Where is Bosque del Apache?
33° 48' 01"N
106° 53' 31"W
Those are the GPS coordinates to the NWR entrance. From Socorro, New Mexico drive south on I-25
for about 7 miles. Just follow the signs. When you exit the interstate you still have a good 10-15
minutes of driving. After exiting the interstate, drive back across the freeway and make a right at
the flashing yellow light by the Owl Bar. Stay on that road until you come to the refuge entrance.
Note that if you're there at the right time, you will pass a few ponds that may be quite
populated with snow geese and/or sandhill cranes.
When is the best time to go and what's the weather like then?
From mid-December to mid-February. President's Day weekend
is about the end of the main season. The rangers say they have shorebirds and songbirds at other times of the
year, but they also have mosquitos.
The predawn winter morning can be quite chilly, so wrap up well. During the day temps will get into the 50s
so you'll be able to shed the jacket and maybe a layer or two.
What kind of birds will I see?
During the prime winter season you will see tens of thousands of ducks, sandhill cranes, and snow geese.
You will also see different types of raptors and bald eagles. Many other types of birds stop at the refuge,
those are just the highlights.
Do they have other animals?
I've seen muskrat, coyote, deer, and turtles to name a few.
When do the snow geese lift off?
Usually just before dawn. Get there when it's dark, because it's disappointing to be racing down the approach
road to the park and see the flock in the air already. If you do just miss them, watch where they go - sometimes
they just move to another pond. Just inside the refuge the main pond is to the left (north), and at the far end
of the pond they've built a flight deck into the water for the best view.
Why do the birds spend the night in the ponds?
That's the safest place. A coyote makes a lot of warning noise splashing through the water.
Why do the birds winter at Bosque?
Because there's food. The US government maintains corn crops on the edges of the driving loop that feed many of
the birds. During the day you might find the ponds empty because the flocks are eating in the fields.
