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Otero Mesa – Rare Aplomado Falcon Sighting

Date
August 22, 2005
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Climate + Energy  
#KeepItInTheGround

Monday, August 22, 2005
Otero Mesa – Rare Aplomado Falcon Sighting

Observational details of Otero Mesa aplomado falcon sighting of August 11, 2005
Contact: WildEarth Guardians

On August 11, 2005, two aplomado falcons were observed on Otero Mesa, in an area slated for oil and gas drilling. The discovery was made by BLM range management specialists Ray Aguilar and Matt Atencio. Photos of one of the falcons were taken and this is being considered a definite aplomado falcon sighting. On August 13, Ray Meyer, a biologist with extensive experience surveying for aplomado falcons, went to the site where the falcons were detected and observed one unbanded female falcons.

Here is the August 11th account:

“On August 11, 2005 Matt Attencio and myself were conducting allotment use supervisions on otero mesa allotments. We decided to look for a shade tree to have lunch under, so we drove to the LOCATION WITHHELD, where I knew there were a few LOCATION DETAIL WITHHELD trees. As we drove under the trees, we noticed approximetely 10 kestrels that seemed to be rather upset. The kestrels were harrassing 2 aplomado falcons. It seemed that the kestrels were trying to chase the falcons out of the area, but the aplomados wouldn’t leave. There were several aerial displays with the kestrels again harrassing the aplomados. On 1 occasion we could see the solid belly stripe (cumberbun) as the aplomados flew directly overhead. They stayed in the area for approximately 15 minutes, then the kestrels and aplomados slowly started dispersing. We then drove east and south of the LOCATION WITHHELD. As we were driving from the south end of the allotment back toward LOCATION WITHHELD we noted another aplomado approximately 1/4 mile south of LOCATION WITHHELD. All sightings were in LOCATION WITHHELD. This area has recieved good rains recently as evidenced by grass species vigor and greeness. Dropseeds have 6 to 8 inches of leaf length. There are numerous forbs in the area, and most of the earthen reservoirs have water water storage available for both livestock and wildlife. We also noted that there were numerous migrant (e.g., western meadowlarks) and resident (e.g., gambels quail) birds in the area. We took the following photographs of the aplomados while observing them at the LOCATION WITHHELD.”

A 2003 memo commission by the Las Cruces office of the Bureau of Land Management indicates that much potential falcon habitat in the U.S. remains unsurveyed and that it is possible that additional breeding falcons are present in southern New Mexico. The memo’s authors suggest the existence of a falcon population in New Mexico, despite the Bush Administration’s current stance that there is no falcon population in New Mexico. The memo states,

Based on available information, the presence of aplomado falcons in New Mexico is increasing. After decades of only a few aplomado falcon reports in New Mexico, 27-32 falcons were reported in the 1990’s, with 3-6 observations occurring per year in the latter part of the decade. In 2000-02, 13 reports of 18 birds were made that included three pairs, one of which occupied a territory for at least two years. Although an increased awareness likely contributed in part to the increase in falcon reports, these observations indicate a significant and growing presence of the falcons in New Mexico. Furthermore, the frequency of recent sightings of individuals and pairs in the southwestern part of the state strongly suggests the existence of a population.

The most recent sighting of aplomado falcons on Otero Mesa had been November 2001, when a pair of falcons was observed. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has indicated to the BLM that falcons and their habitat are harmed by oil and gas activities.

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Here is the August 11th account: