Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

The Wildlife Refuge is located in southern New Mexico. It was founded in 1939 and is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is a favorite spot to watch the migration of the sandhill cranes in the fall. The reserve is open year-round and provides safe harbor for its varied wildlife.

This is another site that we had never heard of. Luckily, we met a nice couple from Denver while we were admiring the VLA who recommended that we add a stop at the refuge.

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill cranes are fairly social birds that usually live in pairs or family groups through the year. During migration and winter, unrelated cranes come together to form "survival groups" that forage and roost together. Such groups often congregate at migration and winter sites (such as Bosque del Apache), sometimes in the thousands.

Sandhill Cranes

Adults are gray overall; during breeding, their plumage is usually much worn and stained, particularly in the migratory populations, and looks nearly ochre. The average weight of the larger males is about 10 pounds, while the average weight of females is about 9 pounds. Sandhill cranes have red foreheads, white cheeks, and long, dark, pointed bills. In flight, their long, dark legs trail behind, and their long necks keep straight.

The Refuge

The heart of the refuge comprises approximately 3,800 acres of Rio Grande floodplain and 9,100 acres of irrigated farms and wetlands. In addition to this, the refuge contains 44,300 acres of arid grasslands and foothills of the Chupadera and San Pascual Mountains. About 30,000 acres of this is designated as wilderness. A twelve-mile-long loop road divided by a cutoff into a "Farm Loop" and "Marsh Loop" allows automobile drivers excellent views of wetland wildlife and raptors.

A Choir of Cranes

Sandhill cranes frequently give a loud, trumpeting call that suggests a rolled "r" in the throat, and they can be heard from a long distance. Mated pairs of cranes engage in "unison calling". The cranes stand close together, calling in a synchronized and complex duet. The female makes two calls for every one from the male.

I Said Leave Me Alone!

These two had a little spat, which was quickly resolved.

Woods of the Apache

Bosque del Apache means "woods of the Apache" in Spanish, named for the Apache tribes that once camped in the forests along the Rio Grande.

Many Kinds of Birds

There have been 374 different bird species observed in the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge since 1981, making it one of the most diverse areas for bird species in the United States

Landing #1

Landing #2

Landing #3

Coyote On The Prowl

We say two coyotes roaming around, although they never got close to the birds while we were watching.

Sunset

Sunrise

We got up early to catch the birds at sunrise. We had heard that they will suddenly 'take off' as a group, as if some signal had been given.

Taking Flight

At some point, just after sunrise, a huge flock of snow geese suddenly took off in unison. They flew right over us. We could feel the vibrations created from their wings in the air. It was breathtaking.

Departing Snow Geese

Strutting Along

The cranes in the foreground were slowly walking from right to left, when another group of cranes behind them suddenly took off.