to run down there earlier in the week to try and see it, but taking the kids along didn’t sound very fun for me. Way too much waiting in the Sun for a bird that may not even still be there. But the reports kept coming, and today I was able to get down there. I took some friends along and we left Albuquerque this afternoon and got to Socorro around 3:30pm.

After stopping at the visitor’s center we made our way to the boardwalk area where the bird had been seen. Sure enough the packed parking lot told me that we were in the right place. We hung out for less than 30 minutes when someone said “there it is!!!” Sure enough, the Wood-Rail was weaving in and out of the reeds near a Spotted Sandpiper.

After sticking close to the reeds, the bird ventured further out looking for some food, like this crawfish.

And would eventually crisscross the water going from one side to the other.

Seeing that bird was a rush, I exchanged many high-fives with the people around me. And as the call that the bird was in the open went out, more and more people arrived. I even witnessed a girl who drove out from Texas weeping after she spotted the Wood-Rail. I was in more of a “let’s get a beer mode!” But here’s what the boardwalk looked like when the Wood-Rail was out.

But there were plenty of other birds to see. We ended up recording 44 species today, and we didn’t see the Caliope or Rufous Hummingbirds at the visitor’s center.

Here’s the Least Bittern that seems to be a companion to the Wood-Rail.

And north of the boardwalk were some Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Phalaropes, American Avocets, Northern Shovelers and maybe some American Wigeons.

Below the boardwalk were hundreds of minnows and very tiny catfish

Nearby was this Black-Headed Grosbeak.

We also saw this Collard Lizard, which we don’t get up north in Albuquerque.

We decided to drive around and see what other birds were at the Refuge. We had heard of a Carolina Wren at the northern end. And there were other birds that I needed for my challenge. Here are some of what we saw.

Our only hawk (I almost said only raptor, but there were lots of Turkey Vultures) seen at the refuge.

And the last bird that we spotted at Bosque del Apache was this Gambel’s Quail perched in an odd place.

And here’s one last look at the bird of the day, and maybe the year, the Rufous-Necked Wood-Rail.

Thanks to everyone at Bosque del Apache NWR for putting up with all of us addicts, and for leaving out water, bug spray, sunscreen and candy!

Cheers!