Dale Zimmerman maintains the ranch bird list with more than 150 birds, many of which are considered by Partners in Flight to be “species of Continental Importance” by the North American Landbird Conservation plan of 2004. The birds below, photographed by Silver City’s Elroy Limmer, are all found on the Pitchfork.

Great-blue heron atop one of our earlier, hand-made with PVC escape ramps, long-sense replaced with those shown below

On the left, an accomplished photographer not of the ranch captured the flight pattern of the Turkey vulture and below, these are regurgitated Turkey vulture pellets that for some inexplicable reason Cinda likes to gather and save. We have several dozen Turkey vultures that bed down in the giant Cottonwood tree in front of the headquarters. They headed south October 20, 2020 and will return March 22, 2021. The return date was told to us by neighbor Gerry Billings who lived here for 10-12 years and his precise arrival date has proven correct.

Gamble’s Quail have discovered this bird feeder hanging over the front yard from the 90-yearold Freemont cottonwood tree and typically visit twice daily, usually around 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM.