Traveling to Bosque Del Apache Apr 4-7

I'm going to Bosque Del Apache in a couple of weeks Apr 4th - 7th and would greatly appreciate any advice I could get. I shoot wildlife, landscapes, painting with light (so abandoned/ghost town type buildings would be cool) I am going to meet a friend there who is interested in song birds. I would love to get a Bald Eagle and Cattle Egret and a nice sunset shot. Any help would be great I'm coming from Long Beach California so if your planning on coming this way I could help you out with some locations in return. Thanks Roger P.S. here's a recent shot taken at Bolsa Chica..

I may go down tomorrow. If I do, I'll let you know how it's looking. I went down on March 6th and things were in transition at that time. There were a few hundred Snow and Ross's geese and 4 Sandhills hanging around. I also saw Javelina, Mule Deer, an extremely cooperative Great Blue Heron, ducks and many turtles. Last week, there were still flocks of around a hundred Sandhills passing over, according to refuge personnel. Around this time, you should find White-faced Ibis, White Pelicans, American Avocets, Wilson's Snipe, Rio Grande Wild Turkeys, American Kestrals, Cattle , Great and Snowy Egrets, and quite a few other things. No Bald Eagles are likely to be found there now. There were a ton of White Crowned Sparrows hanging around the visitor center, as well as some White-winged Doves and Red-winged Blackbirds. The hummingbirds should be getting there soon.
You can get updates occasionally at their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/BosquedelApacheNWR 

or the Friends website:

http://www.friendsofthebosque.org/aboutrefuge.html

You can call the Visitor Center for updates, as well, at (575)835-1828.

Kelly is a ghost town to the west near Magdalena. It may not be accessible at this time of year. Here is a link to NM Ghost Towns:

https://www.newmexico.org/nm-adventures-ghost-towns/

This image of White-faced Ibis was taken on April 15:
And this Cattle Egret was taken April 1:

Joe

Joe, Thank's for the very informative reply seeing the images you provided is getting me excited to go. White Faced Ibis are beautiful and I haven't taken the photo of them that I love yet (tack sharp showing all the iridescent color that they are capable of). Let me know if you go down and also if you know anything about songbird locations for my friend. Thanks again

If you are driving there I suggest you break the trip up as it is a long drive from LA.  We normally hit Sierra Vista Arizona on day one and shoot at the San Pedro River Audubon House.   Cardinals, Pyrrhuloxia, wood peckers, nuthatches, and hummies are pretty thick there. 


The next day we hit Socorro, check into a hotel and then shoot sunset at Bosque.  Sandhill Cranes are pretty much the biggie there. 

Going any place with the idea "I am going to get this" can be frustrating.  I shoot the hell out of whatever is there rather than search for something specific.

In Socorro there is a McDonald's for cheaping out and the Socorro Brewing Company is nice on a bigger budget, and the new Twisted Chili is epic.  Best Western is affordable.  Holiday Inn is about $120 but you get a computer lab, a jacuzzi, and most importantly, the free breakfast lounge is open 24/ 7, not with the full buffet, but they have coffee and goodies, so you can hit it at 5 am and wire up on coffee, then get sunrise at Bosque.

In Socorro you can shoot the old Catholic Church, and there is a little duck pond at the New Mexico Tech College.   

 

Hey Roger
If the ibis are there, they are usually cooperative. Songbirds can be found anywhere on the refuge. The Bosque is always changing and the birds come in at different times. Some are only passing through on their way north. The cranes, from what I understand, are mostly passing by right now, and should not be counted on. You probably won't see any. Right around the visitor center is really a pretty good place for many songbirds. They have a small drip and pond just outside a window that attracts many birds. The birds also hang around the bushes all around the visitor center and be sure to check out the arboretum for others. This is right next to the visitor center. The personnel in the visitor center have a wealth of information, and especially Kathy. Here's a shot of a White-faced Ibis, also taken on the 17th of April. I won't post any more images, since this is not a forum for that, but I think it may build up your anticipation to get to this great place. Joe

Steve thanks for the info but I am flying in.

SantaFeJoe wrote:I may go down tomorrow. If I do, I'll let you know how it's looking. 


Joe

Hey Joe,
  I was wondering if you went to Bosque and what was around?

I did go down, but I came back at 10:30 and was tired so I didn't post anything. I saw quite a few different birds and copied a list of entries of what had been spotted there in the last few days from the reports at the office. I saw about 20-30 Cattle Egrets, a pair of Vermillion Flycatchers, tons of ducks (lots of Cinnamon Teal, Shovelers, Mallards, Ruddy Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks), several Black Phoebes, Say's Phoebes, 4 Roadrunners, cormorants, 2 Great Egrets in breeding plumage, a Black-crowned Night Heron, Kestrals and hawks, about 7 Rio Grande Turkeys, Mourning and White-wing Doves, Redwings, Turkey Vulture, a lot of White-crowned Sparrows, etc. I also saw several Mule Deer, a Striped Skunk, about 8 Javelina , and a Desert Cottontail. Keep in mind that I got there around 3PM and left at about 7:30, so I really didn't spent much time there.

The list from the office, going back to about March 20, included American Avocets, Vermillion Flycatchers, Spotted Towhees, Western Meadowlarks, cormorants, Swainsons Hawk, Black Phoebe, Chirping Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Turkey Vultures, 10 Sandhill Cranes, Great Blue Heron, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Osprey, Black-necked Stilt, Indigo Bunting, Pyrrholoxia, Green-tailed Towhee, Greater Yellowlegs, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Peregrine Falcon, Rock Wren, Black-crowned Night Heron, Hooded Merganser, 1 Bald Eagle, Wilson's Snipe, Bonaparte's and Ring-billed Gulls, and Pine Siskin. Many people don't report their sightings (like me!!!).

I did talk to Cathie (spelling was incorrect above) at the visitor center and told her you may be looking her up for info on the birds. She said to ask for her. She had a lot of info and locations for diferrent things, especially where the Vermillion Flycatchers were hanging around.  Don't forget to take insect repellent, since the mosquitos are starting to get heavy. They were not bad yet, but at dusk they come out heavy as the season progresses. Hope this helps.

Joe

Joe thanks for the information and for taking the time to reply, it's greatly appreciated!

Hey Roger
This building is just south of San Antonio on your way into Bosque. It is across from a railroad lot and piles of railroad ties. It might be one you'd be interested in painting with light.

http://www.naturescapes.net/forums/view ... 6&t=250718

Here's a bit of info on buildings in the area:

http://rozylowicz.com/retirement/san-an ... tonio.html

Joe

Thanks Joe,
It's funny the last city I lived in was called San Pedro same as the one in the link you sent.

Some news for those of you who haven't been to Bosque lately. The willows and brush has been mowed down entirely and burned between Willow Deck and the "Seasonal Tour Route". If it doesn't grow back a lot (it does grow rapidly) before winter, or is kept mowed, it will open up the view very nicely to the fields that the two decks (Coyote and Willow) overlook. This would be nice when the fields are flooded for sunset shots. The Salt Cedar has been removed and piled up to burn just north of the north end of the two-way portion of the road near the Flight Deck for about a quarter mile or so. This area is very open now.

Joe