Heading to Bosque Del Apache later this month for my first visit. Appreciate any information or recommendations. Local knowledge. Recent reports. Overnight accommodations nearby. Thank you
Bosque Del Apache
- Thread starter MalcolmP
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stay in socorro, NM. Lots of hotels.
Get there before sunrise, if it looks like a great sunrise (lots of color) go to the flight deck in the reserve. Otherwise try the ponds on the west side of the road at sunrise.
Loop is not long and you can drive it in 20-30 minutes. Lots of good animals (birds, especially) along the look. check out the quail at the visit center. Talk to the folks there.
Dress warmly, bring anything from wide angle for sunrise blast off shots to long lens (last time I had a 800 PF and was glad i brought it)
Get there before sunrise, if it looks like a great sunrise (lots of color) go to the flight deck in the reserve. Otherwise try the ponds on the west side of the road at sunrise.
Loop is not long and you can drive it in 20-30 minutes. Lots of good animals (birds, especially) along the look. check out the quail at the visit center. Talk to the folks there.
Dress warmly, bring anything from wide angle for sunrise blast off shots to long lens (last time I had a 800 PF and was glad i brought it)
I was at Bosque about 2 weeks ago and had a great time.
As Rich stated, Socorro is the closest town to the refuge. I stayed at an Air BnB so I wouldn't need to be tied to restaurants. The BnB was about $150/night had two bedrooms, a nice kitchen, and easy access to the main road in town.
Regarding the refuge, the crane numbers were down and the snow goose population was unpredictable. Cranes and geese are now roosting at high density at the refuge in Bernardo. You will see more birds than you can imagine at Bernardo, but the surrounding landscape is less compelling than Bosque.
Regarding Bosque, I found the North Loop Road to be the most productive. During my time, the mammal photography was more compelling than the birds. With that said, you can still do the classic "fire mist" shot with snow geese in the AM. You'll want to be about 1/2 mile North of the flight deck just before it becomes a one-way road. The mist is most striking if you can get a cold morning (15 deg F) without wind.
Have fun,
bruce
As Rich stated, Socorro is the closest town to the refuge. I stayed at an Air BnB so I wouldn't need to be tied to restaurants. The BnB was about $150/night had two bedrooms, a nice kitchen, and easy access to the main road in town.
Regarding the refuge, the crane numbers were down and the snow goose population was unpredictable. Cranes and geese are now roosting at high density at the refuge in Bernardo. You will see more birds than you can imagine at Bernardo, but the surrounding landscape is less compelling than Bosque.
Regarding Bosque, I found the North Loop Road to be the most productive. During my time, the mammal photography was more compelling than the birds. With that said, you can still do the classic "fire mist" shot with snow geese in the AM. You'll want to be about 1/2 mile North of the flight deck just before it becomes a one-way road. The mist is most striking if you can get a cold morning (15 deg F) without wind.
Have fun,
bruce
Hope you have a good trip. We drove through last August - no birds and hot. We would like to return when there is more to see. Yes, there were quail at the Visitor's Center!
The US Fish and Wildlife Service reports that the greatest numbers of birds at the refuge can be seen from early November to late January. Two photographers I’ve spoken with who go there most years agree.
DaveA
Member
My wife and I are in Socorro now through Saturday and were at Bosque this morning. Most of the Sandhill Cranes can be found along east side of the north loop, between the Willow Deck and Coyote Deck. The water is pretty far away from the road so it might not be possible to fill the frame with just one or a few birds; however, the background is very pleasing. Continue on around the the loop to the water just before the Observation Blind for Snow Geese. When we arrived this morning we started at the Flight Deck and found it to be lacking in numbers. Go up to Bernardo Waterfowl Management Area 20 miles north of Socorro for the best opportunities for candid BIF photos, but that location doesn't offer as beautiful background scenery as Bosque. There are a number of OK hotels in Socorro. We are at the Holiday Inn Express for the second time and find it fully satisfactory. The rooms include a free breakfast beginning at 6am, so you can grab something on your way out the door.
Bosque map:
Hope that helps.
Dave
Bosque map:
Hope that helps.
