jimvanells Loc: Augusta, GA

I will be spending a couple of days in NM in mid-December and decided to visit Boque. Can anyone offer some suggestions for someone who has never been. Any input would be appreciated.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I've been twice. Get there as early before sunrise as possible. Find a location on the east side of the water and shoot with the sunrise directly behind your back lighting the birds. Bring a lot of cards / memory and shoot in long bursts. It can be frustrating how few keepers you'll get so increase your odds by capturing a large quantity.

There's other wildlife throughout the reserve, drive slow and watch and be prepared for anything.

sandersonjack15

Some of the Sandhill Cranes will be there. Many raptors and eagles. Lots of wildlife. You can go to Lincoln NM or Madalena from there. Great place

Ed Chu Loc: Las Vegas NV

took the Bosuqe del Apache tour with Scenic Aperture last year; very reasonable price

stay in Socorro, about 70 min south from ABQ; really easy to get on hwy to Socorro and back; one main street in Socorro; if you enter from the north, about a mile later it will merge back on to I-25;

take the San Antonio exit, rt turn at the main intersection, couple of miles on left

get there by 5 to stake out a good position for the BLAST at 6, when thousands of the birds take off at once

the Farm Loop drive takes you around the park; just stop wherever you see people have stopped and set up their tripods; shoot for a couple of hours in the am, take a lunch break and nap, and leave
Socorro around 1:30 -2 and go back to the park. late afternoon sun is perfect.

you can't go wrong

wanderingbear Loc: San Diego

OK like all annual events there will be Hordes of photographers at certain times. Tons of online info. We were there at the end of Sept. and the Chile Festival North of there was winding down. This area was totally deserted, 2 employees at the Information Center. only 1 other car in that whole area. Accommodations would be very scares so suggestion book early. I know it will be a Beautiful sight.

The Wanderingbear

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

If you do stay in Socorro, for a change of pace, there is a "photogenic" adobe church about a block west of the main street. San Miguel's church is on a cross street of the same name.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Artie Morri has a great guide to Bosque http://birdsasart-shop.com/bosque-site-guide/

CaptainBobBrown

Highly recommend Arthur Morris's books and blogs on shooting at Bosque del Apache also. Be aware that the later in December you go the more likely you are to encounter lots of cranes and snow geese but the later you go the colder it gets. Last year I went 1st week of November but not many birds because of warmer weather at gathering sites in Colorado so the birds arrived from the north later than usual. Year before that I went 1st week of December and froze my buns off every morning setting up and shooting at the crane pools. Tough getting good BIFs at morning blast off when you cannot feel the shuttter. Most experienced people there cut the tip off their knit gloves' shooting finger to try to deal with the cold. To experience the magic of the morning blast off where hundreds to thousands of birds take off simultaneously you need to be at your planned shooting site well before sunrise. Crane pools are a favorite because there's good parking near where you'll set up but please respect the birds still at rest in the pools and the photographers already set up by turning off your headlights as you enter the parking areas. ... and keep the noise down as well. After the birds are gone from the pools head into the refuge and drive very slowly along the loop roads looking for hawks, road runners, etc. Often the snow geese collect and fly out of pools throughout the day for good BIF shots. It takes a high quality long lens to get good shots and people often set up (i.e. on tripods) and stand for hours shooting the geese and cranes flying in, out, and overhead. Lot's of fun, a kind of meditational exercise. A week at Bosque in early November is also a great time for landscape shooting with brilliant fall colors reflected in still ponds...maybe even some great sunset shots. Sunrises can be spectacular as well if there are clouds.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

I went in December last year and pay attention to what CaptainBobBrown said; he is spot on, and especially about the cold. I had a lot of fun taking photos of cranes in the corn fields, they seem to think they are hiding out. The blast off is incredible to experience. Lots to photograph. It's not too difficult to find the right spots, just follow the cars ahead for the most part.