To get to this place, you have to head south into New Mexico, then return north through Sugarite Canyon State Park. We went here to see Lewis’s Woodpeckers (next post), but we enjoyed the view too.
The trail led up along Schwachheim Creek to the dam that forms Lake Dorothey.
We were a little surprised to find some free-range cattle along the trail.
Lake Maloya, in New Mexico, was just a couple hundred yards away.
We hiked along the shore to the far end of Lake Dorothey.
Beside the woodpeckers, we saw this American Kestrel.
We also saw:
- Song Sparrow
- Great Blue Heron
- Bufflehead
- Canada Goose
- Sandhill Crane (three large flocks high overhead)
- Say’s Phoebe
- Steller’s Jay
- Common Raven
- Western Bluebird