Louis Aulbach

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Here is a list of the birds we saw while canoeing the Lower Canyons. Nothing too unusual, but we enjoyed the Peregrine Falcon and the Merlin that kept flying at eye-level through our camp site at Hot Springs!
Also, the Virginia Rail that was sort-of strange.

Bea

1	Mexican Mallard	At La Linda Put-in
2	Blue wing teal	A group of 20 flew in front of us all first day
3	Black Phoebe	The most numerous bird – occurred all along the bank entire trip
4	Spotted towhee	Second most numerous bird
5	Chimney swift	2 hundred or so at mile 55 campsite circling over us at dusk
6	Common grackle	A few on last two days – flying into cane
7	Orange-crowned warbler	Hot springs
8	Hermit thrush	A pair at Hot Springs
9	Ruby-crowned kinglet	Hot springs
10	Peregrine Falcon	Hot springs
11	Merlin	Flying through our campsite at Hot Springs
12	Kestrel	On the cliff past Hot Springs
13	Red-tailed hawk	A few along the way
14	Great Blue Heron	About 6 along the river
15	Virginia Rail	1st day
16	Canyon wren	Common
17	Bewick’s wren	Singing
18	Carolina wren	Singing
19	Common yellowthroat	By call
20	Turkey vulture	Group kettling
21	Chahauhuan Raven	Scattered along the way
22	Blue-gray gnatcatcher	Hot springs
23	Hummingbird species	Hot Springs
24	Northern Cardinal	Hot Springs
25	Pyrrhuloxia	Hot Springs
26	White-crowned sparrow	Singing
27	Mourning doves	Uncommon
28	Swallow species	Last day – overhead
29	Meadowlark	On the road out

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On the River Bank

by

Bea Harrison
Oct 28, 2005

Good friends around the campfire.
A good day on the water.
A cup of box wine and conversation.
The sun is sinking.

A morning's paddle
Through ripples and standing waves.
Good flow,
Paddling against the wind.

Wild Mexico river right
Wild Texas river left.
Tall cliffs and deep canyons
And pinnacles like chess pieces.

Teal ducks and ravens,
Blue herons and sandpipers
Black phoebes and kettling hawks
A merlin flys through our campsite.

And floating by on southern winds
A hundred tiny travelers on magic flight.
A soft touch of orange in the blue, blue sky
October Monarchs.

The night sky is beguiling
The milky-way so bright
We glimpse a falling star
The universe unfolds itself in the darkest night I have ever seen.

Seasoned paddlers all
Average age 58 and a third
On the wild and scenic Rio
Skills are high, excitement higher!

Dana's smiling
Kathleen's beaming
Christy's paddling strong.
Louis, our leader says the sun will come out and the campsite is shortly ahead.

Sandy and Jeanette stroke on ahead
And I took a swim by mistake.
John and Anne paddle strong - no complaint.
Terry's got beer in his ice chest and is ready to run any rapid.
Jim is making it look easy.

It's another good day on the river.