More birds at Bosque del Apache

This gallery is added from my Feb 2011 visit back to Bosque del Apache, near Socorro, NM. Many are geese and cranes outside the preserve, as they find other areas they feel safe at, and people should try to photograph from within their cars rather than walk all around, as the birds feel safer this way. Most shots are using my 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) with a 1.4x teleconverter, which with my DSLR is equivalent to 420mm, so aerial shots were challenging, but a few came out nicely, especially with the sunset. Sunrise and sunset are the best times, for any photography, to get the warm light, but also since the birds are either settling in, or leaving, certain water areas and it's good to know their habits. Photos may not capture the experience of seeing and hearing the skies filled full of thousands of birds, but I'm hoping a few do capture the beauty of seeing them. The sandhill cranes are magnificent in flight, having wingspans up to 7 feet. As with any wildlife photography I try to do, it's just being at the right place at the right time. There are lots of images, but as with all my work, they each have their own beauty, or they wouldn't be here. A few I added captions, and feel free to add any comments..