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
APRIL 2026
Rio Grande Nature Center
Date: April 2, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location: 2901 Candelaria Rd NW, northeast corner of parking lot click here for meeting location.
Description: Behind the scenes with Nature Center volunteer.
Facilities: restrooms open at 10:00 a.m.
Fees: $3 parking fee, State Parks pass or Friends of the RGNC pass is required per car
Difficulty/Accessibility: 1 mile some on flat; potentially narrow, uneven, sandy trails, partially ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Peter Neils
Ebird Hotspot: Rio Grande Nature Center SP
Durand Open Space
Date: April 9, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 8:25 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location: Meet in the Open Space parking lot located at 4736 Isleta Blvd. From I-25, exit on Rio Bravo. Drive west on Rio Bravo and turn south on Isleta Blvd. Drive two miles to the property. Parking location
Description: The walk is about 1 mile in length and will end by noon.
Facilities: none
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: Flat sand and gravel trail. ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Russ Dawson
Ebird Hotspot: Durand Open Space and adjacent bosque trails
Zia Pueblo
Date: April 16, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Meet by the Tuff Shed at The Home Depot, 7700 US-550 NE, Rio Rancho, located west of the US-550 & Highway 528 intersection, or near the southeast corner of Hwy. 550 and Safelite Blvd. NE – https://maps.app.goo.gl/UCJ1yxvbVWWdsrpj6. From here we will carpool to Zia Pueblo’s Department of Environmental Resources office 702 Riversode Drive, Zia, sign a waiver and get permits ($6/person for daily, $20 annual, plus additional $2 photography permit for those wanting to take pictures).
Description: We’ll go to Zia Reservoir. There are no defined trails but we can walk along the flat, sandy beach. For those wanting to walk around the reservoir, the distance could be up to a mile and a half. Driving to the other side is also an option.
Facilities: Vault toilets at Reservoir
Fees: $6 permit and optional $2 photography permit
Difficulty/Accessibility: one to two miles; some on flat sandy, some uneven sandy trails. flat, sandy surface, partially accessible ♿
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Rodney Reinhardt
Ebird Hotspot: Zia Reservoir, Sandoval, NM
Bosque del Apache NWR
Date: April 23, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Meet at South Valley Rail Runner Station on Camino del Tren Ave off Rio Bravo, Rail Runner parking lot at 7:30 a.m. (Turn right on Prince from Rio Bravo at the traffic light. The sign pointing to the station is hard to see.)
Description: Bring a picnic lunch. If needing to leave early, please let us know. After departing from Albuquerque, we will have a quick rendezvous/break at the Marathon gas station at the Lemitar exit. It has lots of snacks and good bathrooms and we won’t have to wait for slow service at the Socorro McDonald’s. At the refuge, please gather at the HQ parking lot for meet and greet. We will probably concentrate on the Dabbler Deck, Boardwalk, Seasonal Route (entrance behind the Eagle Scout Deck) and the north loop around to the Flight Deck. Lunch will be at the garden picnic area. Please remember to bring insect repellent and dress for warm weather. On our return, Jim and I like to take the Farm to Market Road to Luis Lopez. The irrigated fields can have lots of mosquitos. Last week we had shorebirds, Vermillion Flycatchers and waterfowl. I’m hoping for warblers and vireos in the big shady trees.
Facilities: At the Visitor’s Center and a vault facility at the east end of the main east-west road.
Fees: A Federal pass or $5.00 per car at the entrance to the Refuge.
Difficulty/Accessibility: Flat gravel or dirt roads with room to pull over, some walking on trails or boardwalks. May be muddy in places (if it rains, ha!) ♿ accessible.
Attendance Limit: None. Carpooling encouraged.
Leader(s): Susan and Jim Hunter
Ebird Hotspot: Multiple known locations. eBird prefers lists from these rather than a long list for the entire Refuge for accuracy.
Coyote del Malpais Golf Course, Grants
Date: April 30, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: 7:00 a.m. for 7:15 a.m. departure – southeast corner of Lowe’s parking lot I40@12th St NW, click here for meeting location. Alternate meeting: the Phillips 66 Travel Center, at I-40 Exit 89 at 8:15 – 8:30. It takes around an hour to get there from Lowe’s. There are facilities at that store. click here for meeting location. Turn Left out of the parking lot following NM 117 North for approximately 4.5 miles, looking for a Right turn that takes you past the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility. There will be signs for the Coyote del Malpais Golf Course. Follow this road for 8/10’s of a mile to a 4-way stop. Take a Right on George Hanosh Blvd. Just past the greenhouses and equipment sheds on your Right and you’ll come to the parking lot for the golf course. Parking is unrestricted and there are no gates.
Description: Bird the golf course, bring a picnic lunch or buy lunch in clubhouse
Facilities: Sky City Casino, golf course clubhouse
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: 75 mile drive and 3 mile walk on golf course, partially ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: 15 people – Email thursdaybirders@gmail.com before April 23 to reserve your spot and let us know where you will join the group.
Leader(s): Peter Neils
Ebird Hotspot: Coyote del Malpais Golf Course
MAY 2026
Cienega Springs/Canyon
Date: May 7, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location: meet at Four Hills Shopping Village on Central in front of Sprouts Grocery park here to meet group in town. Alternate meeting place 8:00 am park in LOWER lot
Description: The group will park in the lower parking lot in Cienega Canyon and walk up the road (south) to the springs and on paved trails around picnic area.
Facilities: pit toilets are available
Fees: $5.00 fee or National Interagency Pass
Difficulty/Accessibility: Going north, the trail (paved road) is wide and level. Going south, there are some mild slopes and a narrow trail. ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Perrianne Houghton
Ebird Hotspot: Cibola NF–Cienega Canyon Picnic Area
Oak Flats
Date: May 14, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 7:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Meet at the Sandia Ranger Station in Tijeras at 7:50 a.m. to carpool. Park here at ranger station. Then drive south on NM 337 (old South 14) about 10 miles. You will see a sign on the right-hand side saying Oak Flats and right after this you will make a left-hand turn. At the site, we will park in the west-most parking lot (Pine). Park here at picnic area
Description: There are two trails here going in different directions. One is through a wooded area with some rocky areas on the path. The other is flat with some walking on asphalt.
Facilities: Only at the Ranger station.
Fees: $5.00 fee or National Interagency Pass
Difficulty/Accessibility: one and a half miles – slight incline with paved and uneven trails. ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: None.
Leader(s): Russ Dawson
Ebird Hotspot: Cibola National Forest – Oak Flat Picnic Area
Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe
Date: May 21, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 7:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Parking is limited at Randall Davey, so please plan to carpool, see details below. Meet at 7:45 for a 7:55 departure from the Target parking lot near Paseo del Norte & I-25 to carpool; or if coming from Rio Rancho or Corrales – meet at 7:50 for 8:00 departure from Sandoval County/U.S. 550 Rail Runner Station Lower Level Parking. And/Or meet at 9:00 in Santa Fe at the Pecos Trail Cafe (2239 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87505, https://maps.app.goo.gl/1583BXdF5YA7S5SVA) to consolidate vehicles before heading to Randall Davey. At the Cafe, please park in the unpaved portion of the lot next to Calle Espejo. Start birding at Randall Davey Audubon Center at 9:30 a.m.
Description: We will bird the Garden and Orchard portion of Randall Davey for the first hour or so. After that, we can either hike up Bear Canyon for higher altitude birds, or descend into the Nature Conservancy’s Santa Fe Canyon Preserve property for a different mix of habitats along the Santa Fe River. Afterwards, we can have lunch at the Pecos Cafe for those interested.
Facilities: bathrooms at Randell Davey Center
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: Partly accessible ♿ . The initial portion is easy with paved walks, a couple of low stairs and slight inclines, approx. 0.5 miles. Either second option will be more challenging, about 1.0 mile in length, with some short, steeper, non-handicap friendly hiking on fairly narrow, possibly muddy trails.
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Dave Eslinger
Ebird Hotspot: Randall Davey Audubon Center and Bear Canyon, Santa Fe Canyon Preserve
Tingley Beach Trails and Pond
Date: May 28, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Meeting Location: north parking lot, Tingley Drive SW, park north of fishing ponds, click here for map.
Description: Walk south along the riverside to ponds returning through bosque
Facilities: Restrooms at central fishing pond inside Tingley Cafe
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: 1-2 miles on mostly flat, sometimes narrow, sandy trails, partially ♿ accessible.
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Mary Raje
Ebird Hotspot: ABQ BioPark–Tingley Lagoon (for the fishing ponds) and Rio Grande Valley SP–Tingley Beach bosque ponds
June 2026
Manzano Pond/Lake, Quarai Salinas Mission National Monument
Date: June 4, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: Carpool from Sprouts at Central and Tramway. Click here for Sprouts parking location It will take about one hour to get to Manzano Click here for Manzano Lake location
Description: Walk and bird around Manzano Lake. Drive southeast, with possible birding stops along the way, to Quarai/Salinas Natl. Monument. Take a sack lunch and we will eat at the Natl. Mon. then possibly take a short walk around the Mission ruins.
Facilities: Bathrooms at Natl. Monument
Fees: none
Difficulty/Accessibility: At Manzano Lake, 1-2 miles on mostly even sandy trails, muddy after raining or washed out a bit. Wear sturdy shoes. Mostly paved trails at Natl. Monument. Partially ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Sara Jayne Cole
Ebird Hotspot: Manzano Pond; Salinas Pueblo MIssions NM – Quarai, Torrance
Carlito Springs Open Space
Date: June 11, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location: Meet at the Tijeras Senior Center parking lot at 7:30 a.m. to carpool, or you can meet us at the open space. Since the renovation, there are now two parking lots. The first, original lot and another further up the road on the left.
Description: There is apparently poison ivy in the area so it is recommended to wear close-toed shoes and long pants. Nice hike through the trees on path or take the paved road up which extends from the second parking lot.
Facilities: Restroom at the springs
Fees: None
Difficulty/Accessibility: one and a half miles – slight incline with paved and uneven trails. ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: None.
Leader(s): Katherine Heuser
Ebird Hotspot: Carlito Springs Open Space, Bernalillo, US-NM
10K Trail, Sandias
Date: June 18, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: If you wish to carpool, meet at the Sprouts parking lot, NE corner, park in front of Sprouts, at 7:30 a.m. for a 7:40 a.m. departure. Or you may elect to meet at the trailhead at approximately 8:30 a.m – 8:45 a.m.
Description: Walk along 10K trail in and out. Approximately 2 miles. Mostly wooded area with some meadows.
Facilities: Restrooms at the parking lot of the trailhead.
Fees: $5.00 fee or National Interagency Pass
Difficulty/Accessibility: Initially a rocky, somewhat steep but short climb. Then mostly level walk along the 10K Trail. One exception is a rocky downhill area about ½ mile in that is pretty short as well. Partiallly ♿ accessible
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Perrianne Houghton
Ebird Hotspot: Cibola NF – 10K North Trail, Bernalillo, US-NM
Balsam Glade and Capulin Springs
Date: June 25, 2026
Departure/Finish Time: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Meeting Location: For those of you who would like to carpool, meet at the NE corner of the parking lot at Sprouts on Tramway and Central, NE at 7:50 am. If you would like to meet us there directly, meet at approximately 8:20 in the Balsam Glade parking lot in the Sandias, about one mile past the Sandia Ski Area on the right side of Sandia Crest Road. Balsam Glade parking. Then we will drive up the road a short way to Capulin Spring. An option is to take the trail that links the two locations, but it is probably not handicap accessible.
Description: Walk along the Balsam Glade Nature Trail to the Madera Canyon Overlook. We can bird in the picnic area as well. At Capulin Spring, birding in the area of the picnic tables, and a few birders at a time can go down to the Log.
Facilities: Restrooms at both locations.
Fees: $5.00 fee or National Interagency Pass
Difficulty/Accessibility: Balsam Glade area and Capulin Springs are ♿ accessible.
Attendance Limit: none
Leader(s): Asher Gorbet & Lee Hopwood
Ebird Hotspot: Cibola NF – Balsam Glade and Cibola NF – Capulin Springs