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Emory Pass, Sierra/Grant Counties

Emory Pass, just over 8200 ft., is located in the Black Range of southwestern New Mexico, about 10 miles west of Kingston. It is accessed from either the west or east by State Route 152. The Sierra/Grant County line runs along the ridge of the Black Range. The Pass is at the eastern extreme or nearly eastern extreme of the range for several more properly Mexican species; Olive Warbler, Painted Redstart, Red-faced Warbler , Hutton's Vireo and rarely Greater Pewee and Zone-tailed Hawk. This location, along with the McMillen Campground area of the Pinos Altos Mts. to the west is the "canonical" location to hear Spotted Owls in the region. The birds can be heard on both sides of the pass from just below the crest on th east side down the west side to about Iron Creek Campground. The pair on the east side of the pass is usually most vocal just before sunrise as they reestablish contact before returning to their roost site. Nothern (Mountain) Pygmy Owl and Whip-poor-will are also often heard near the summit on both sides of the pass.

Other western species which probably breed, with varying degrees of regularity, there and on nearby slopes and canyons include Cooper's Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Common Black Hawk (Ladder Ranch), Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Montezuma Quail, Gamble's Quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Flammulated Owl, Common Poorwill, White-throated Swift, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-shafted Flicker, Western Wood Pewee, Gray Flycatcher, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Say's Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cassin's Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Gray Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Stellar's Jay, Western Scrub Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Common Raven, Purple Martin, Violet-green Swallow, Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Canyon Wren, House Wren, American Dipper (Ladder Ranch), Hermit thrush, Northern Mockingbird, Blue Gray Gantcatcher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Virginia's Warbler, Audubon's Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Grace's Warbler, Hepatic Tanager, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Spotted Towhee, Canyon Towhee, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Chippping Sparrow, Black-chinned Sparrow, Gray-headed Junco, Brown-headed Cowbird, Bullock's Oriole, House Finch, Red Crossbill, and Lesser Goldfinch.

In migration and winter, visitors include Williamson's Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Willow Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Tree Swallow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Redstart, Yellow-breasted Chat, Lark Sparrow, Pine Siskin, Blue Grosbeak,Cassin's Finch, American Goldfinch and Evening Grosbeak.