Bosque del Apache: A Nature Lover's Winter Wonderland
Hundreds of Snow Geese take to the air at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
The sun had yet to peek above the distant Oscura Mountains, but the otherwise placid ponds of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge already hummed – or, rather, honked – with activity. The trilling bugle of dozens of massive gray Sandhill Cranes joined the calls of hundreds of Snow Geese in seeming celebration of a reunion many months and miles in the making.
On one pond’s banks, near a boardwalk aptly named The Flight Deck, dozens of human visitors propped up tripods and affixed footlong lenses to scopes and cameras. The sky lightened from gray to pale blue. The moment drew near.
And then in a flurry of wings that sounded more like a jet engine, the flocks took to the sky. Shutters snapped. Oohs and ahs joined the cacophony. For a couple glorious minutes, the sky darkened again with the silhouettes of soaring creatures. Moments later, as the din subsided, the sun crested the horizon.
To visit Bosque del Apache, a world-renowned sanctuary that draws thousands of birding enthusiasts each year from every corner of the globe, is to experience the closest thing in North America to an African safari. Around every corner, through every hedge, in every field, a new discovery. A troupe of pig-like javelinas scrounging for breakfast. A Red-Tailed Hawk alighting on a Cottonwood tree. Mating calls. Migrations. Dozens of species’ footprints mingling in the sand.
Whether you’re a birder or a broad-strokes nature enthusiast, Bosque del Apache has a majesty not worth missing.
WHAT TO SEE
If you’re visiting in winter, arrive early – that is, pre-sunrise – to catch the migratory birds’ mass ascension. Then, as the sun creeps up, head south along the loop road and stop off at The Boardwalk, a raised wooden walkway that wends through towering marsh grasses. If you luck out, you can peer across the partially parched, sandy marsh to catch a glimpse of American Pelicans fishing in deeper waters. Farther around the road, visit the Rio Viejo loop, a family-friendly jaunt through Cottonwood forests. Listen for the hammering of ladder-backed woodpeckers and the song of the yellow warbler. You might even spy a herd of elk or a family of funny little javelinas.
The visitors’ center is worth a visit after it opens at 9 a.m. Learn about the preserve’s more than 340 species of birds – some of which travel more than 3,000 miles from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to overwinter in the bosque. Peer out the picture window and you’re likely to spot quails at the birdfeeder.
WHEN TO GO
The most exciting time to visit is between November and February, when thousands of migratory birds return to wait out the winter. But really any time is magical in the bosque. You’ll see wild turkeys and fiery colors in fall, Bald Eagles in winter, wildflowers in spring. The ecosystem supports more than just birds. Scores of other species, including Mule Deer, bobcats, coyotes, elk and Mountain Lions make their home here.
If you’re lucky enough to visit New Mexico in early December, don’t miss the Festival of the Cranes, a three-day celebration of the refuge’s most famous resident, the Sandhill Crane, with its impressive mating display and shock of red head feathers. The event features myriad ranger talks, photography excursions, hikes and other activities.
NOW, ABOUT THAT BURGER…
We would be derelict in our foodie duties if we neglected to highlight an exceptional burger just down the lane from the refuge. The Original Owl Bar & Café in San Antonio is a wood-paneled wonder with a green chile cheeseburger revered in some circles as the state’s best. Stop off on your way out of town and order the burger with a side of onion rings. You can’t go wrong. An Albuquerque sister restaurant, Owl Café, is worth a visit if San Antonio isn’t in your itinerary.
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