Bosque del Apache

The Hubs and I love to get out and about, exploring our world. We've seen big cities, and will likely see more, but what we really love is the great outdoors.

Now, I'm not exactly an outdoors-woman. I'd be perfectly happy to... ahem... "camp" at the lodge. What I enjoy most is the hiking, and an opportunity to photograph the wildlife. And then I want to sit in front of the fire at my lodge, with a cup of hot cocoa, and a great book. This makes sense to me. 

Sleeping in a tent, with bears and spiders and God knows what out there? Not so much.

There are many places, no matter where you live, to explore the great outdoors. Heck, even if you're in Manhattan, get out and wander Central Park! There are always ways, you just have to look for the opportunity. 

A few hours from our home is a bird sanctuary. The Hubs and I have driven past it on various road trips, but never taken the time to stop. Until, our recent trip to Albuquerque where everything went wrong. Since we couldn't see what we were there for, we adjusted our plans to stop at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge instead. 

We enjoyed our short stop there so much, we decided to go back again during the winter months, when the Bosque is home to thousands of Sandhill cranes, snow geese, and a variety of other wildlife. Although we didn't attend the Festival of the Cranes, there were still thousands of birds to see every day. 

For my first visit back to the Bosque, I made the road trip with my gal pals, Abby and Becky. We left in the middle of the night, hoping to arrive in time for sunrise. 

We made it! 

The Flight Deck

Our journey began at the Flight Deck, just a short distance down the 12-mile tour loop. A thick fog blanketed the water, providing cover for the cranes we could hear, but couldn't see. Dozens of photographers were scattered in various locations around the loop. Avid bird watchers came armed with binoculars and cameras.

Photographers and bird watchers waiting for a glimpse of cranes 

The heavy fog prohibited even the most basic photography. We couldn't see the cranes with the naked eye, but we could certainly hear them calling to each other. Becky, Abby, and I were struggling with our disappointment. We had hoped to see the cranes take flight, a common occurrence at the Bosque.

Just as we were about to give up, shadowy figures emerged from the fog. The sun rose higher, clearing our line of sight.

The cranes! Rather than take flight, the birds were walking across the shallow water, in search of their breakfast.

Our excitement returned. Camera shutters clicked. Our middle-of-the-night, impromptu road trip had been worth it!

The plan was to stay for a few hours only, then return home. Becky was due back at work, and we were all running on very little sleep. Instead, we began the tour loop. How long could 12 miles really take, especially by car?  

Um... it takes a lot longer than you would think!

Every pull-off offered new views and different wildlife. The cranes weren't the only creatures awake. Snow geese, mule deer, hawks, eagles, and coyotes... these are just a few of the species we spotted.

Thousands of snow geese take flight 

Hours later, we finally started the journey home. Becky and I had plans to return later in the week, with the Hubs in tow. This time, I couldn't wait to see sunset at the Bosque!

I wasn't disappointed. Not only did we see sunset, but the sunrise as well. AND, I tried my hand at star photography for the very first time!

Highway 1, leading to Bosque del Apache 

Granted, it's not a perfect picture, but I think it's ok for my first time. The experience was the best part.  Driving into the middle of nowhere, in the dark, and listening to the coyotes howl... quite the adventure!

During the daylight hours, we spent more time photographing the birds. I quickly grew to envy some of my fellow photographers, with their giant lenses that could reach out and touch someone. My 18-250mm lens was a baby in comparison.

Lucky for me, the birds flew overhead so often, I had plenty of opportunity to capture their images.

A Sandhill Crane in flight 

The Hubs (without a camera) was enthralled with the birds too! The binoculars seemed permanently glued to his eyes. Several times, he referred me to The Big Year, a movie we recently watched together. I'm pretty sure he wants to try for a Big Year himself once he retires (If you're wondering what a Big Year is, check out the movie)!

He took a few breaks to film the birds. Their calls pierced the air, soothing at times and annoyed at others. When a coyote (or a stray human) came too close, the birds screeched their displeasure, even taking to the air at times. When not in sight of the birds, you could still sense their mood easily, simply by listening to the pattern of their calls.

The video shows the snow geese flying in at sunrise, a gorgeous sight.

After repeated trips to the Bosque, I can now say it's one of my favorite places we've visited. I might even let the Hubs talk me into that Big Year one of these days!

I'd love to show you all my photos from the trip. If you'd like to see more, be sure to check out the Facebook Photo Album!

