Conditions at Bosque del Apache have improved a bit in the past few days. After my last visit a week or so ago, I reported that about 85% of wetlands inside the refuge were dry. Some limited additional areas are now flooded. Thus, the dry amount has dropped to about 70%, but still drier than I have seen it in 20+ years, and many favored observation areas are dry.
Crops in the farm fields visible from the Marsh Loop were a total failure this year. However, since I was a few days ago, one large area has been disced, apparently exposing lots of invertebrates on which about 1,000 cranes were feeding today. Good views of cranes here, many very close to the road. So nice! In various other parts of the refuge, I observed roughly 300 additional cranes, so the birds are here.
I saw two large concentrations of snow geese, one visible from the Flight Deck, and another visible from the Coyote Deck. I observed probably 2,000 or 3,000 snow geese at these two locations.
An additional driving route (south of the farm fields from the Marsh Loop) not generally accessible to the public will be open from Nov 21 through Dec 11, although you will not be allowed to get out of your car on some portions of the route. I've not been on this route, so I can't say specifically where those spots might be or even what kind of habitat is there.
As I reported earlier, all three ponds on the main road into the refuge are flooded. These are good spots for morning and evening flight photography. However, the parking area for the railroad pond is closed, so I don't know what that means for photographers. I know the railroad doesn't want folks crossing the tracks, and despite repeated warnings, some continue to do it
I'll be here at the Bosque for three more days, so if conditions change, I'll report again.
Steve, it's 1200 miles from here, so a couple day's driving for me. I'll also stop at White Sands on the way through. I don't anticipate getting there before the 28th-29th.
Sandy
Thanks for the update - I will be there 25th - 26th.
Posted by Kurt Bowman on November 29, 2011 at 1:10 PM
I just got back from a 4-day trip. The water levels are a bit low in a few areas, but it isn't really impacting the bird count. When I left, here is the approximate counts:
Cranes - 15K
Light Geese - 56K
Ducks - 90K
The corn fields have been easy pickings win the evening for snow geese and the outer ponds have been terrific each morning. Good luck to whoever is going and bring lots of memory cards.
Discussion
5 repliesCrops in the farm fields visible from the Marsh Loop were a total failure this year. However, since I was a few days ago, one large area has been disced, apparently exposing lots of invertebrates on which about 1,000 cranes were feeding today. Good views of cranes here, many very close to the road. So nice! In various other parts of the refuge, I observed roughly 300 additional cranes, so the birds are here.
I saw two large concentrations of snow geese, one visible from the Flight Deck, and another visible from the Coyote Deck. I observed probably 2,000 or 3,000 snow geese at these two locations.
An additional driving route (south of the farm fields from the Marsh Loop) not generally accessible to the public will be open from Nov 21 through Dec 11, although you will not be allowed to get out of your car on some portions of the route. I've not been on this route, so I can't say specifically where those spots might be or even what kind of habitat is there.
As I reported earlier, all three ponds on the main road into the refuge are flooded. These are good spots for morning and evening flight photography. However, the parking area for the railroad pond is closed, so I don't know what that means for photographers. I know the railroad doesn't want folks crossing the tracks, and despite repeated warnings, some continue to do it
I'll be here at the Bosque for three more days, so if conditions change, I'll report again.
Sandy
I will also be there the day after Thanksgiving.
Steve
Sandy
Cranes - 15K
Light Geese - 56K
Ducks - 90K
The corn fields have been easy pickings win the evening for snow geese and the outer ponds have been terrific each morning. Good luck to whoever is going and bring lots of memory cards.