Updated Feb 2024

Bosque del Apache in New Mexico is a bird photographer’s dream location. Each year, thousands of photographers from all over the world will come to Bosque Del Apache to see thousands of sandhill cranes and snow geese flock to the fields and marshes. There are, of course, lots of other types of birds and wildlife to see.

Bosque del Apache offers unique bird and wildlife viewing opportunities.

In this blog, I will share my experience and include photography, travel, and gear recommendations so that you can enjoy your trip to Bosque to the fullest.

Why Go to Bosque del Apache?

Bosque is a beautiful location for Landscape and Bird Photography. When we were there, we saw 10s of thousands of birds. The stars of the show are the Sandhill cranes that move among several areas throughout the day to feed, rest, and socialize.  The most incredible thing to witness is the ‘Take Off,” where 1000s of birds in unison will fly out of the ponds. It sounds like a get is flying over your head.

You will also see 100s of Photographers with plenty of 600 mm and 800 mm lens. But rest assured that you can use these massive lenses to take great photos.

What is Bosque Del Apache?

Bosque is a national wildlife refuge located about 1 hour south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. During fall migration, the 57,331-acre refuge is one of the spots where birds like to stop their migration to the south. The first cranes and geese typically show up at the end of October, and they continue coming until Thanksgiving. We also saw Mule Deer, Bob Cats and Coyotes. Here is a link where you can find more information on the refuge, including visiting hours, entrance fees, events, permits, etc. Each year there is a Festival of the Cranes that takes place in early December. Stay at least 3 days so that you can make sure to enjoy one of the incredible New Mexico sunrises or sunsets.

WHEN TO GO

The most exciting time to visit is between November and February when thousands of migratory birds return to wait out the winter. But really any time is magical in the bosque. You’ll see wild turkeys and fiery colors in fall, Bald Eagles in winter, and wildflowers in spring. The ecosystem supports more than just birds. Scores of other species, including Mule Deer, bobcats, coyotes, elk, and Mountain Lions, make their home here.

Where is Bosque Del Apache?

Fortunately, Bosque is very easy to reach. It is located at Exit 139, about 12 miles south of Socorro, New Mexico on Highway 25. It will take you about 20 minutes to reach from Socorro. Most visitors will stay in Socorro during their stay. The only place where parking can be an issue is at the Crane Pool which is not located inside the refuge. There are about 50 parking spaces available but since we left each day at 5:30 am we always found space. Once you are in the reserve there is plenty of space so parking is not an issue. There are also 3 bathrooms spread out through the refuge. The visitor center just before the entrance has the best bathrooms, a gift shop and an interest information center that provides more information on the bird migration.

Where to Stay

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Socorro. (1040 North California Street, Socorro, New Mexico 87801). The Holiday Inn Express is located right off Exit 150 on Highway 25. It is located 77 miles from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The hotel is perfect. It is very clean and modern, has good bathrooms, a comfortable bed, an indoor pool and gym, a nice breakfast, and plenty of parking. Photographers will appreciate all the electrical outlets in each room as well. I would highly recommend the hotel.

Where To Eat

Breakfast Options

• Sofia's Kitchen & Burrito Tyme -Address: 105 Bullock St, Socorro, NM 87801-Phone: (575) 835-0022. The Pancakes and omelettes are great. The Breakfast Burritos are spicy but also very good.

• M Mountain Coffee: Address: 110 W Manzanares St, Socorro, NM 87801—Phone: (575) 838-0809—is an excellent coffee shop for breakfast or anytime during the day. They have “real” Italian coffee.

Lunch and Dinner Options

• Yo Mama’s Grill—Address: 913 N California St, Socorro, NM 87801 Phone: (575) 838-3962—we had dinner here twice, and the food and service were good. They have salads, sandwiches, burgers, soups etc. It is not expensive, but the portions are generous.

• Bodega Burger Co & Lounge: 606 N. California Street Socorro NM 87801—Tel (575)838-2087. This was the best restaurant we tried in Socorro. Not only do they have great drinks, tapas, salads, sandwiches, burgers, steaks, chicken, and fish, but they also play music in the evening.

• Socorro Springs Restaurant: 1012 N California St, Socorro, NM 87801 —Phone: (575) 838-0650—this was our least favorite restaurant, but it is located right next to the Holiday Inn Express. They have pizzas, beers, salads, etc.

