Friday, November 15, 2013

Bosque del Apache

I went to Bosque del Apache yesterday, the 57,000-acre wildlife bird sanctuary near Socorro, NM, to watch the migratory birds roosting there lift off from the water at sunrise to feed.  They are there in large numbers from November to December. More than 40,000 birds including as many as 17,000 sandhill cranes, ducks, geese and more stop here in the flood planes of the Rio Grande in autumn to rest and feed on their southward migration. They come from as far as Alaska and travel as far south as Mexico. On a frosty November morning with the sun taking its veiled time to rise from behind mountains and clouds they are a sight to behold. More later.  For now, photos.  (Click to enlarge.)






8 comments:

  1. Always love photos of the Bosque NWR. Are you there for the Festival of the Cranes? My husband and I have volunteered several times there. I don't know about this year, but another great birding spot (and not usually so many people), is the wildlife area at Exit 175, at Bernardo. Great viewing towers... usually lots of birds. It's just a short way from Rt 60.

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    1. Hi,
      Thanks so much for you comments, and information about another birding sight. I'll have to put it on my list.

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  2. Beautiful, Roger, absolutely beautiful.

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    1. Thanks, Peter. Always so good to hear from you.

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  3. Hi,

    Just getting reading up on your latest posts. Glad to see you are on the road and traveling a little. Those are some amazing photos, thanks for sharing.

    Tina

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    1. Thank you, Tina, for your kind and gracious comment !

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  4. I was there for the sand crane festival ~ gorgeous! love your pictures... just beautiful... the colors! mystic and serene

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  5. What an incredible opportunity. Lucky you. And, thanks for those wonderful photos.

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