TRACHET, JOHN 1989 Journal 14. Travel Day, Western New Mexico July 31 809, a few miles S of Cliff. This forest road parallels the flooded (cont) Gila River. The flood plain is dotted with clumps of large sycamore trees, and as the land is owned by a cattle company (and every - where so marked), it was no surprise to find almost no understory. Nonetheless, I have several goldfinches for by. The road continues more or less S. for about 5 miles, then enters a designated portion of Gila National Forest. The sycamore limited here is more continuous and especially notable is a rather luxuriant mixed understory of shrubs and grasses, which abruptly ends on the N. side of the barbed wire fence and cattle-guarded road. I also explored this signed road for Bill Williams [illegible] Lake. The lake is fair size, about 3/5 square mile, but has no sycamore edge. July 5 Red-tailed hawks were seen there. I returned to the Gila River, and camped on cattle company land, as were several other parties this night. Before reaching Fence Lake, the skies became solidly cloudy and remained so for the rest of the day. Thunderstorms were frequent from Quemado south. There were gusty winds near those strong, otherwise only light breezes. The temperature remained in the 70's all day, low 70's mostly. Species list: Amphibian: Bufo microscaphus - near hot spring on San Francisco R. Reptile: Two-lined - near hot spring a San Francisco R. Birds: Pied-gull Dove - 5 Gambel's Quail - 12 Great Blue Heron - 3 Killdeer - 2 Carpenter Hawk - 3 Spotted Sandpiper - 6 Red-tailed Hawk - 5 Mourning Dove - 50 American Kestrel - 2 Common Nighthawk - 4