Wildlife

Hi,
I'm trying to plan a trip to Bosque del Apache and it seems that the peak for the Sand Hill Cranes is late November but the peak for the Snow Geese is mid January. When would you recommend to go? Thanks!

Plenty of snow geese when we were there the week after Thanksgiving. Dress warmly.

Hello Sisel. I have been to Bosque in mid-December, mid-January, and early February. December was the best for me as there were plenty of Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese, Kestrels, hawks, and ducks including Cinnamon Teals and the Northern Pintails. Also, the throngs of November photographers had gone. Bosque is very popular in November and I've heard (hearsay only) that sometimes there's a lineup of cars at the entry and crowding at the best sites. January was good too but the numbers and diversity didn't compare to December. My early February visit was the weakest. No diversity and significant thinning of the big bird numbers. So I'd recommend early to mid-December as best for me and early to mid-January in second place.

And as Howard recommends, dress warmly! ;)

I concur with everything Jim mentions just above.