Dave
We were there just before Christmas. There were two White-tailed Kites there that were sighted along the northern loop. Keep your eyes open and you might see them. There is a pond called the Wetlands Roost that can have great morning light and desert mountains in the background. In the past there have been literally thousands of cranes there in the morning. This year it was more like 100, and one morning just one lonely crane. Last year I had heard similar reports before getting to Bosque, then there were 500 or more birds on this pond each morning when we got there. So, don't assume things will stay the same. Anyway, as others have said, the nortth loop is great. Thousands of Pintails and other ducks in the flooded fields. Snow Geesase are often on the move, so sometimes there are many, sometimes few. The Flightdeck in the morning is another spot that varied a lot while we were there. I got some great backlit shots of Snow Geesetand Ross's Geese there one morning. Javelina, Wild Turkeys, Road Runners, Deer, raptors and more are commonly seen on the north loop.
For sure it's worth it to venture north to Bernardo. With patience I was able to get some flight shots with nice backgrounds. Thee are many telephone polls, buildings, roads, etc that can clutter up your backgrounds. Heat haze was occasionally a problem for me, there. The corn stubble that the cranes forage in can be a little unnatural looking, I guess, but it's still impressive to see the huge gathering of 4-5000 birds. There are plenty of Snow Geese there, and I got some fun blow up pics and BIFs.
Finally, I suggest checking the air bnb spots in San Antonio. We have stayed at a nice, private casita the last three years that is only 3 miles or so from Bosque. There is a restaurant in San Antonio that serves basic but very good food called the Buckhorn. Great Chile , burgers, etc at very reasonable prices. We like Sofia's in Socorro for breakfast. Again, basic but very good at a fair price.
Hope that helps a bit. Good luck and have fun!
For sure it's worth it to venture north to Bernardo. With patience I was able to get some flight shots with nice backgrounds. Thee are many telephone polls, buildings, roads, etc that can clutter up your backgrounds. Heat haze was occasionally a problem for me, there. The corn stubble that the cranes forage in can be a little unnatural looking, I guess, but it's still impressive to see the huge gathering of 4-5000 birds. There are plenty of Snow Geese there, and I got some fun blow up pics and BIFs.
Finally, I suggest checking the air bnb spots in San Antonio. We have stayed at a nice, private casita the last three years that is only 3 miles or so from Bosque. There is a restaurant in San Antonio that serves basic but very good food called the Buckhorn. Great Chile , burgers, etc at very reasonable prices. We like Sofia's in Socorro for breakfast. Again, basic but very good at a fair price.
Hope that helps a bit. Good luck and have fun!
The US Fish and Wildlife Service reports that the greatest numbers of birds at the refuge can be seen from early November to late January. Two photographers I’ve spoken with who go there most years agree.
Thank you, All. Very helpful.
Headed there at the end of next week. Long range forecast looks good. Looking forward to it. Thanks again!
Have a great time
joe43
Well-known member
If your schedule permits it, try and plan for three days of sunrises, as changing weather conditions have a big impact on what you may get at sunrise. Try and get there and get set up one hour before sunrise and start shooting as the pre sunrise light can be just amazing. Your camera may capture more than what you can see. I prefer to set up to the right of the deck, with two cameras and two different lenses on tripods. One with a wide angle zoom like a 24-70mm and the other longer, like a 70-200mm . Having a 300mm can be good too for shots after sunrise.
Some of my best crane shots, especially flight shots, were taken in the afternoon at the Bernando location north of Socoroco. Make sure you get to visit this location.
This info was based on trips taken 5-8 years ago. I have not been back for about five years.
Some of my best crane shots, especially flight shots, were taken in the afternoon at the Bernando location north of Socoroco. Make sure you get to visit this location.
This info was based on trips taken 5-8 years ago. I have not been back for about five years.
Thanks, Joe. What you describe is consistent with my experience with Cranes at Whitewater Draw in southern Arizona. You’ve saved me a day or two with your local knowledge. Thank you.
A couple more thoughts - the pond at the universiity in Socorro. Also the ABQ zoo, the pond there has a Mandrian duck
I lived in Farmington in NW NM in 80’s and visited ABQ Zoo a number of times. It was good back then. But never ventured south of ABQ so looking forward to finally getting there.
Any recommendations for campgrounds near Bosque del Apache? I only see a few on the map close by and both are small. I'll be rolling through that area in the beginning of February and would love to spend 5 days at Bosque and the other parks near there. Thanks.
bkgeist
New member
Thanks for the information! I am headed to NM in early Feb, and appreciate the tips. Bruce G
The Econolodge in Socorro is great. Always clean, has everything you need and prices really well. I stay there often.