Sandhill cranes
Sunrise with Snow Geese
Founded in 1939 and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge sits just a few miles outside of San Antonio, New Mexico. The refuge is open year round and provides a beneficial environment for the various wildlife that inhabit the bosque full-time and for the migratory birds that “summer” on the ponds during the winter months. Nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts can enjoy short hiking trails; observe wildlife activity from several viewing platforms; and take a peek through the bird blind. Wading ponds, grassy fields, and naturally wooded areas are sprinkled with many different species of birds and if you have a sharp eye, patience, and a little luck you may be able to spot other critters and larger mammals. There are two well-maintained roads that encircle the refuge aptly named the North Loop and the South Loop. Drive the loops slowly and keep your camera and binoculars close. You never know what you’ll see.
Pheasant
Even in winter, I was surprised that there was a lot of color in the landscape. The morning light lit up the dead leaves of the Cottonwood trees and made them shimmer like tiny specks of gold. The tall grasses had a rust-color to them that added vibrancy to the landscape under the constantly changing skies. During my visit, I witnessed one of the prettiest sunsets I’ve ever watched unfold along the South Loop overlooking a pond full of busy ducks bobbing for dinner. With their hinys straight up in the air, one can’t help but assume they were the first to perfect the art of synchronized swimming.
Loud honking and endless squawking…distinctive voices and for the seasoned bird watcher easily recognizable. Standing nearly five-feet tall, Sandhill cranes are light-colored grey but the deep red feathers on their head make them stand out in a crowd. The Sandhill cranes are seasonal visitors to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. From autumn to early spring they delight birders from all over the world who visit the refuge to coincide with their migration. An occasional squabble over territory and personal space creates a great show for onlookers as vocal opposition rings through the air but witnessing beak jabbing jousts and the occasional dance moves are real treats.
Snow Geese
The refuge hosts tens of thousands of migratory birds such as Snow geese, Canada geese, Sandhill Cranes, various raptors such as Bald Eagles, hawks, owls, and more varieties of colorful ducks and small song birds than I can even name. Eagles arrogantly stare at you from their perches while Blue Herons stand perfectly still along the banks of the bosque patiently waiting for prey to swim by. Mule deer, javelina, coyotes, beavers, and bob cats were spotted during my visit but the colorful pheasant was a “lifer” (bird nerds define it as the “first seen and positively identified by an individual birder”). A rare sighting of a Tundra swan was cause for excitement even though he was never close enough to photograph.
American Bald Eagle
For three years in a row, my friend, Scott and his buddy, Rusty have road tripped to the refuge and invited me to join them on their game drives. Both are skilled photographers and have a keen eye for spotting wildlife. Tagging along with them allowed me to learn a little bit more about identifying birds and they offered me some new techniques to improve my “birds in flight” skills. We spent three full days at
morning reflections along the bosque
Snow Geese flying in to roost
the refuge and each day I woke to a 4:30 a.m. alarm. An early morning, isn’t in my everyday practice but with wildlife, you have to be an early bird if you want to take advantage of the pretty light that a good sunrise brings. Standing at the frozen edges of the pond near the Flight Deck, we waited for sunrise and even in the dark, the constant chatter of Snow geese provides a symphony of white noise. The Snow goose “blast off” — a highlight at the refuge is where any serious birder or bird photographer visiting the park starts their day. No one knows when the “blast” will occur or in what direction the geese will fly but the experience of witnessing thousands of Snow geese ascend in unison is truly mesmerizing and worth sacrificing a few frozen fingers and toes. Their squawking volume is on full blast and as thousands of geese take to the sky, you can hear the gentle buzz created from their wings flapping.
The last morning, Scott and Rusty decided to sleep in and even though my weather app said that it was 17 F. I got up, and headed to the Flight Deck for one last blast off. Never in a million years would I have dreamed that I would be waiting at 6:00 a.m. to watch birds fly. But as I stood there flanked by a photographer whose work is in the Smithsonian, an Audubon Society contributor, wildlife photography workshop instructors, and casual wildlife watchers like me with their camera phones, I realize that we are all there to witness nature do her thing and how important it is to have wildlife refuges like Bosque del Apache that provide a safe habitat for Mother Nature’s furry, hoofed, and feathered critters. With dedicated conservation efforts and a diligent stewardship for land management we can protect these wild places so that the cycle of migration will continue for many years to come.
Mule deer