Bosque del Apache's Geese

This post is images of a few of the many of thousands of Geese at Bosque del Apache this past January.  By far the most numerous of the geese were the Snow Geese.  We also saw more Canada Geese this visit than we had before.

A few Snow Geese flying over the grain fields.

Looks like the Olympics synchronized flying event!

Lovely symmetry.

Coming at you!

That looks effortless.

It is amazing that they don't crash into each other.

This is a "Blue-Morph" Snow Goose in late afternoon light.

A nice alignment of flying Canada Geese.

One very handsome Canada Goose.

Miscellaneous Images from Bosque del Apache

This post is just a collection of different images from the Refuge.

We often saw flocks of blackbirds feeding in the grain fields along with the cranes and geese.  In flight they were fascinating  to watch, as a flock tended to move like some large, organic blob.  Some of the flocks had large numbers of Red-Winged Blackbirds.

There are a lot of Gambel's Quail in the area.  This well fed one was spotted at the refuge visitor's center.

This Northern Flicker was also spotted near the visitor's center.

This American Goldfinch was feeding on the dried thistles.

We often saw Mule Deer, including this nice buck.

Another one of the local coyotes prowling the refuge.

Ducks of Bosque del Apache

The largest number of wintertime visitors to the refuge appears to be the ducks.  When we visited this past January, they estimated that there were over 50,000 ducks at the refuge.  The refuge gets several species of ducks, which we are still learning to identify.

Northern Pintail in a frequently observed orientation

Northern Pintail

Ring-necked Ducks

Northern Shovelers were often seen feeding in tight clusters.

Mallards were fairly common.

I caught this Mallard as he was ducking his head under the surface to bathe.

American Wigeon

Lots of ducks (mostly Mallards) and Snow Geese were feeding in this grain field.  Something would startle them and they would all "explode" into flight.

Bosque del Apache's Sandhill Cranes

This post will just be a collection of images of a few of  the Sandhill Cranes that spend the winter in and around the refuge.

Bosque del Apache - January 2011

We are back at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge to start 2011.

We like the Bufflehead Ducks.

The colorful American Kestrel rarely sit still long enough for a picture.

This juvenile Bald Eagle was seen carrying its lunch.

"Am I not impressive?"

Gambel's Quail on lookout duty.

"Dang! I was seen."

Kestrel with attitude!

"Where's that darn roadrunner?"

The light was really too low for photography, but at least we saw some elk.

We always love the late afternoon light at Bosque del Apache.