Birds and Burgers: A New Mexico Road Trip
Combining Two Passions
We were out in Central New Mexico last week to help our granddaughter celebrate her 2nd birthday.
Since retiring a little over a year ago, Birding has become a growing passion. It just so happens that just South of Albuquerque along I-25, are two of the largest National Wildlife Reserves in the U.S. -
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge
I haven’t yet reached that transitional tipping point from mere Birdwatcher to full-fledged Birder like my wife, but that’s just a matter of time.
Ornithology.com notes the differences between the two:
Birders are obsessive about keeping a life list, and often maintain country lists, state lists, county lists, and even zoo and tv lists of the birds they have seen.
Birdwatchers might spend a few hours in the field on a birdwatching day, while birders arise before dawn, bird all day, and look for owls at night.
We’re somewhere in between. Susan has been at this a little longer, so she is the list keeper and reports our sightings to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
At our age, I’m fairly certain we won’t reach the “arise before dawn” and “look for owls late at night” stage, though.
Birding is perfect for active retirees who love to travel. It can be done almost anywhere, from backyards to vast wildlife reserves to coastal habitats.
To begin, the activity is virtually free. After acquiring some essential equipment (which can be purchased over time), transportation is the main expense.
The Birds
Our first excursion was to the Sevilleta NWR, a huge 230,000-acre wildlife reserve comprised of four Biomes (regional ecosystems with distinct types of vegetation, animals, and microbes that have developed under specific soil and climatic conditions.)
Most of our time here was along the wetlands bordering the Rio Grande which is home to 251 species of birds.
On this day, we had our two young grandkids with us, so our exploration was limited to their endurance factor.
But, we managed to see and record a few interesting species, including Red-tailed Hawks, Eurasian Doves, and Roadrunners (no sign of Wile E. Coyote, though).
A benefit of being out in the wilderness like this is seeing other types of wildlife, such as a large Mule Deer which the kids loved.
The views were magnificent.
The next day, we headed a little further South to the Bosque del Apache NWR.
While it is much smaller in area (only 57300 acres), it is host to almost 400 species of birds. Bosque del Apache NWR is one of several Wintering sites in the U.S. for Sandhill Cranes. Around mid to late February, they begin the long journey back to their Summer nesting grounds along the Tundra of Alaska, Canada, and Siberia, so we were fortunate that many were still there. These majestic birds stand a little over 3 feet (1m) tall with a wingspan of over 6 feet (2m).
The other major attraction at Bosque del Apache is the huge flocks of Snow Geese, another migratory bird that nests and breeds above the Arctic Circle in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and even Siberia.
The All About Birds gives a perfect description of our experience with these birds:
Watching huge flocks of Snow Geese swirl down from the sky, amid a cacophony of honking, is a little like standing inside a snow globe. These loud, white-and-black geese can cover the ground in a snowy blanket as they eat their way across fallow cornfields or wetlands. Among them, you might see a dark form with a white head—a color variant called the “Blue Goose.” Snow Geese have skyrocketed in numbers and are now among the most abundant waterfowl on the continent.
The day was a great success with Susan sighting and logging at least 21 species including the Northern Shoveler duck, a pair of Bald Eagles, a Northern Flicker Woodpecker, Blue Heron, and Wild Turkey.
An unexpected treat was running across a family unit of Javelinas (a hoglike animal). From a distance, they looked like small bears.
Burgers
I want to end this piece with a surprise find that highlights another passion: Great local food joints.
On our way to Bosque del Apache, we exited I-25 S at U.S. 380 E. which took us through San Antonio, NM (population 70), a dusty three-block conglomeration of mostly nondescript buildings.
Except one.
When I saw the sign, I knew we had to have lunch there.
We had never heard of Buckhorn Tavern nor had we even known that there was a San Antonio, NM.
Although they have changed hands several times, Buckhorn Tavern has been in business since 1944.
