Bosque del Apache

Bosque del Apache is a relatively small wildlife preserve along the Rio Grande in western New Mexico, but it is anything but small in national prestige. It is one of the most popular locations for wildlife photography in the United States, drawing photographers with its enormous wintering flocks of geese, cranes, and ducks amidst the enchanting light and landscape of New Mexico. It's one of the few places (Bolsa Chica on some occasions perhaps being the only other) that Libby and I have visited where birdwatchers are outnumbered, in this case significantly, by bird photographers.

In the morning, the big flight ponds was bristling with long lenses. Cars lined the roads and tripods sprouted like forests on the road edges and on the flight deck. Thankfully, the birds don't seem to mind the crowds. They're well adjusted to being gawked at, and allowed for close approach and great photo opportunities.

The highlight photographically at the refuge is the morning and evening commute. Every sunrise and sunset, the many thousands of birds wintering at the refuge fly in and out from the protection of their night time roost in large water impoundments to forage in specially provided fields. The result is a spectacular experience; previously serene skies fill explosively with the whirring wings, spraying water, and a pandemonium of honks and gurgles as the geese take to the sky as one. In short, it was awesome.

Snow Geese take off in the morning.

Flickr

It was also cold. There was a strong and steady wind all morning, and the already freezing temperatures were doubly compounded by the wind chill. Gloves, heavy jackets; nothing seemed to keep the chill out. Ice was built up on the water and pushed into the lee corners of the ponds. The ducks seemed comfortable, but we were not! Thankfully, it warmed nicely during the day, and we had a great time driving the auto tours, taking a couple of short hikes, and enjoying the birds. We saw lots of familiar species, and one new bird - a White-throated Sparrow that has been spending the winter with a White-crowned Sparrow flock right next to the visitor's center.

Sandhill Cranes stand in a marshy field near the end of the day.
Flickr

I can't help but compare the experience of Bosque del Apache with the other places we've been to see wintering waterfowl flocks: the Sacramento NWR complex and the Salton Sea. I wouldn't say it's better from a birding standpoint. Perhaps its best relative virtue birding-wise is the compactness of the area - it's all concentrated in one easily traveled and explored place. On the other hand, the Salton Sea has fewer numbers, but greater over-all diversity of species in an expansive landscape that can take hours of travel time getting from place to place. The Sacramento NWR complex probably has both more individual geese and ducks (though fewer cranes) and greater diversity over-all than the Bosque, but, again, the birds are spread out between several refuges with miles between them. And, of course, neither of them has the magical light of Bosque del Apache or the romantic appeal of the southwest.

Lots and lots of pictures (some of them I like very much) can be found at Flickr: Bosque del Apache set.