Category Archives: Bird Walks

Sunday Search for Early Migrants!

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Let’s go look for returning migrants at the Wilson Botanical Garden/OTS Las Cruces this Sunday, September 6 at 7 a.m. We will meet at the Reception Building, as usual, and have binoculars to share.

Early fall migrants often include wablers and flycatchers and, of course, we are always hoping for a ‘fall out’ where we are surrounded by a group that flew in overnight!

On our last walk we saw some fascinating sights, including nesting Gray-headed Kites, newly-emerged butterflies ‘having a moment’ and a pink spider that had caught a bee. This tells us you just never know what you are going to see if you go out to look.

A Common Tody-Flycatcher — not a warbler but small and captivating nonetheless.

Our Bird Walks are free, open to the public and last about an hour with a sociable coffee hour afterward. Catering King Terry Farling regularly brings a bakery treat and the Las Cruces kitchen staff provide coffee and tea. Hope to see you there.

Forget the News Headlines, We Have Birds!

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Exciting news around here lately — Gray-headed Kites have nested at OTS Las Cruces Biological Research Station/Wilson Botanical Garden in a huge tree (local name ‘Mayo’, genus: Vochysia) and we are all agog! There’s even a semi-visible chick, hidden by branches, perched on a nest that looks almost too small for its family.

These birds are beautiful raptors, described in eBird and local field guides as found in lowland tropical forests. (As most of you know, Las Cruces is not in the lowlands but change is the only constant so this is our good fortune.)

Seen here is a photo from our most recent Bird Walk, Sunday, August 23. NOTE: the lizard dangling from the kite’s right talon.

Photo by David Rodrigues, Biologo Regente, Finca Cántaros Environmental Association

More photos from David are below: in the next one, it appeared that one of these butterflies had just emerged from its chrysalis and wasted no time starting new life!

As for the next photo, it’s a confusing sight but you can see a pinkish-white spider on a porterweed flower that had just captured a bee!

With 14 participants, it was a lively walk with interesting natural history moments and plenty of laughing and talking. We welcomed Tina Christoper back to San Vito and wished Helen and Greg Homer safe travel to their home base in the US.

We urge you to join us on these walks — they are free, we have binoculars to lend, and clearly you never know what you are going to see. The next walk will be Sunday, September 7; meet at the Las Cruces Reception Building at 7 am.

Birdwalk Sunday: August 2nd at Wilson Garden

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Please join the San Vito Bird Club for our regular Sunday birdwalk…the first one of August, 2026.

Meet at the Recepcion office inside the Wilson Botanical Garden at 7:00am

Binoculars and local naturalists available. No charge, all are welcome.

Invitations to join us on this walk have been sent to Lionel Messi, Taylor Swift, Ziggy Marley, J.K. Rowling and Xi Jinping. As of this morning, none have confirmed they will be joining us. Conversely, none have declined the invitation…so you never know.

Coffee and good fellowship follow the walk.

Hope you can join us (I’m looking at you Lionel!).

(Yellow-throated Toucan feeding on palm fruits; courtesy of Channelle McBride.)

Bird Walk Sunday: July 19 at Wilson Garden

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Please join the San Vito Bird Club for our regular Sunday bird walk.

Meet up at the Recepcion office of the Wilson Botanical Garden at 7am.

Sunday, July 19th.

Binoculars and local birders are available to assist you as needed.

And PLEASE…no running or horse-play. But almost all other behaviors are acceptable.

(Two responsible adults; not running or horse-playing.)

Walk With Us on Sunday

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Let’s have a Bird Walk — free and open to the public — on Sunday, April 19 at OTS Las Cruces Biological Station aka Wilson Botanical Garden.

We will meet at 7:00 am at the Reception Building, as usual, and binoculars will be available to share.

Cross your fingers that we will see this beauty, a Blue-headed Parrot.

Mike Bender took this photo at his and Edey’s house in Las Brisas:

Bird Walk Sunday: April 5th at Wilson Garden

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Please join the San Vito Bird Club for our regular Sunday bird walk.

April 5th at 7:00am

Meet at the Wilson Botanical Garden recepcion office.

All are welcome.

Binoculars and local birders on hand to enhance your interactions with the local flora and fauna.

*When I was a kid I couldn’t remember which was which…flora and fauna. But try this:

Flora = flower/plants Fauna = fawn/animals

You’re welcome.*

Dove: Pablo Picasso

Bird Walk Sunday: March 22nd at Wilson Garden

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Please join the San Vito Bird Club for our regular Sunday bird walk.

Sunday, March 22nd…meet at the Recepcion office of the Wilson Botanical Garden (OTS Las Cruces), 7:00am.

As always, everyone is welcome to join us for this birding event. Binoculars are available as needed. Experienced birders are on hand to assist you with any questions you may have. Actually, any BIRDING OR NATURE questions you may have. I mean, its probably not a good idea to ask questions pertaining to such topics as car maintenance, dating, crypto-investing, the history of British royalty or fashion tips. But if you do…be assured we’ll give out with the best answers we have; even if they are just made up answers.

We hope to see you. FYI: The northward migrating Swainson’s Thrushes have arrived in San Vito (a bit early I believe). It’s like a fire hose of Swainson’s Thrushes are upon us.

Bird Walk Sunday: A New Location

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Please join Cecelia Sansonetti and the San Vito Bird Club for our next Sunday morning Bird Walk…March 8th at 7:00am.

The 74th anniversary of the founding of San Vito took place just this past week. In honor of that event, Cecelia Sansonetti (daughter of the original founder AND a long time supporter and member of the San Vito Bird Club) has graciously offered us a bird walk on her property.

Cecelia will lead us on a fairly flat and wide trail with mixed secondary forest on both sides. Should be easy walking.

As with all of our Bird Walks there is no charge and everyone is welcome. Binoculars and local birders are available to enhance the experience for you.

Many of you know where to find the Sansonetti Road; but if you do not, see the photo below. It is on the main road between Linda Vista and San Vito…just past Finca Cantaros.

Take this road until you come to the sawmill and the iron gates (less than one kilometer). We will meet up there prior to the walk. Parking should not be a problem.

Following the bird walk any or all are welcome to reconvene at the Mottola Cafe.

Questions? Contact Greg Homer at:

8543-6665

Bird Walk Sunday: Jan. 11, 2026

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Please join the San Vito Bird Club for our first Bird Walk of 2026; Sunday, January 11th..

Starting at 7:00am, meet up at the Wilson Botanical Garden (OTS Las Cruces) recepcion office.

Please spread the word…all are welcome. Binoculars and skilled local birders will be on hand to assist you, if needed.

Wish to pay your San Vito Bird Club annual dues? We can help with that too.

Following the walk, join us for coffee and good fellowship. Tea is also available if you prefer; but really…TEA?

(Fiery-billed Aracaris:photo courtesy of Helen LeVasseur)