When I googled their information (isn’t google great?) I saw why the sign said # 7 in America - Their Green Chile Cheeseburger was given that rating on GQ’s Top 20 burgers you must eat before you die. They have thousands of reviews averaging 4.5.
It is not in my nature to let things like that just slide, so, of course, I was compelled to investigate.
After spending the morning working up an appetite at the Wildlife Reserve, we made the 8-mile trip back to San Antonio to prove that claim.
A review on RoadFood by Michael Stern had this to say about Buckhorn Tavern:
The Buckhorn can be maddeningly crowded, but if you are on a mission to eat New Mexico’s top-ranked green chile cheeseburgers, it’s a must. The meat itself is a wide, rugged patty about 1/2-inch thick, cooked medium so it is moist but not dripping juice, redolent of beefy flavor. While several burger variations are available, including a barbecue burger, a taco burger (on corn tortillas instead of a bun), and an Atkins plate (hold the bun), it is the big, juicy, fully dressed green chile cheeseburger, here titled the Buckhorn Burger, that has put this ramshackle tavern on the map.
Since it is February, there were very few tourists there—just the normal lunch crowd from the Wildlife Reserve staff and a few area construction and farm workers.
The weather was perfect - sunny, cloudless, and a balmy 76 degrees, so we chose to eat out on the patio.
Susan ordered the Sourdough Melt:
“A Hamburger patty, melted cheddar and havarti cheese, and grilled onions between two slices of grilled sourdough bread.”
Of, course, due to the claim on their sign, I was pre-destined to order the signature Buckhorn Green Chile Cheeseburger.
First of all, it was massive, perfectly cooked and assembled. To my delight, the bun was slightly toasted, so it was not soggy and did not fall apart like many large burgers with everything on it. The only change I made was to substitute Harvarty cheese for the American. With the addition of a small order (not very small) of their hand-cut fries, I was in business.
“Aaaaand now, Ladies and Gentlemen” (in my best Ed McMahon voice) heeeeere’s the answer to that burning question in everyone’s mind:
Did the Buckhorn Green Chile Cheeseburger live up to GQ’s billing as #7?
Drum Roll please -
The answer is “No, not in my opinion. Not even close.”
If I were GQ’s rater, I would have moved it up to at least a #3 or #4. Maybe even higher, but I have not tried any of the others on the list.
Here are the reasons for my rating:
It was a perfect blend of tasty ingredients, combining the smokey flavor of charbroiled beef, a mild spicey tang of green chiles, the customary toppings of lettuce, tomato, and onion, and no condiments (not necessary).
The huge toasted bun held everything together very well.
There was no extra sauce which tends to make burgers soggy and fall apart.
The small order of hand-cut fries was delicious and enough to share.
Last but not least our server, Danelle, was enthusiastic and had an infectious personality (she got a big tip, by the way).
All I can say is that a little hole-in-the-wall place called Buckhorn Tavern, located in a dusty dot on the map, with a population of 70 that no one has ever heard of lived up to its name and then some.
By far, one of the best burger experiences I’ve ever had.
With all the other attractions that make NM such a popular travel destination, Buckhorn Tavern’s Green Chile Cheeseburger is a must-add to your bucket list.
Then go enjoy God’s wonderful creation, while you’re out there.
Thanks for reading Life UnCorked …
Looks like a great burger, Cork! Enjoy the retired life!
Bravo, two subjects I really enjoy, birding and burgers. Thank God I'm not a birder. I have lots of entertainment watching the antics outside my window attacking the suet cakes. Flickers and piliated woodpecker, cowbirds, starlings, robins, some kind of little bush tit, LBBs, Goodness gracious.! I used to do the Cornell thing when in Truckee. Maybe I ought to re-up. And thank you for the burger tasting. We will drive all the way to Middlegate Station on Hwy 50 in NV for their burgers. Interesting place, people, and food. YUM! Their specialty is the Monster Burger.