Short sweet and adding it to my “must come back” list is the Bernardo Waterfowl Area in Bosque NM. I had spent the day in Albuquerque and had heard rumors of an area where thousands of Sandhill Cranes spent the winter and would congregate at sunrise/set giving viewers a show. It was mid February though so I wasn’t sure if I had missed my chance, the cranes only stayed from November – February. Upon arrival, I realized that I unfortunately had missed the migration season and they fowl had left. The trip wasn’t a waste though as the ambience of the area was quite delightful.
I arrived at the perfect time as the sun would be setting shortly. A 3 mile loop around the compound was available for me to drive through. Not much was happening besides a few leftover cranes walking around the dry grass. As the sun set though, I found a nice pond to watch from. A single duck swam, perfectly reflecting off the pond. The sun said it’s goodbyes by shining luminously through bare branches before hiding behind the mountains in the distance. This trip may not have caught the area in its full glory but now that my curiosity had been triggered, I couldn’t wait to return next season.
Closest Supercharger: Truth or Consequenses 98 mi
2201 F.G. Amin St, Truth or Consequences, NM 87901
Bernardo Waterfowl Area
164 NM-116, Bosque, NM 87006
