Bosque del Apache-- Where to go what to see.

I will be visiting Bosque del Apache the weekend before Thanksgiving and am wondering what to see,and where to go. Any one have and idea where I can get info and maps. Also are there hotels or other accomodations in the area.

Carroll

People usually stay in Socorro, 20 miles to the north. That is the weekend of the bird festival, so call now to try to find a room. There will be lots of people there, including me. :-) Go to the website, "Friends of the Bosque" (google it) for lots of info, also google "Socorro, N.M." for the towns site map, chamber of commerce info, etc.

It will be COLD. If you are from a warm clime, a parka and even warmer boots, also two or three layers of gloves. Last year was only in the low 20's, year before got down to 8 degrees F. That gets real cold, after about a half hour standing in the dark, waiting for the birds to move. I'm not kidding, my first year was misery (I'm from SoCal, so what do I know about New Mexico in the winter...it's the Southwest, right? How cold could it be?

Lucky you!! Bosque is a great place. Just Google it and you will find a wealth of information, including maps of the park. National Park services has information also. All you have to do is "follow the big lenses", they generally have the best places staked out. The "railroad ponds", on the east side before the park entrance are a favorite place at sunrise, on the west side of the road at sunset. The park itself is pretty self explanatory--find the people, you generally will find the birds. It is a wonderful place, I would go daily if I lived closer to it. Also, in Socorro, at the college there is a duck pond, can find some nice ducks there, it is off one of the main parking lots, sorry, exact directions probably can be obtained locally. Have a great time---and as previously noted, be prepared for cold!!!!

It's kinda expensive but when I went a few years ago I purchased Arthur Morris' Site Guide. It was extremely valuable for a complete newbie to Bosque (and bird photography for that matter).

http://www.birdsasart.com/siteguides.htm#BOSQUE%20SITE%20GUIDE%20NOW%20AVAILABLE!

Carroll: As noted above you can readily find information on the web and maps of the refuge. Early morning... If you want nice sunrise opportunities with birds, be near the "Flight Deck" (see a map - or find the people). If you want nice front lighting on cranes, be on the main entrance road looking west at ponds on the west side of the road. After sunrise, I'd suggest going to the boardwalk (on the Marsh loop road). Nice opportunities for Western Grebes, cormorants, etc. After that, I'd head north to the north end of the Farm loop. Note: If you continue south of the board walk on the Marsh loop road, it becomes a one way and you'll need to make the entire Marsh loop to get back. That is the likely place for many cranes and geese after they lift off from the water. I'd suggest that you be at the refuge and set up for sunrise 30 minutes before sunrise. I'll be there helping teach a class during the Festival of the Cranes week. Feel free to contact me to get the latest on the happenings at the refuge. It is a very enjoyable place.

The advice so far is good for the obvious Big White Birds, but there is so much more at Bosque del Apache that you should try to avoid the trap of following the workshop groups around. My best results on many trips to the refuge is to spend all day creeping around both loops in my car with my lens ready to shoot from the open window.

After all, "You can see a lot just by looking."

If you're into the ultra telephoto and close ups of birds, definitely like Keith said take the loop roads, there are blinds set up for bird watching at some stops which is helpful.

Have fun!

Watch along the side of the road on the South Loop its a great place to shoot Roadrunners.
Also watch in the brush etc for Kestrel and Merlin. If you locate a Golden eagle along one of the ponds its worth watching to see if he takes a duck off of the pond. You'll have a great time but it will be crowded the weekend your there. Also early in the morning I have shot some great images of deer, coyote, and turkeys.

I will be shooting with a Canon 50D,EFS 17-55 IS, 70-200 F2.8L IS and a 100-400 L. Will the 100-400 be long enough to make the trip worthwile.

Carroll

With the crop factor of the 50D and the 100-400 you should be OK. Don't miss the experience it great!