Bosque del Apache
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Snowgeese gather in the thousands to rest in the afternoon. They use this occasion to socialize before resuming feeding.
A flock of cranes are silhouetted against a cloudless sky as they fly back to their roosting grounds past sunset at Bosque del Apache.
Snowgeese fill the skies in late afternoon at the Bosque Del Apache NWR. The gregarious nature of these birds provide opportunities for dramatic images.
Cranes on the Rio Grande River at Sunset
Cranes and snowgeese gather to roost at sunset on the Rio Grande river. Cranes are the oldest birds alive today with fossil records going to nearly 3 million years back. It is humbling to realize that we are witnessing a scene from a prehistoric times.
A sandhill crane pair takes off to start the day at the Bosque Del Apache NWR. Cranes roost in large numbers, but unlike snowgeese, take off either in pairs or small numbers. Here, the rising sun made the background glow creating a complement to icy waters of the Rio Grande river.
Wintering sandhill cranes gather to feed and socialize on a harvested corn field in late afternoon at the Bosque del Apache NWR. While not as gregarious as snowgeese, socializing such as seen here is an important part of their daily lives. I liked the light from the setting sun, and the chaos and dust created by the cranes for a pleasing scene.
Sandhill Cranes Takeoff Abstract
A group of sandhill cranes take off past sundown to their roosting spot at the Bosque del Apache NWR. I was shooting long exposure panning shots and liked the combination of the cranes against the cornfield they were feeding on, especially in the evening light.
A Say's phoebe perches on a dried sunflower plant at the Bosque Del Apache NWR. I liked the complementary colors of the phoebe, the dried stalks and background in afternoon light.
Snowgeese Liftoff Abstract at Sundown
Snowgeese take off to roost after feeding and socializing at dusk at the Bosque Del Apache NWR. Snowgeese are highly gregarious birds and their flocks usually number in the thousands. Their liftoff in unison is accompanied by high pitch calls and rush of wings, and is a sight to behold.
Sandhill cranes land to join their feeding colleagues at a cornfield in the Bosque del Apache NWR. I particularly liked the dynamics in this image that conveys the social behavior of these birds as well as the chaos of feeding at end of the day before going to roost.
Sandhill Crane Banking to Land
A sandhill crane banks as it lands in a cornfield at the Bosque del Apache NWR. I liked the topwing view of the crane framed by the Chupadera mountains in background.
Snowgeese fill the evening skies at the Bosque del Apache NWR on their way to roost. Mountainous scenery and colorful skies in the area provide a setting for dramatic images at this location.
