From Dawn to Dusk at Bosque del Apache

Bosque del Apache is a great place to see and be amazed by migrating sand-hill cranes and snow geese during winter time. The following are some pictures we took during our Thanksgiving trip to Palo Duro Canyon and the Bosque Del Apache Wildlife Refuge. 

Sandhill Cranes leave their roosting area - shallow water around sunrise

They chirp loudly before they fly out. They fly out in small groups - 2 ~3 to 7 ~10 cranes

this group of cranes was late to fly out

After some "deliberation" they finally decided to take off

they flew higher and higher 

then they made a turn to the northwest for day time meal

As you can see from the photo, the Sun was behind me 

Thousands of snow geese were in a nearby pound and they flew out half an hour later

snow geese flew in hundreds 

some snow geese and sand hill cranes did not fly far, they stayed near the refuge at corn fields

there are many other birds in the refuge

thousands of snow geese landed in this pound in late morning

sand hill cranes and snow geese would go back to the same roosting area for the night before sun set.