Stephen Ingraham (who?)

the unofficial site for birders and digiscopers using Zeiss equipment.

Festival of the Cranes: Bosque del Apache NWR

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge has always been one of my favorite places: dating back to before I was really a birder. It is just such a spectacular setting, with such a spectical of wildlife: 35,000 Snow Geese; 15,000 Sandhill Cranes; thousands of wintering ducks; raptors in abundance, from Bald Eagles to Kestrels and (this year) Aplamado Falcons; Gambel's Quail and Rufous-sided Towhee at the Visitor's Center; Roadrunners...well, running the roads of the tour loop.

This year was the 20th Festival of the Cranes (FOC). The innitial FOC had the attraction of a few fostered Whooping Cranes, back when the future of Whoopers was in real question, but it was really always about the grandure of the place, and as the hope of the Whoopers establishing themselves with the Sandhills faded, the festival keep on strong.

Weather in November in New Mexico is anything but predictable. I've been at FOCs in rain, sleet, and snow...but this year brought 5 perfect days: brilliant sunrises (against which the Snow Geese and Cranes flew out to pasture up and down the valley for the day); lovely Rio Grande sun and skies during the day...lighting up the remaining yellow cottonwood leaves and brushing the fields with gold...drawing the blue out of the ponds and impondments; and amazing sunsets (against which the Snow Geese and Cranes flew back to roost for the night on the refuge).

My flickr site has over 100 shots, both digiscoped closeups of the birds, and more scenic shots of the refuge itself. I have even included two short video clips to capture the sights and sounds of the place: because, of course, the sight of 5000 Geese in a field is at least equaled by the sound of them, and you can't really appreciate a startled flock taking flight without the sound.

So enjoy.