Daily Postcard: Hooded Warblers have returned to the Santa Fe National Forest, Los Alamos County, for the third year in a row. This species is a rare migrant in the western United States, but in 2024 they nested along the reservoir road, the first confirmed nesting in New Mexico, and fledged one young. In 2025, they moved south to Upper Water Canyon, and successfully fledged two young. This year a male was first seen April 11, and by May 10 a male and female had settled back into Upper Water Canyon again, in the same exact spot as last year. If you hike this trail, listen for the distinctive song ‘cheree cheree cheree chee-chew!’ or look for this handsome, rare yellow guy with the little black balaclava. Photo by Michael Smith