Birds of Bosque del Apache
Pink morning glow
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 02, 2021: A Sandhill Crane fishes his reflection in the pink glow of the early morning sky.
From Sandhill Cranes
EarlyMorningReflection
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 02, 2021: The glassy water is barely disturbed as the Sandhill Crane gently steps into the early morning light.
From Sandhill Cranes
Cranes Having a Conversation
Bosque del Apache, New Mexico, FL, U.S. - February 3, 2021: Two Sandhill Cranes appear to be having a bit of a conversation, maybe a dispute?
From Sandhill Cranes
Upside Down
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 03, 2021: This little Goldfinch is going to great lengths for some seeds.
From Songbirds
Sandhill Cranes in flight
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 04, 2021: Three Sandhill Cranes fly together. The two leading the way are most likely the parents, leading the way for their younger one. Young cranes will stay with their parents for 10-12 months until time for the breeding pair to lay their next clutch of eggs.
From Sandhill Cranes
Pretty but shy
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 04, 2021: A Pintail Duck swimming in the pond. These ducks are quite shy which makes them difficult to photograph, but their markings are so refined and pretty.
From Ducks
Pretty but shy
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 04, 2021: A Pintail Duck swimming in the pond. These ducks are quite shy which makes them difficult to photograph, but their markings are so refined and pretty.
From Ducks
Plucking out a fish
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 05, 2021: A Great Blue Heron plucks out one of the last surviving fish from the muddy water bog.
From Herons
Surveying the mud puddle
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 05, 2021: A Great Blue Heron surveys the muddy bog for any surviving fish.
From Herons
Red-tailed Hawk
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: We saw this Red-tailed Hawk sitting on this tree several times as we drove through Bosque del Apache. This time he stayed long enough for this photograph. A good way to tell from a distance if it's a Red-tailed Hawk is that from the back it will look like a brown football.
From Hawks
Taking off
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: The Red-tailed Hawk takes off from his branch.
From Hawks
Majestic pose
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: His majestic wingspan looks like a cape as this red-tailed hawk takes to flight.
From Hawks
On the Hunt
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: A Red-tailed Hawk soars over the trees in Bosque del Apache
From Hawks
Dancing in the Twigs
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: A Red-tailed Hawk appears to be dancing among the light branches as he prepares to take- off in flight.
Landing Gear Down
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: A Red-tailed Hawk prepares to land in Bosque del Apache
From Hawks
Masked Red-tail
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: His shadow provides a mask as this guy soars like a stealth bomber over the trees.
From Hawks
Fishing the mud hole
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: This pond is drying up rapidly as there has been little precipitation from rain or snow melt to sustain the water levels. It's a stinky place with dying fish. In this image, a Great Blue Heron has plucked out one of the survivors from the muddy bog.
From Herons
A sad reflection of climate change
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: This muddy bog was once a lovely pond thriving with wildlife. Now, with limited water resources due to scarce rainfall and lower snowmelt levels, the refuge has had to limit the bodies of water it can sustain. Unfortunately, this pond has been allowed to dry up. In this image, a Great Blue Heron picks out a surviving fish among the stinking carcasses which litter the muddy water.
From Herons
Great Blue Heron plucks out one of the few survivng fish in the mud puddle.
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: This muddy bog was once a lovely pond thriving with wildlife. Now, with limited water resources due to scarce rainfall and lower snowmelt levels, the refuge has had to limit the bodies of water it can sustain. Unfortunately, this pond has been allowed to dry up. In this image, a Great Blue Heron picks out a surviving fish among the stinking carcasses which litter the muddy water.
From Herons
Slim Pickins
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: A Great Blue Heron stands in the muddy bog, selecting one of the few surviving fish for his breakfast.
From Herons
Fishing the mud hole
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: A Great Blue Heron has plucked out a stinky fish for his breakfast out of the muddy bog.
From Herons
Stinky Breakfast
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: A Great Blue Heron has plucked out a stinky fish for his breakfast out of the muddy bog.
From Herons
Flying in Formation
Bosque del Apache, NM, U.S. - February 06, 2021: Sandhill Cranes fly together towards their evening rest in the pond.
From Sandhill Cranes
A Family of Sandhill Cranes
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 19, 2021: These 3 Sandhill Cranes are most likely a family unit. The parents stay in a monogomous relationship year after year laying 1-3 eggs every nesting season with usually only one surviving. The colt will stay with the parents until the spring when it finally goes out on its own.
A Pair of Sandhill Cranes
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 19, 2021: A pair of Sandhill Cranes make their way to their nighttime resting place.
A Thick, Dark Blanket
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 20, 2021: The number of Redwinged Blackbirds creates a thick, dark blanket over the pond almost obscuring the mountains in the backgroud.
Red-winged Blackbird Choreography
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 20, 2021: The tight cylinder of Redwinged Blackbirds disbands as something disturbs their unity.
Can You See the Funnel Shape of the Birds?
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 20, 2021: As the birds disperse, they continue their flight in a larger arc in the sky.
An Explosion
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 20, 2021: The tight cloud of Redwinged Blackbirds explodes from their tight circumfence to swarm in a cylindrical fashion above the ground.
A Cloud of Red-winged Blackbirds
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 20, 2021: A group of Redwinged Blackbirds is called a Cloud, a Cluster or a Merl and for good reason. Here you can see a tight cluster, resembling a cloud, of the birds swarming over the small pond.
Birds? Bees? Insects?
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 20, 2021: A group of Redwinged Blackbirds has taken flight in a tight cloud formation almost resembling a balloon.
Flying In
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 20, 2021: Two Sandhill Cranes make their approach to the daily feeding grounds in Bosque del Apache.
Runway Approach
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 20, 2021: It's a tight landing zone as a Sandhill Crane comes in to land among the other ducks, geese and birds feeding in the water.
A Cloud of Red-winged Blackbirds
Bosque del Apache, NM, United States - November 20, 2021: The tight cloud of Redwinged Blackbirds almost obscures the background behind them.