Bernardo Refuge/Ladd Gordon Complex, NM

I’ve been down to the Bernardo about 10 or 12 times in recent weeks. It’s a really small tour loop at a bit over three miles, as I recall. The numbers of Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes are far higher than at Bosque, by my estimation. The fly ups (blast offs) are fantastic and often repeated. Flight shots are easy and still images aren’t really a challenge. There are plenty of cooperative Mountain Bluebirds both hovering and landed. I have seen several Kestrels and Northern Harriers, along with a few Mule Deer, Says Phoebes, Redtail Hawks, a few Gambel’s Quail and a roadrunner (normally there are more roadrunners). If you are in the area, I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you go to Bosque del Apache. I haven’t even bothered to go on down to Bosque in a while now. The number of visitors is still low at this time, but will increase when people become aware of it. Now is the time to be there before the migration starts. The road is currently in good shape and most visitors are in cars.

Joe

I keep hearing that Bosque isn't as good as it was 15-20 years ago, for photography. Maybe this place you speak of will become a sort of replacement for it. Thanks for mentioning what opportunities are available for species other than Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese. Many lifelong bird photographers already have thousands upon thousands of image files of those two species and are looking for something different to shoot.

The season has pretty much ended at Bernardo now. There were few cranes, no geese and bluebirds and only one kestrel and two Redtail hawks yesterday. Bosque has more Snow Geese and Sandhill cranes now due to the migration up from points south. The Snow Geese are filling the main road by the Flight Deck Pond picking up gravel/sand for their gizzards. The have been blocking the road for over a week now. There are tons of Starlings filling the trees and fields at certain times. Probably just one large flock. There has been an extremely cooperative Redtail near the Flight Deck for a couple of months now. He seems to love attention and has no fear. There is also a Roadrunner who hangs around at the intersection at the Rookery consistently.

Joe