An incredible spectacle, witnessing thousands of birds lift off the pond at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is nothing short of majestic. The sounds and sights are breathtaking as Sandhill cranes, snow geese and ross’s geese provide visitors with an unforgettable experience. Located in New Mexico, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge sees its highest numbers of birds from early November to late January. Near dawn, the geese take off en masse in search of fields throughout the Middle Rio Grande Valley to feed in for the day. Smaller groups of sandhill cranes then leave the safety of the water for the same reason. Check the sunrise time and head to the visitor center to learn the most recent roosting and feeding sites, as they can change through the winter. Photo by Ian Shive, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
From late October through early spring, impressive flocks of snow geese and sandhill cranes lift off the pond with a cacophony of honking and wings beating furiously. Visiting Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico leaves most visitors in complete awe of the birds and their synchronicity. Today marks the first day of #NationalWildlifeRefuge Week! Join us in sharing stories and celebrating the vast network of lands and waters across the country that make up the USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System. Photo by Kristina Lauer (www.sharetheexperience.org).
It’s National Wildlife Refuge Week! National wildlife refuges are America’s best-kept secret – offering unparalleled opportunities to experience the great outdoors and providing vital habitat for thousands of species of animals and plants, both abundant and rare. With at least one national wildlife refuge in every state and territory (plus an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas), there’s a wildlife refuge nearby waiting to be explored. Photo Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico by Robert Dunn.
Fall foliage lights up the lakeshore at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. Along with changing leaves, late season sunflowers provide a colorful contrast to red-wing blackbirds that swoop and dart through grasses. The refuge protects a wide stretch of the Rio Grande river where sandhill cranes, geese and other waterfowl spend the winter each year. Photo courtesy of Robert Dunn via USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System.
Thousands of sandhill cranes are arriving at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico this month to winter in this safe and stunning area. These gorgeous birds can stand four feet tall and have a wingspan greater than six feet. Fascinating to watch, their social behavior includes at least 10 different types of calls, various threatening postures and elaborate dances for everything from joy to courtship. Yesterday marked the start of the world-renowned Festival of the Cranes, an annual event hosted by the refuge. Photo by Michael Tafoya (www.sharetheexperience.org).🐦
This afternoon Secretary Jewell will discuss her conservation vision for the country, noting that we have a moral obligation to act now to conserve and protect our national treasures for future generations and that some places are too special to develop. She will discuss efforts to strengthen the nation’s economy through healthy lands and waters, and will lay out steps Interior will take to engage the next generation.
To watch her speech live at 1:00 p.m. ET, go to press.org or tune in to C-SPAN3.
Photo from Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.
Privacy