Sandhill Crane - VI

The last of the "5" Star Sandhill Crane photos comes from Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. 

The Rocky Mountain population of greater sandhill cranes is the most abundant subspecies that winters in the Bosque del Apache. They are the largest of all the sandhills, standing four feet tall with a wing span greater than six feet. The immature cranes are mostly rust colored their first year, after which they turn mostly gray with a red facial patch. All in all about 30,000 Sandhill Cranes at Bosque del Apache during the winter months.

Sandhill Crane

Bosque del Apache

It's January and that means winter migratory birds are in abundance, especially the Sandhill Cranes. Here in Arizona they like the area around the Willcox Playa, and in particular Whitewater Draw (which I have talked about before).  In New Mexico, they like Bosque del Apache. The BdA wildlife refuge is 58,000 acres ranging from 4500 to 6000 feet in elevation. Although it only gets 7 or so inches of rainfall per year there, the Rio Grande flows right through the middle creating several "lakes" or ponds.  What I like about photographing at BdA is that it is easy to get close to the cranes. I had to actually "zoom out" to get this photo. Most of these winter locations have Canada Geese, Ross' Geese, Snow Geese, and sometimes White Fronted Geese, plus thousands of ducks. It really is a wonderful experience complete with the sounds -- loud sounds of nature's squawking and quacking birds.