Up Close, Personal, Great Blue Heron
Up close and personal Great Blue Heron in the Bosque del Apache, NWR, New Mexico. While we’re on the topic, I thought I would share an image of this different, more mature, Blue Heron. I have lots of images of these magnificent creatures. I’ll share more at some point in a later posts. The light source for this bird is the sun immediately after breaking over the horizon, the best kind spotlight. Thanks for looking. G
Great Blue Heron, Bosque del Apache, NWR
Great Blue Heron, in the Bosque del Apache, National Wildlfe Refuge, New Mexico. These birds have their own territories at the Bosque del Apache, so much so, that one can find them in the same spot from one year to the next. I swear I know this Great Blue Heron intimately after all my trips. Thanks for looking. G
Blackbirds, Bosque del Apache, NWR, NM
Blackbirds, sky-glyphs, at the Bosque del Apache, NWR NM. At the iconic National Wildlife Refuge the blackbirds write stories in the skies. Pages upon pages filled with stories. Thanks for looking. G
Monte Vista NWR, CO, Bosque Del Apache, NWR, NM
Monte Vista NWR, CO, Bosque Del Apache, NWR, NM. The Sandhill Cranes head south from the northwest corner of the San Luis Valley, Colorado into New Mexico. Following the Rio Grande, as it winds it’s way through canyons, ancient pueblos and thick cottonwood bosques (woods), they pass through the states largest city Albuquerque. Navigating this way as they have for thousands of years they arrive at the nations premier wildlife refuge. At the Bosque del Apache they settle in for the long winter. The first photo is at Monte Vista, Colorado, in the afternoon. The second photo is from early morning at the Bosque del Apache, New Mexico. Thanks for looking. G
Snow Geese, Flashback 2009, Bosque Del Apache, NWR
Snow Geese and moon, flashback to 2009 in the Bosque Del Apache, NWR. There were so many snow geese flying overhead, so I had a lot of opportunities to catch them in front of the moon as it was rising. I’m looking forward to making a number of trips to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge again this winter. As always thanks for looking. G
Western Red-Tailed Hawk, Bosque Del Apache
Western Red-Tailed Hawk, in the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Still going through the archives and finding more images that appeal to me. Thanks for looking. G
Evening Fly In Bosque del Apache
Evening fly in of Sandhill Cranes in the Bosque del Apache, National Wildlife Refuge. The symmetry of these creatures makes me marvel. One minute their wing stroke is all akimbo, followed by this beautiful synchronous attitude. Thanks for looking. G
Great Blue Heron In Flight
Great Blue Heron in flight, Bosque del Apache. I hope you’ll indulge me with a few more posts from the National Wildlife Refuge. This bird obliged by flying alongside the car. It was fun to watch it’s effortless flight and steadfast purpose. It fooled me at the last, as it banked swiftly to its right and over the car. Thanks for looking. G
Bosque Del Apache Reflections
Bosque del Apache reflections, San Antonio, NM. As the marshes fill and the cottonwood leaves succumb to the cold nights, the National Wildlife Refuge, becomes that “a refuge”. In a way it becomes a refuge for all who visit, wildlife and us humans. We certainly felt it this week in the Bosque del Apache, NWR. Thanks for looking. G
Great Blue Heron, Bosque del Apache
Great Blue Heron, Bosque del Apache. First he nailed a catfish, made short work of it, beating it and stabbing it into a vessel of broken bones and flesh before swallowing it whole. Carrying on his evening intent, he proceeded across the irrigation channel stalking a rat or perhaps a frog for dessert. We on the other hand had homemade fudge for dessert. Thanks for looking. G
Cottonwood Tree, Sandhill Cranes
Cottonwood tree and Sandhill Cranes, in the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, NM. Looking forward to the next three days here. Stay tuned and thanks for looking. G
Flight! Sandhill Crane, Bosque Del Apache
Flight! Sandhill Crane in flight at the Bosque del Apache. Very excited to make a trip next week, the first of many trips this season (as in numerous years past), to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico. Thanks for looking. G
The Marshes
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron stalking prey through the red willow in the marshes at the Bosque del Apache, NM. Here’s an image of the Heron and it’s prey. In this image from November 2007 he catches a fish at sunrise.
Sandhill Cranes, In Flight, Monte Vista NWR
Sandhill Cranes in flight at the Monte Vista NWR, Colorado. It’s always fun to make the two hour drive from Taos to Monte Vista. The National Wildlife Refuge is just south of the town of Monte Vista in the eastern San Luis Valley. There is plenty to see on the drive there and thousands of Sandhill Cranes are the payoff in the NWR at the end of the journey. That said … if we are lucky… the sunset on the Sangre de Cristo mountains on the drive home really makes for a spectacular finish to a day of photography. The Sandhill Cranes will be flying through there again in early March. That’s when we’ll make another trip north to spend time with them. Thanks for looking.
Morning in the Bosque del Apache, NM
