Bosque del Apache

Get out today or wait ‘till next year, (it’s Dec, 29^th) today's forecast is for sun and 50’s, although right now it is in the low 20’s.  Cold and windy conditions are forecast for the next several days.  Snow is possible.  We have had little to no snow this winter; I believe it is more hope than reality.  We have been planning a trip to the Bosque for the past few weeks so when the weather looked good we jumped on it.

We have a new joiner this time, Anthony, I like him instantly, he shoots Canon like me.  Hooray, I am not the only one among all my Nikon shooting coworkers.

It’s still cold when we arrive.  When the wind kicks up we all dive into the car grabbing that extra layer we brought to keep us warm.  I can’t imagine how these birds deal with it.

Water flows enough from one pond to the next so there sections of open water alongside ice covered patches.  Different patterns and colors show up where the two forms of water meet.

The birds along the edges of the human disturbance are aware of our presence.  They keep an eye on us drifting away slowly as we move towards them for the better image.  Finally they have had enough; we’ve invaded their space; they fly off.  Others landing in the middle of their designated area don’t seem to notice us; begin their feeding.

Each time I have visited the Bosque I have seen new animals.  This time we saw a family of javelinas, probably 20 in all; juveniles to full-grown adults.  On past visits I have seen a bobcat and several mule deer.  I don’t seem to have the eye to spot birds unless they are feeding in mass.  ‘Eagle-eye’ Byron was doing the driving and spotting birds in trees on the far sides of the groomed fields.  Anthony and I had to make him stop to point out each one.

Sandhill cranes with a mallard

Sandhill cranes flock to this area hanging out all winter before heading back north.  Flying; they remind me of 747’s.  They take a while to build up speed to takeoff, have a long slow wing flap and glide while in the air, then gracefully glide back for a landing.  Today most of the cranes were dining somewhere other than the bosque but as the sun was moving later in the day they started returning to the safety of the bosque.

This is the one place where I see ‘lens envy’. Whenever we stopped to view a feeding area we’d see photographers out there with their big lenses; 300, 400, 600, 800mm and longer.  I only have a 70 – 200mm zoom lens so I have to be patient waiting for the birds to pass fairly close.  

Bird watchers must to put this place on their to-visit list.  There are lots of migrating birds to see during the winter but the bosque has birds all year.

Juvenile great blue heron

Thank you for stopping by.

Mark