New Mexico

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Has Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Jumped the Shark?

Has Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge jumped the shark? I fear that it may have. The bird photography at Bosque Del Apache NWR can be sensational from dawn to dusk, but the last couple years have felt "off" to me. Here are a few of my observations, contrasting early…

Phil CollaDecember 22, 2023

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

A Bird Photography Weekend at Bosque del Apache NWR, December 2022

I had been discussing the possibility of re-visiting Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico for the last several months with Skip Stubbs, and we finally decided to commit a weekend and get out there. It had been 12 years since I was last there and I was…

Phil CollaDecember 28, 2022

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Sandhill Cranes at Sunset, Bosque Del Apache NWR

Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) arrive at the "crane pools" at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge each evening. Having spent the day feeding in nearby corn fields, they will overnight standing on their long legs in the shallow pools, presumably so that they can rest in the dark with minimal…

Phil CollaMarch 19, 2011

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Bosque Del Apache NWR, New Mexico, 2010

Skip and I made a short trip to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, in New Mexico, to photograph snow geese (Chen caerulescens) and sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis). This is strictly bird photography and has essentially nothing to do with the marine subjects that I really prefer. But its cheap,…

Phil CollaDecember 13, 2010

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Snow Geese Blasting Off at Sunrise, Bosque del Apache

Another early morning blast off of thousands of snow geese (Chen caerulescens), viewed from near the flight deck alongside the main impoundment at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Snow geese at dawn. Snow geese often "blast off" just before or after dawn, leaving the ponds where they rest for…

Phil CollaDecember 23, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Sandhill Crane in Flight, Bosque del Apache

I had hoped to get a few good photos of a single sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) in flight during our visit to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Sandhill cranes are relatively large birds, meaning they are relatively easy to find in the viewfinder and they fly relatively slowly, helpful…

Phil CollaDecember 22, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Golden Crane, Bosque del Apache

Here is another sandhill crane (Grus canadensis), backlit by a reflected gold sunset, wading through one of the crane pools at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. A sandhill crane, standing in still waters with rich gold sunset light reflected around it. Image ID: 21805 Species: Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis…

Phil CollaDecember 21, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Snow Geese on Pond, Bosque del Apache

Each morning I would watch the predawn blast off of snow geese from Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge's main impoundment. Each time was impressive. Afterward, I would move to the crane pools, hoping to watch the cranes take off as the sun reached them and warmed them up. One…

Phil CollaDecember 19, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Blastoff, Bosque del Apache

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is famous for its early morning "blast off", a stunning event in which thousands of snow geese (Chen caerulescens) take to the skies. It does not happen every morning, nor does it happen at the same time on those mornings on which it takes…

Phil CollaDecember 18, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Snow Goose in Flight, Bosque del Apache

Our first few days at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge did not yield great opportunities to photograph individual snow geese (Chen caerulescens) in flight, primarily because the geese were spending the bulk of their day in the far northern corn fields, far out of reach of even the longest…

Phil CollaDecember 16, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Sandhill Cranes, Bosque del Apache

Each evening while we were at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge we positioned ourselves at one of the two northern "crane pools", the ones located on the west side of the road as one approaches the main entrance to the refuge. For 30-40 minutes before and after sunset, sandhill…

Phil CollaDecember 15, 2008

Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Coyote, Bosque del Apache

One afternoon, after arriving at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, we planned to make a circuit of the Farm Loop in late afternoon before finishing at the crane pools. While transiting the center of the refuge we came upon this coyote (Canis latrans), surveying some marsh area from near…

Phil CollaDecember 14, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Snow Geese on a Crane Pool in Afternoon, Bosque del Apache

Midday at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is, for photographers, pretty slow. The bird flight activity seems rather low and the light is harsh. We would return to Socorro for midday, to have lunch, clean up, and catch up on reading the news or having a nap. We would…

Phil CollaDecember 13, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Photo of Sandhill Cranes at Sunset, Bosque del Apache

On our recent trip to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Skip, Ken and I were treated to several fantastic sunsets as we watched the sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) flying in from nearby corn fields to roost for the night in shallow ponds, where they are protected from coyotes. These…

Phil CollaDecember 12, 2008

Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Histogram Check, Sunset, Bosque del Apache

A photographer checks the histogram on his camera, making sure not to blow the highlights in this crazy sunset. Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) are silhouetted in one of the crane pools at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico. A photographer looks on the back of his camera to…

Phil CollaDecember 11, 2008

Has Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Jumped the Shark?

A Bird Photography Weekend at Bosque del Apache NWR, December 2022

Sandhill Cranes at Sunset, Bosque Del Apache NWR

Bosque Del Apache NWR, New Mexico, 2010

Snow Geese Blasting Off at Sunrise, Bosque del Apache

Sandhill Crane in Flight, Bosque del Apache

Golden Crane, Bosque del Apache

Snow Geese on Pond, Bosque del Apache

Blastoff, Bosque del Apache

Snow Goose in Flight, Bosque del Apache

Sandhill Cranes, Bosque del Apache

Coyote, Bosque del Apache

Snow Geese on a Crane Pool in Afternoon, Bosque del Apache

Photo of Sandhill Cranes at Sunset, Bosque del Apache

Histogram Check, Sunset, Bosque del Apache

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