jan 12 20-n-119 Sunrise of Snow Goose flying in alternate directions (Anser caerulescens) at the flight deck, Bosque del Apache NWR in San Antonio, NM. (11 degrees am)

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Sandhill cranes take to the air at sunrise at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in San Antonio, New Mexico. Each morning the sandhill cranes and snow geese leave the water and fly out to the fields, where they search for leftover grain and insects to eat. Each year thousands of people travel to watch this spectacle, and I sometimes wonder if the birds come here to watch us too!

Sandhill cranes fly across the sky during the Midwest snowstorm this past Sunday. The weather made for a messy driving day and was the culmination of several days of severe cold weather in New Mexico. The birds didn't seem to mind, though, at times, the wind did make it difficult for them to navigate. Their normal fly-in and fly-out patterns seemed to change too, as they negotiated the refuge seeking out areas that were less windy. Falling snow can make photography difficult, as autofocus can frequently be rendered useless. Overcoming the challenges can be rewarding when shooting in adverse weather.

I wonder if these birds waited a while because the lead bird was trying to get rid of its ice bracelet before takeoff.

This pair took off just as the first sun reached the pond

Snow Goose fly-in at the Flight Deck at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

jan 12 20-326 Big Bend slider (Trachemys gaigeae) or Mexican Plateau slider at Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge - San Antonio NM

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As the sun rose over the tree tops along Route 206 I headed southward toward Hammonton, anticipating a beautiful morning shoot at the rookery in Ocean City. From the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of this Red-tailed Hawk perched along the side of the road, basking in the sun's warm glow. I had to stop to take a few photos, of course. Although Red-tailed Hawks are fairly common, it is rare to see one willing to sit for more than a few seconds. True to form, he flew off a few seconds after I arrived to find another peaceful sky, free from human intrusion. It is strange and somehow sad that so many of these birds will tolerate cars and truck racing by, however, when a person comes into view they flee the area. #iLoveNature #iLoveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #NewJersey #Nature in #NorthAmerica #America #USA #DrDADBooks #Canon #FindYourPark #FYPyes #RedTailedHawks #WildlifeConservation

As I arrived at the refuge before sunrise in thick fog, I didn't think it would be a good morning for photography, but I ended up capturing some of my favorite images of the trip in this in this wonderful atmosphere.

Snow Goose landing at Bosque Del Apache NWR back in 2010. This is from the archives. This is an immature goose, as indicated by the dark mottling on the back and neck.

I'm kinda' lucky that I got this shot composed fairly well, because trying to find them quickly as they approach, viewing through that bazooka, was certainly a stroke of luck!

Generally I have better success with flight photos using my handheld 70-200 mm f/4L IS lens + the 1.4x TC II. That combination yields 280 mm focal length, and if you include the 7D's 1.6x crop factor, an equivalent field of view of close to 500 mm focal length. The 500 mm lens + 1.4x TC and the 1.6x crop factor yields an equivalent 1120 mm!

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My husband took this on one of the most beautiful mornings I can ever remember.

The chill in this morning's air has me thinking of winter and all the marvelous creatures I've had the pleasure of meeting. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge sits in the town of San Antonio, New Mexico. It is a favorite stop-over for sandhill cranes on their southerly migration from North America. It is also a favorite stop for people who enjoy watching sandhills. The beauty of New Mexico and the proximity of some of the birds makes for a perfect mix. Add to that the amazing sunrises and sunsets and picking the colors for your photographic palette just means picking a time of day and a direction to shoot. In this photo, sandhill cranes fly out from the water where they have spent the night, to the fields to hunt for grain. They are magnificent birds that have graced this continent with their travels for millions of years. That means that they have been doing this long before mankind ever set foot on this earth. It is an ancient ritual that has been programed to replay itself each year. #ILoveBirds #ILoveNature #ILoveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #NewMexico #Nature #Bird #Birding #SandhillCranes #Sandhills #Photography #Picoftheday #Photooftheday

Had some time yesterday to go through more images from December's trip to Bosque del Apache.

Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) feeding in a corn field. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Socorro Co., New Mexico.

jan 12 20-n-814 Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) at Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge - San Antonio, NM.

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I don't know what was said but suddenly there was a huge cackling commotion and the air was full of snow goose. It would have been a perfect opportunity for a video but since what I carry is a still camera, I rarely think to use it as a video camera until somebody (in this case Mrs M) tells me "that would have made a great video!"

Doh!

So here are three shots sort of summing it up with a few detail shots to follow.

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We had no plans for Thanksgiving except to stay home in the unseasonable cold so Mrs M took a few personal days off. Armed with reservations via Hotwire (you never know what you're going to get) and a rental car, we set out for a new 6 days, 7 nights adventure.

First stop: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. It's an old favorite, especially when the cranes and snow geese are in town. This stop didn't disappoint, there were plenty of birds, and we hit it at the end of the Festival of the Cranes, which we usually seem to miss.

Snow Goose fly-in at the Flight Deck at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

Sandhill Crane (canadensis), Antigone canadensis canadensis, 116.84 cm. / 46 in. Taking to the air after a cold night with feet frozen by ice while roosting in the north crane pond.

Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, Socorro County, New Mexico, USA.

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Bosque Del Apache NWR

Northern pintail ducks take off from the "flight deck" at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, in San Antonio, New Mexico. Pintails are large dabbling ducks. The elongated central tail feathers on the male give rise to its name.

Bosque del Apache's "Festival of the Cranes" begins this week. Cranes are not the only animals you can see at this wonderful refuge. A USA Today reader's choice survey just voted Bosque del Apache amongst the top birding locations in the country. It's well worth the trip! #ILoveNature #ILoveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #NewMexico #BosquedelApacheNWR #Wildlife in #America #Nature #Canon #Bringit #DrDADBooks #Photography #Picoftheday #Photooftheday

...at Bosque del Apache NWR. Here mule deer share the landscape with Sandhill cranes and snow geese.....according to a Wildlife Refuge worker, this was a bit of an unusual scene.

Digiscoped using manual focus

Like the first fly-out, small groups of geese started to trickle out. Was today going to be another bust?

In Bosque del Apache, looking for the roadrunner and waiting for the fly-in to start.

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December 26, 2012 - Getting away for the holidays, and interrupting the posting of the Thanksgiving photos, which interrupted the posting of the summer photos. It's going to be a long Winter, maybe I'll catch up...

White rump, owl-like facial disc is distinctive in all ages and both sexes. Male in grayish above. Female is brown above, whitish below, with black wing tips. Females are larger than males. Harriers generally perch low and fly close to ground, wings upraised in a shallow V-shape looking for food. The bird is a typical harrier in that it hunts by searching the ground in low, fast gliding flight.This method enables the bird to surprise small or disabled birds, small rodents, and large insects.

Nikon 200-400mm f/4G lens, x1.4m f/8, 1/2000s, ISO 640

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Without doubt, sandhill cranes can be observed and photographed in a number of locations throughout North America, however, most places don't provide the inspiring surroundings that one sees in New Mexico's Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. These, most noble of birds, mate for life, and that can mean several decades. They have existed on this planet for over two and a half million years, with some of the earliest fossil records unearthed in Florida. Once you have heard their unique call, you will never forget it. It is a sound that seems to echo through time. #ILoveBirds #ILoveNature #ILoveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #NewMexico #Nature #SandhillCranes #Sandhills #Cranes #Photography #Picoftheday #Photooftheday

I am just now going through the videos I shot at Bosque del Apache last November, and saved this frame from a clip I shot just as the first sun reached the cranes, and seconds before the lead bird took flight. Editing the "Beyond Grace" video the last few days has me really missing my time spent with the Sandhill Cranes at both Bosque and Viera Wetlands.

Sandhill crane in flight calling to its compatriots before landing at Bosque Del Apache NWR in New Mexico.

These cranes were flying overhead one after the other, landing in a field planted in corn.

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Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge