US-NM-Bosque+del+Apache+National+Wildlife+Refuge--Rio+Viejo+Trail

Also, see Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
 * =Birding in New Mexico=

Socorro County
=Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge= =Rio Viejo Trail= San Antonio, NM 87832 Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge website Friends of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge website Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (Audubon Important Bird Area) webpage Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge map

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Bosque del Apache NWR--Rio Viejo Trail
Coordinates: 33.7945401, -106.8739271 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Rio Viejo Trail
The Rio Viejo Trail is 1.7 miles. Walk along a former channel of the Rio Grande as it winds through a restored cottonwood forest. Golden cottonwoods, native grasses, and an abundance of migrating songbirds make it a must-hike in the fall.

Tips for birding Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
In October, one of America’s great wildlife showcases begins at this refuge on the Rio Grande in central New Mexico. The first of thousands of Sandhill Cranes start arriving to spend the winter, creating a noisy, colorful scene that delights birders from around the world.

The nearby town of Socorro holds a very popular festival each November to celebrate the cranes. The programs, field trips, and general camaraderie make it a great way to enjoy not just the strikingly tall Sandhill Crane but also the huge flocks of Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Canada Goose, and other waterfowl (more than a dozen duck species) that winter here.

The other star winter resident is Bald Eagle, common from November into March. Winter also brings Ferruginous Hawk, Western Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird, American Pipit, and sometimes Chestnut-collared Longspur.

Bosque del Apache isn’t just a winter destination. The refuge manages certain wetlands for shorebirds, and more than 35 species are seen regularly in migration. Black-necked Stilt and American Avocet nest. Other nesting birds include three grebe species, Neotropic Cormorant, Least Bittern, Virginia Rail, Sora, Greater Roadrunner, Lesser Nighthawk, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Vermilion Flycatcher, Chihuahuan Raven, Common Raven, Crissal Thrasher, Phainopepla, and Lucy’s Warbler. Golden Eagle and Peregrine Falcon may be seen throughout the year. From Birding in New Mexico (National Audubon Society)

About Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Established in 1939 to provide a critical stopover for migrating waterfowl, the refuge is well known for the thousands of sandhill cranes, geese, and other waterfowl that winter here each year.

Situated between the Chupadera Mountains to the west and the San Pascual Mountains to the east, the 57,331-acre refuge harbors a wild stretch of the Rio Grande, a ribbon of cottonwood and willow trees visible on the landscape from distant mesas.

Petroglyphs tell the story of an ancient people that lived and hunted here. The river and its diversity of wildlife have drawn humans to this area for at least 11,000 years when humans migrated along this corridor, sometimes settling to hunt, fish and farm. Artifacts and stone tools found nearby tell us that nomadic Paleo-Indian hunters pursued herds of mammoth and bison in the valley.

Today, Bosque del Apache is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, a national network of lands and waters set aside and managed for the benefit of wildlife, habitat and you. From Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge webpage

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