A Travel Album: Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge

The magnificent high desert of New Mexico in December. Since 1930 the volunteers and Forest Service have maintained over 500 acres of ponds, canals and corn fields near San Antonio, New Mexico along the Rio Grande river. The Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge is a stopping point for thousands of Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese and other migrating birds as they move south. They sleep in the shallow ponds to avoid the coyotes, wildcats and other predators that also inhabit this pristine area. At dawn, a huge lift off occurs with thousands of birds squawking, honking and screeching as they jump into the air and fly in huge formations over to the cornfields where they feed all day. At dusk, they reverse their short commute and come back to the ponds. The refuge is largely maintained by volunteers. Water is moved around the refuge from the Rio Grande through a series of canals and gates to keep various ponds at the needed level for the birds. The days and nights are mostly clear, cold, dry and wonderful. The skies are bright blue and clear of pollution.