New Mexico, Natural History Photography Blog

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, easy and fun, and is good practice for the real thing, so I’ve joined Skip at Bosque del Apache a couple times now. Here are a few photos from this year’s visit:

Snow geese in flight. Image ID: 26196   Species: Snow goose, Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

Sandhill crane in flight, wings extended. Image ID: 26197   Species: Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

Snow goose in flight. Image ID: 26199   Species: Snow goose, Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

Flock of red-winged blackbirds, in flight, blurred in time exposure. Image ID: 26200   Species: Red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

Sandhill crane in flight, wings extended. Image ID: 26202   Species: Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

Snow goose in flight. Image ID: 26203   Species: Snow goose, Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

Sandhill crane in flight, sunset. Image ID: 26204   Species: Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

A flock of snow geese in flight. Image ID: 26206   Species: Snow goose, Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

Snow goose in flight. Image ID: 26207   Species: Snow goose, Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

Snow goose bearing neck and leg research ID tags, in flight. Image ID: 26209   Species: Snow goose, Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque Del Apache, Socorro, New Mexico, USA

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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 the night to forage elsewhere during the day. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21806   Species: Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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 characteristics for a struggling bird photographer. The best ones I shot were taken on the final morning of our trip. This one was nearly at eye level, having just taken off from one of the crane pools shortly after sunrise.

Sandhill crane spreads its broad wings as it takes flight in early morning light. This crane is one of over 5000 present in Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, stopping here during its winter migration. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21797   Species: Grus canadensis Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21805   Species: Grus canadensis Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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 morning at one of the crane pools a large “fly in” of geese took place just as the sun was cresting the mountains in the distance. These were the same geese that had lifted off from the main impoundment pool, only to settle down again by the thousands in a new pool, backlit by a golden sunrise.

Snow geese resting, on a still pond in early morning light, in groups of several thousands. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21808   Species: Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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 place. Sometimes it occurs in near dark, while other times it happens after the sun has arisen. The snow geese will rest on still ponds overnight. As dawn approaches and light grows in the east, the geese will increase their calls. It sounds like a gigantic buzzing, passing through the flock, rising and then quieting only to rise again minutes later. Eventually, one goose is startled into flight, perhaps by an approaching coyote or hawk, in such a way that all its neighbors join it, and the blast off begins. Like a wave, many thousands of geese will rise, with a chaotic sounds some have likened to a passing train. Passing overhead, the geese make their way afield in search of foraging opportunities or simply to settle down again at another pond.

Snow geese at dawn. Snow geese often “blast off” just before or after dawn, leaving the ponds where they rest for the night to forage elsewhere during the day. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21800   Species: Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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 lenses. On our final morning, however, I took one last drive around the Farm Loop and found, to my surprise, a large gathering of snow geese just off the road, feeding in the near corn fields. Just two other photographers were there when I arrived. I am not much good at photographing birds in flight, they simply move too fast for me and I do not practice at it enough. However, after an hour and about 800 images, I was sure I had at least a few keepers: well composed (or at least well-enough) and sharp. About 25 photographers had gathered by the time the light was too harsh and I had to leave to catch my flight home.

Snow goose in flight. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21813   Species: Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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 cranes (Grus canadensis) would fly in to the pools to spend the night, arriving individually as well as in groups of a few to a few dozen. In the east the sky took on a rich gold color, deepest right along the edge of the hills that formed the eastern horizon from where we stood. I would shoot a few frames as the cranes sank lower in the sky on their approach, just as they passed through the best color before slipping into the dark below the horizon.

Sandhill cranes in flight, silhouetted against a richly colored evening sky. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21831   Species: Grus canadensis Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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 the road. The coyote seemed in no hurry, holding its position long enough that I was able to pull out my longest lens (which fortunately was already on my best camera body) and get in position to snap a few frames. Eventually I was able to lay myself and my camera on the ground to get this particular frame.

Coyote, pausing to look for prey as it passes through Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21803   Species: Canis latrans Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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 then head back to the refuge about 2:30 or 3pm to take a look at where any geese or cranes might be gathered, assess the winds and make our best guess as to where we should locate ourselves for sundown. On this particular day we found ourselves at 3pm at the south corner of the southernmost crane pool, watching the snow geese (Chen caerulescens) as they would take off in groups of a few dozen at a time. The high thin clouds, given a little pop in this photo with a polarizing filter, would provide some incredible color at sunset just a couple hours later.

Snow geese, and one of the “crane pools” in the northern part of Bosque del Apache NWR. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21811   Species: Chen caerulescens Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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 three sandhill cranes are silhouetted against deep gold light about 15 minutes after the sun went down behind the mountains.

Sandhilll cranes in golden sunset light, silhouette, standing in pond. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21798   Species: Grus canadensis Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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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 view his perfect image of yet another beautiful sunset at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA. Image: 21857   Species: Grus canadensis Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, New Mexico, USA View this Image in Google Earth!

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