Sanhill Cranes, Hawks and Crows are just a few of the species that spend the winter at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in San Antonio, New Mexico. Some birds come from as far away as Canada, Alaska, Greenland and Siberia. 

This is my second post of images from Bosque del Apache. Check out part one here. bosque-del-apache-national-wildlife-refuge-part-1.html

There are many reasons why people are drawn to New Mexico, why they come here for a visit and never go home. The expansive and always dramatic skies never disappoint. I have shot many time lapse videos of sunrises and sunsets this year but there are far too many to put them all in one blog post. So, in chronological order, here are the first five. 
Stay tuned, there's more to come!

Like so many photographers, every year I set out to Bosque del Apache thinking, "This time I won't over-shoot because I already have tens of thousands of images of these silly long legged birds." And then as soon as I get there and see the Sandhill Cranes, I fall in love all over again, and 1200 frames later I say, "Oh well, I guess I have some editing to do." 

Sandhill Cranes are by no means the only bird spending the winter at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in San Antonio, New Mexico but they are by far the tallest and most magical. Standing up to 4ft tall and with a wingspan of 6 feet, Sandhill Cranes seem like they want visitors to run out in the field and give them hugs but, trust me, this is an illusion and they much prefer that photographers keep their distance. ;)

La Ladera Road in Peralta, New Mexico has been my shortcut from the bottom of Meadow Lake hill to north bound Hwy 47 for years. I used to take this way on my commute to UNM in Albuquerque circa 1994 - 1995. The road itself has changed very little over the past 25 years. I have always envisioned La Llorona walking the ditch bank and one night I even saw a black swirly mass right behind my car. (No, not exhaust fumes) Needless to say, never pick up anyone on this road at night. Ever. Especially if they're wearing a white dress and have no eyes.  And should you decide to go walking after midnight, be sure to leave instructions for notifying your next of kin.

Along the ditch bank are outcroppings of ancient Cottonwood Trees that are easily over 100 years old. I drive past them every day and every day they call out to me. It's easy enough to drive by and dismiss them as "just trees", but let me assure you they are very much alive and even aware of my presence when I walk amongst them.

Cottonwood leaves hang on long into the winter and they rattle in the wind. Listen carefully to the video below to hear the whisper of the trees.

My family moved to Los Lunas in 1982 and we rented this house for a few years upon arrival. It was spacious with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, separate living room and den, 2 car garage on five acres of land with a horse barn. We lived here until 1985 when the owners decided they wanted to move back in, at which time we bought some land up the hill near Meadow Lake.  

While my family had many good times here, I did not have the best relationship with this house. I was six years old when we moved there and don't recall ever being afraid of ghosts or anything unseen that may go bump in the night prior to living here. 

The main things that stick in my memory are being afraid in my room at night and being afraid to go into my parents room alone, ever, at any time of the day or night. In my room at night, I felt that I was safe on the bed but would be absolutely terrified to get off the bed for any reason. If I had to pee, that was gonna have to wait until morning. One night, I was very sure that I saw a man's face in my bedroom window. In the photo above, my bedroom was the last window on the right. Those windows are pretty high up. Maybe it was all in my head but, to this day, I can still see his face.

My parent's bedroom was even worse though. Anytime I might go in there by myself, regardless of the time of day, I felt a wall of energy pushing me out. Like a hand on my back shoving me towards the door and I could never get out of there fast enough.

It would be easy enough to chalk all this up to a little kid's overactive imagination, and maybe it was, but I never felt that way before we moved to this house and it stopped when we moved away.

After we left the house, the owners fixed it up and did a little remodeling and I guess they lived there for awhile but no one lives there now and I have no idea why. When I stopped by to be nosey and look around, there were "No Trespassing" and "Condemned Building" signs on the front windows but no signs in the yard or any indication that the property was for sale. Obviously, I couldn't get inside - and would've been too afraid to go in by myself anyway - but I shot a few photos through the windows that weren't boarded up.

I don't know why the house sits abandoned and decaying now except that maybe something in there doesn't want company.