Two Weeks in New Mexico, December 2009

FULL TRIP ONLINE

I had a great time over my two week trip, I had some great company from friends who joined me for parts of the trip. I chose to drive from Billings my Subaru did a great job for the 4,355.9 miles averaging some 25.9 miles per gallon. I stayed around Socorro, New Mexico for the bulk of my trip. I did make a side trip to White Sands National Monument, a few hours south of my "home base." Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Reserve was where I did the bulk of my shooting; but I did make a trip to Bitter Lake National Wildlife Reserve. A trip to Albuquerque provided great opportunities to photograph Wood Ducks at a few locations. Bosque del Apache is one of many National Wildlife Reserves in New Mexico and I did visit and have success photographing at a number of them.

My bird list from the trip was over 70 species, I was going to post it; but I just don't feel like typing that much :)

I stayed in hotels and did some camping. I ate lots of camp food, some fast food, and enjoyed a few nice dinners at local restaurants.

For those who visit the area I can give a big thumbs up to the Socorro Springs Brewing Company.

To all of the photographers I met on the trip... I hope you got home with great images, it was a pleasure to meet and photograph along side you.

I took almost 20,000 image and after picking through them with a little editing, made easier by Adobe Lightroom 2, I narrowed them down to a little over 1,700 images. I also shot a some video; but it will be some time before I have time to edit it and get it online.

If you have questions about the trip, where I went, etc... Ask away.

Editing Progress... Finished

PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

As the gallery is over 1,700 images I would suggest that, if you have been following along, you skip to the end and work through backwards.

I have added another 170+ images, and I have finally finished editing the photos from a great trip.

The images from December 15th were shot on my final sunrise in New Mexico. I had the great luck of coming across two flocks of Gambel's Quail and a Greater Roadrunner after shooting Sandhill Cranes at sunrise. I then started the long drive back to Billings, MT.

I'll write a wrap up post in the next few days; but I had a great trip and I am grateful for the ability to see so many beautiful birds and to capture them in a way that I can share with all of you.

I hope you enjoy.

Editing Progress... Day 10 of 11

MORE PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

As the gallery is now over 1,600 images I would suggest that, if you have been following along, you skip to the end and work through backwards.

I have added another 180+ images. Days one - ten are now edited and online, in the order they were captured (or close to it). This represents photographs from December 5th - 14th of my trip.

Day ten was my last full day in the area before heading home and then to Yellowstone. The stand out part of the day was spending significant time with an American Bald Eagle. The day was also filled with nice conversation with my fellow photographers.

I hope you enjoy.

Editing Progress... Day 9 of 11

MORE PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

As the gallery is now nearing 1,500 images I would suggest that, if you have been following along, you skip to the end and work through backwards.

I have added another 175+ images. Days one - nine are now edited and online, in the order they were captured (or close to it). This represents photographs from December 5th - 13th of my trip.

Day nine started with a dud of a sunrise at my starting location; but after racing to my fall back I was rewarded with some very pleasant colors. I spent much of the morning shooting cranes in flight with cloud cover keeping the light relatively soft. As my long trip was nearing an end I spent the middle of the day resting (I was very tired) and then headed out for a rather slow evening shoot.

I hope you enjoy.

Editing Progress... Day 8 of 11

MORE PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

As the gallery is now well over 1000 images I would suggest that, if you have been following along, you skip to the end and work through backwards.

I have added another 250+ images. Days one - eight are now edited and online, in the order they were captured (or close to it). This represents photographs from December 5th - 12th of my trip.

Day eight started with a mile or so walk to be in location to attempt photographing a beautiful scene at a reserve North of Bosque before sunrise. It is a long story; but it did not work out. After some morning shooting in the reserve I headed up to Albuquerque to photograph the Wood Ducks in a few well known and some not so well known locations. I had some fun with Wood Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, Ruddy Ducks, Mandarin Ducks, a Hooded Merganser, and a few other random birds. A snow storm was heading in toward town so I left and drove south to Bosque getting there just in time to shoot some Sandhill Cranes with the storm aided fiery sunset.

I hope you enjoy.

Editing Progress... Day 7 of 11

MORE PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

As the gallery is now above 900 images I would suggest that, if you have been following along, you skip to the end and work through backwards.

I have added another 40ish images. Days one - seven are now edited and online, in the order they were captured (or close to it). This represents photographs from December 5th - 11th of my trip.

Day seven started waiting for White Sands national Monument to open. The night before we were told that we could get into the park at 7am; but due to some missile testing the opening was delayed until 9am. With the delay I decided to head out to the country side to try and see some of the local Oryx that reside in the area. I only had a brief, very distant, sighting. I did see dozens of Red Tail Hawks and captured some nice Gambel's Quail photographs. I was then off to a reserve near Roswell, Bitter Lake. I added many birds to my trip list; but only a few provided nice photographs. The last hour and a half of the day did provide three different owl species (Great Horned, Short Eared, and Burrowing).

