Bosque del Apache in late February

My wife and I are looking at a late winder early spring trip to Bosque del Apache. We're hoping to catch the cranes before they head north, but also pick up the beginning of the spring migration. Due to logistics with a big planting project I want to do this winter I was thinking of trying the second half of February. Is that anywhere near the right ballpark? If not, do you folks down that way have suggestions of when would be a better time?

Thanks for the help,

Hi Dennis,
I was there from February 17-20 last winter and it was excellent. I wouldn't want to put it any later than that though as birds are already leaving at that point. However, there were still many thousands of birds and the geese were often very close to the road in the main impoundment. There's a goose and crane number report that you can check through the Bosque Refuge website that lists the numbers and dates for previous years to get a feel for when most of the birds will be gone.

I have always heard (for the last 14 years anyway since I moved to the state) that you should try to get to the Bosque before Valentine's Day to get the largest number of cranes and geese. After that, depending on the weather, the winter birds begin to leave. However I would agree with Nate that at least until the end of the month there are still going to be cranes and geese there. I also find that in late January and into February before the birds leave they are even less skittish than when they first arrive in November. They all seem to have figured out that as annoying as we people are we mean them no harm. Although I am sure you'll be going to look for the cranes and geese don't forget all the other cool birds for whom the Bosque is or is near their northern most range. They can be fun to shoot. Maybe I'll run into you. I have made it my goal since my ability to travel open up a bit early last summer to try to make it to the Bosque at least once every 4-6 weeks (weather permitting). In any case I am sure you will have a wonderful shooting experience while there.

Dennis, check out the Friends of the Bosque website for the dates, try..

http://www.friendsofthebosque.org/birdcounts.pdf

you will see the graphs of birdcounts for each month over the last few years, most birds are gone by the end of February I think so might have to be careful which dates you choose. Right now there are 6000 cranes down there and gazillions of snow geese.

Dennis

If your principal interest are the cranes you might consider Kearney, NE or Alamosa/Monte Vista, CO. The crane populations generally peak in both areas by mid March, which would give you a little more time.

George Secor
Englewood, CO

Thanks for the comments thus far.

George: The cranes are just part of what I'm interested in. We are looking at Nebraska, but not this year.

Dennis, you might check Art Morris' site and blog (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/). The second article is about Bosque this year. Morris has been going there for 15 consecutive years now.