As always,

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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Snow Geese in flight 

   

Still My Favorite Place... NYC (Part 2)

So, where were we?

Oh yes... the best city in the entire world, New York City!

If you haven't read the first half of this post, you can find it here: Still My Favorite Place... NYC (Part 1). For those of you who have read the post, you're just more awesome than most.

I left you somewhere in F.A.O. Schwarz, perhaps playing on the Big Piano or wandering among the stuffed animals. As for Becky and I, we spent a glorious 15 minutes in the Schweetz Shop, gathering our favorite confections. With a bag full of candy, we left the greatest toy store in the world to wander Central Park, munching on swedish fish and M&Ms.

Central Park
       

Central Park is one of my favorite places to see whilst in the city. I love how two worlds seemingly collide, lush grounds surrounded by towering skyscrapers. Even if you've never been, Central Park is featured in so many television shows and movies that it's a familiar sight to most.

The Park is 843 acres of trees, lakes, and lawns. Around each corner is a new experience; and for someone like me, a new photograph. I love spending an afternoon just moseying along (that's right, I said mosey!), stopping for a hot dog at lunch, or taking a ride on the carousel when the mood strikes me.

Unfortunately, for first time visitors, there usually isn't enough time to simply wander the paths. The park is so large, it's impossible to see it all in one visit. Unless, of course, that is your only goal. However, Becky and I were primed to see the Met (The Metropolitan Museum of Art), so we picked a few key spots to see as we walked in the general direction of the museum.

One of those key spots was Bow Bridge, featured in many, many movies. Not only a beautiful spot, but also a very romantic one. So, if you happen to be in Central Park with your Hubs, be sure to stroll by! As for Becky and I, we spent our time with our cameras, the other great love in our lives.      

Bow Bridge

Another romantic thing to do in the park, and one I've done before (with the Hubs, not Becky!), is enjoy a carriage ride. Just outside the park, near the Plaza Hotel, horse and buggies await you. The prices are fair, the drivers are knowledgable and funny, and any opportunity to snuggle with your love is a good one. Naturally, Becky and I did not snuggle up together (sorry to disappoint you)... BUT, we did take photos!  

Horse and buggy outside Central Park

There are many, many, many, many things to see in the park. A buggy ride gives you the opportunity to see some of them without wearing out your legs, and it also puts a time limit on your visit through the park. Otherwise, you could wind up like Becky and I, spending hours wandering around. Of course, that was mostly because we lost our way a few times, but still.  

Eventually we stumbled upon the Met. 

The museum is yet another spot where you could literally spend days. For the art lover, NYC is chock full of experiences just waiting to happen. Because we were already a little tired (all that wandering around Central Park!), Becky and I chose a few key exhibits that we wanted to see. 

Of course, once you start down the hall looking for one exhibit, you also start looking at the others you pass. Then, before you know it, 3 or 4 hours have gone by, and you're not even halfway through your visit. The Met boasts works from Monet, Rembrandt, Picasso, O'Keeffe, Tiffany, and Seurat. It's nearly impossible to walk by and not stop for a few minutes at each display. 

Somehow, we managed to limit our time. This was mostly due to our grumbling stomachs, but you gotta go with whatever works. 

After an incredibly risky cab ride, in which my life passed before my eyes several times, we arrived in Times Square.

Times Square

Times Square... the name conjures up images of New Year's Eve, screaming crowds, and confetti. I've been once to see the ball drop at midnight, and it was truly an unforgettable experience.

Luckily, Times Square isn't just about New Year's Eve. The bustle and the lights, the noise and the crowds... those are there all year round. I love to see the city after dark, when the lights are so bright it feels as if the day never ended. 

Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe, New York was the perfect ending to our first day in NYC...

 ... or so I thought, UNTIL we saw this on our walk back to Grand Central Station:

 The Empire State Building lit up the night, surprising us as we turned the corner. The colors of the building change, based on what's happening at that time: 

When the Giants won the Superbowl (woot!), the building was blue, blue, and blue. 

For Valentines Day, the colors became red, pink, and white. 

As Becky and I crossed 5th Avenue the evening of April 20th, the green, green, green shone into the night in honor of Earth Day. 

The day was a long one, but well worth it. After all, it required two posts just to talk about it! We managed one more great day in NYC before embarking on our next adventure... but that's a story for another night, as it's now my bedtime. I hope you're enjoying the ride so far!