Day Trips from Socorro

• Very Large Array: The Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array is a radio astronomy observatory located in central New Mexico on the Plains of San Agustin, between the towns of Magdalena and Datil, ~about 50 miles west of Socorro. The Coordinates are 34 04'43.497N, 107 37'05.819W . It is a very cool site to visit and learn more about Astronomy. It’s located about 45 minutes from Socorro, and it does not take long to take the tour of the Observatory. But it’s well worth it.

• Pie Town, New Mexico: Yes, it is really called Pie Town and is located about 45 minutes beyond the Very Large Array. Is it worth the drive? YES, YES, YES. We stopped at Pie-o-neer. Pie-O-Neer Pies: U.S. Pieway 60, Pie Town, NM 87827 Telephone: (575) 772-2711. We tried the Apple Pie and the Pecan Sweet Potato Pie, and they were amazing.

Photography Gear

One of my favorite photos was at Sunset. The colors of the sky were incredible.

• Cameras-you will need a camera is well suited for fast-action & wildlife photography which is basically every DSLR or Mirrorless camera made in the past few years (i.e, Canon R3, R5, Nikon Z9 etc.). I would recommend a camera that can handle at least 1/3000 of a second shutter speed with 15 fps (frames per second) and a big enough camera buffer to be able to handle large bursts,

• Lens: A longer and faster lens will be your best friend at Bosque. If you have glass that goes down to f2.8, it’s perfect. Most people would recommend going to at least 600 mm or 800mm.

  • So what did I bring?

    • 24-105 mm: The second lens I brought was my Canon RF 24-105. This is a very versatile lens that is wide enough for Bosque. It will also allow you to zoom in on birds that are close to you.

    • Canon RF 400 f2.8 with a 1.4 TC and Canon RF 100-500mm

• Tripods & Gimbals—I brought my RRS Travel Tripod with a BH-40 Ballhead and a Promaster GH-30 Gimbal. A tripod is essential because, in low light, you will need stability. Plus, the long lenses are heavy.

• Shutter speed – You will need the shutter speed to be fast enough to “freeze” the bird’s wings in your photo. So, how fast should you set your shutter speed to freeze the wing motion? You will need to be at least 1/1000th of a second to 1/4000th of a second to freeze the bird

• Aperture – In order to gain as much depth of field as possible, you want to use the smallest aperture possible. For “birdscapes,” I shot at f2.8, and for birds in flight, I was closer to f5.6 so that I could keep the shutter speed over 1/500 or 1/1000th of a second.

• ISO – You want to keep your ISO setting as low as possible to avoid digital noise (graininess) in your photos. My ISO would range from 500 to 3200.

Photography Tips

• Light & Chasing Light— waiting for the right light is particularly important in Bird Photography. Good lighting plays a critical role in successful birds-in-flight photography. Like any other kind of outdoor photography, the golden hour light in the morning and evening is best. You need to chase the light! To get the best dynamic range of colors, the bird(s) need to be well-lit. Direct sunlight also brings out feather details. Much of nature photography is about waiting for the right light, particularly with birds.

• Sun Angle—one of the most important things I learned is the importance of always being on sun angle. For bird photographers, there are three possibilities: the light can be from in front of us and behind the bird, thus backlighting the bird; the light can come from one of the sides of the bird, giving us side-lighting; and the light can come from behind us and thus lighting up the bird without shadows. This means that you need to look at where your shadow is pointing, and that’s the angle you shoot at. And you can shoot no more than 5 degrees right or left of your shadow. So, you must always be very mindful of where you are pointing your camera.

• Background: This is also very important in bird photography. It’s often the background that turns an average bird photo into a work of art. Look for details that might interfere with clean edges for your bird—for instance, a branch that could later look like it’s coming out of the bird’s head will ruin the photo. Some of the best photos are those with the sun and corn fields in the background. So, choose your background carefully. Pictures with objects behind the bird are not as pleasant as pictures with a smooth background.

Clothing Recommendations

During our 4 days in Bosque del Apache, we experienced a wide range of temperatures. In the morning, it was very cold, but by midday, temperatures really warmed up. So, the best thing is to have multiple layers of clothing. Here is a link to my Winter Photography Clothing Guide.

There are just so many compositions to try in Bosque.

Final thoughts

I highly recommend a trip to Bosque Del Apache. It’s easy to reach and not an expensive trip. The landscapes and birds are amazing. It’s a blessing to see such beautiful things. In the end, you will take tons of photos and hopefully get a few gems that you should print.

If you have enjoyed this guide to Iceland, please look at my other Photography & Travel Guides at this link.