I hope you enjoy.

Editing Progress... Day 6 of 11

MORE PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

As the gallery is now above 900 images I would suggest that, if you have been following along, you skip to the end and work through backwards.

I have added another 140ish images. Days one - six are now edited and online, in the order they were captured (or close to it). This represents photographs from December 5th - 10th of my trip.

Day six started shooting sunrise in Bosque then I took a drive down to White Sands National Monument. The afternoon was spend scouting and shooting a little. When I went to shoot my sunset scene so other photographers spotted me and while trying to see what I getting ready to shoot they walked into the scene ruining it... Oh well... I had a few ideas for backup scenes and had some fun shooting after sunset landscapes (some painting with light too). I camped on the shores of a lake that I pray nothing tries to drink out of as it just felt like it was nuclear :)

I hope you enjoy.

Editing Progress... Day 5 of 11

MORE PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

As the gallery is now at about 800 images I would suggest that, if you have been following along, you skip to the end and work through backwards.

I have added another 150ish images. Days one - five are now edited and online, in the order they were captured (or close to it). This represents photographs from December 5th - 9th of my trip.

Day five was supposed to be only a morning in Bosque then a drive down to White Sands National Monument; but as the extremely high winds had not let up (or so the weather report said) I postponed my trip south for a day. The day started in Bosque and ended at a small reserve to the North.

I hope you enjoy.

Editing Progress... Day 4 of 11

MORE PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

As the gallery is now beyond 600 images I would suggest that, if you have been following along, you skip to the end and work through backwards.

I have added another 180ish images, so days one, two, three, and four are now edited and online, in the order they were captured (or close to it).

I had a great trip back to the Chicagoland area; but I am glad to be back in Billings. Back to work, and back to working on images from the end of last year. It is now 2010 so I really need to get all the images from 2009 edited and online so I can go on more trips.

Day four was a bit of a lazy day, as the next day I had a lot of driving to do. We all know that even my lazy days get packed with lots of shooting.

I hope you enjoy.

Editing Progress... Day 3 of 11

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I have added another 190+ images, so days one, two, and three are finished and online.

That is all I am going to get added before the big jet airliner carries me away.

Sorry. I hope you enjoy.

Day three led me to a few "hidden" ponds to shoot American Wigeons and Ring Necked Ducks, then down the road to a neighbor reserve for even more birds than Bosque had.

Editing Progress... Day 2 of 11

MORE PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

Another day is added so take a look and enjoy.

I will try to get a few more days worth of photos added here before heading to the Chicagoland area; but I am skeptical.

Editing Progress... Day 1 of 11

PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

Hopefully more images will be flying your way before the end of the year.

I made a day and a half layover back home between my two weeks in New Mexico and a few days in Yellowstone.

I managed to get the first days photos edited and online. I hope you enjoy.

I will try to get a few more days worth of photos added here when I return and before heading to the Chicagoland area; but I can make no promises.

Bosque del Apache, Day 8

Back to Bosque and the surrounding local area shooting lots of birds. I hope you enjoy. It is late so I am off to bed.

Bosque del Apache, Day 4

MORE PHOTOS ONLINE

Another nice day in the American Southwest and Bosque del Apache. The day started with freezing rain most photographers slept in our stayed in their cars... not me. Arc'teryx kept me warm and dry and I got to do some shooting that was actually well worth the time in the rain. I have some rainbow shots; but they will come in a while. This may be my last post for a while as I will not have internet connections for the majority of my trips remainder. I'll try to post what I can; but I gave you some extra photographs today to make up for the coming drought.

Enjoy

Bosque del Apache, Day 3

Another day with over 2,500 photos, and the light was not even that good.

I am very tired so the photos will have to do the talking.

Enjoy

Bosque del Apache, Day 2

Day 2

A little slower today than yesterday; but I still managed some 2,000 images. The plan for tomorrow is promising, with a side trip to a "special place." All any day will take to go from good to great is a Bobcat and or some great light at sunrise and or sunset.

Long days leave me wanting sleep so I'll keep it short... enjoy the photos.

One and One Hundred

Well my 100th post is about my first day of shooting for my December 2009 trip to the America Southwest. Over 2,500 photos (that is about 50GB's) and a full day of shooting was a great way to start out the trip. Yesterday I spent the entire day, until 1:30am today, on the road. I am a little tired and look forward to a good nights seep to get up and do it again X 13. I may not have all of the photos online this year, so you will have to just enjoy what I put online here for now.

P.S. I felt like I should hold off on the Sandhill Crane and Snow Goose photos as you will all be sick of the by the time I am done.

Enjoy