Dawn at Bosque del Apache

Left at the ridiculously early time of 5am, stopping to get a coffee and breakfast burrito along the way and arrived at Bosque del Apache half an hour later. We parked up at the Flight Deck viewing platform and waited in the freezing cold darkness for the first rays of dawn to lighten the horizon. In fact within ten minutes it was getting visibly lighter and you could make out the silhouettes of Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese out on the lake. 

Sandhill Cranes at dawn.

A crescendo of noise was emanating from the near-darkness and around 6am it was light enough to scope the birds. We were stood with several photographers from around the world (including Japan) to witness the spectacle of the morning dispersal of thousands of birds and we were not to be disappointed. 

More cranes at Bosque del Apache.

At first the odd one or two cranes took off, but slowly and surely more and more began taking off and flying away into the distance, followed by the Snow Geese and other wildfowl. The light was getting better and better all the time and we soaked up the atmosphere. 

Great early morning views of Snow Geese.