The Bosque de Apache NWR (or “woods of the Apache”) is claimed to be one of the most spectacular bird refuges in North America. They say each fall, tens of thousands of birds—including sandhill cranes, Arctic geese and various ducks and other animals return to the refuge to make this their home for the winter. There is even a Festival of the Cranes to celebrate the homecoming every year. For me, I just wanted to indulge my curiosities and see the sunrise with the cranes.
Driving down I-25 to the refuge in the dark during the 5AM hour makes you really wonder what in the heck you are doing out of a warm bed. With the bright pinks of the sunrise coming over the Monzano Mountains about the time I reached Socorro, I wondered if I would make the refuge before first light. Admittedly, I even wondered if I would be the only one at the refuge since I hadn’t seen many cars on my route…
Ha, ha, ha… would I see others? After pushing past the entrance sign I saw my first flock… a flock of photographers. There in a nice little row where about 25 people stood off a pull out with the biggest camera lenses I had ever seen! Immediately, I felt a little inferior with my simple camera- apparently I didn’t get the “let’s-be-National-Geographic-photographers-this-morning-memo”.
Much to the disappointment of the bird paparazzi, the morning was overcast and the full effect of the sun never made it through the clouds. Nevertheless, the birds were fantastic. Just adjacent to the first and second pullouts there were thousands of Artic white geese and hundreds of sandhill cranes waiting in the shallow waters to take flight. As the light began to fill the sky groups of birds would all decide to fly east to the refuge fields together and the sky would fill with flapping wings and honking.
I was mesmerized by a group of three cranes who had framed the most vivid orange tree. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite get a picture in focus so I’ve made a little “photoshop painting” (in my memory is an even better picture).
The refuge has a nice Wildlife Tour Loop which takes visitors through the management area. In the area there are a number of management techniques being used to feed, support and create habitat for a variety of animals.
After exploring the loop and getting out for a couple of quick hikes, I found my way to the visitors center (which opens daily at 7:30AM) and saw some pretty impressive photos of a mountain lion a photographer captured the day before. Picked up a bunch of brochures for future adventures and decided to head back home. Greeting me back at my truck was a little roadrunner but I wasn’t fast enough to snap a shot of him.
The closest town is San Antonio, NM- had to take a picture of a little restaurant which proudly boasted at being “#7”, really wanted to try their Green Chili burger but at 8:30 in the morning didn’t seem like the best idea.
Made it back to the house by 9:30ish… all-in-all now I’ve been to Bosque del Apache and I can’t wait to take the family back there if for no other reason then the #7 restaurant in America!
Wildlife tally: family of javillinas, two coyotes, roadrunner, eagle, sandhill cranes, blue herron, Artic geese, deer, ravens... photographers!
