Pyrrhuloxia http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/706/overview/Pyrrhuloxia.aspx
In 1858 John Butterfield began to carry mail in his Concord Stage Coaches between San Francisco and St. Louis. The route was 2812 miles and they did it in relays in 22 days, more or less, depending on hostile conditions. They ran twice a week using 250 coaches and 1800 animals. In its day the Butterfield Overland was considered rapid transit.
Gila Woodpecker http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/178/overview/Gila_Woodpecker.aspx
The Butterfield route dipped into Texas, on to El Paso, and then through the southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona. Passengers were only allowed if they seemed to be durable enough to survive the adventure. Horses and drivers were allowed to rest but passengers had to stay with the coach. Or they could sleep on the ground and wait three days for the next coach, I suppose.
Curve billed thrasher http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/745/overview/Curve-billed_Thrasher.aspx
At the onset of the Civil War the Butterfield route was relocated to the Oregon and California pioneer trails via Nebraska and the Rocky Mountains. That route essentially prevented winter travel which was a blow to the already financially strapped Butterfield. It was a serious blow to the people along the southern route as well because during the war there was hardly any communication. Arizona is still recovering. Maybe. It looked that way to me.
Gilded Flicker http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/849/_/Gilded_Flicker.aspx
One of the stagecoach stops was a place called Mesilla in New Mexico north of El Paso. Billy the Kid seems to have made a stop there based on several signs. Today an enduring feature of Mesilla is the excellent food.
Verdin http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/764/overview/Verdin.aspx
Mesilla and its bustling neighbor to the north, Las Cruces, also provide good birding and great hospitality. The Rio Grand River heads south tuning up for its duty as the border between Texas and Old Mexico. Along the river one may see many birds that don’t travel much further north.
Phainopepla http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/209/overview/Phainopepla.aspx
The Butterfield Stage was a grueling ride for everyone but the mail usually got through. The boss refused shipments of gold and silver in order to reduce robbery attempts. The stage often carried soldiers on top along with a driver and shotgun guard on some segments. They were often needed. They were to guard the mail, not the passengers. Today’s rapid transit is pretty tame in comparison. Except maybe in New York.
Chihuahuan Raven http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/92/overview/Chihuahuan_Raven.aspx
In cities like, oh, say Greater Newcastle or Phoenix the all powerful high potentates are building brand spanking new rapid transit systems. These are rail based lines which provide dedicated route structures. Bus systems are everywhere but we can’t call them rapid because they share the road with Fords and Buicks. That means schedule planners have to do exhaustive studies to determine how fast each bus can actually travel over a route. It always turns out to be an approximation. A dedicated rail system can set its own speed. Slow.
Sulphur Bellied Flycatcher http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/396/overview/Sulphur-bellied_Flycatcher.aspx
Visiting the New Mexico and Arizona segment of the Butterfield Overland Stage route is recommended. One can see wide areas of desert. If you like cactus there’s plenty to see, including the majestic saguaro. Side trips will take you to the White Sands Monument and some cliff dwelling sites. And you can drive 75 on the interstate. 80 in Texas. But don’t drive 80 in a 65 zone because Broderick Crawford is hiding behind that next cactus.
I wanted to see an Aplomado Falcon ( http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/447/overview/Aplomado_Falcon.aspx ), but I think I only caught a glimpse of one and that doesn’t count. It could have been a mourning dove or a baseball. A couple hundred baseball teams are in spring training around Phoenix (a conglomerate of 25 municipalities) so baseballs are a real possibility.
Did you know Arizona is the Copper State? It’s because of the mines, not the Highway Patrol.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-53285850.html
Al
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