After visiting Bernardo WMA, we spent a few day south of Socorro to visit the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
Typical scenes of Sandhill Cranes feeding in fields at Bosque del Apache
American Kestrel
Snow Geese resting
Panorama of Snow Geese in a partly flooded field
Panorama of Sandhill Cranes in another flooded field
Canada Geese
A few Snow Geese
Geese flying in front of the nearly full moon
On our way back west, we spent a few days visiting some favorite wildlife refuges in central New Mexico. First was a few nights north of Socorro, New Mexico, to visit the Bernardo Wildlife Management Area, part of New Mexico's Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex.
On previous visits we've usually found a fair number of Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese and various ducks and miscellaneous other wildlife. On this visit we found many Sandhill Cranes and a few raptors, but not a single Snow Goose.
Juvenile Sandhill Cranes can be distinguished by the brown coloring on the top of the neck and head, and not having developed the red patch between their eyes.
