ABQ: Cranes

ALBUQUERQUE

Cranes


Brochure about Sandhill Cranes in New Mexico.

Sandhill Cranes migrate to New Mexico for the winter, stretching from Albuquerque south to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

About the Refuge:

The Refuge is 57,331 acres located along the Rio Grande, and is located at the northern edge of the Chihuahuan desert, and straddles the Rio Grande. The heart of the Refuge is about 12,900 acres of moist bottomlands--3,800 acres are active floodplain of the Rio Grande and 9,100 acres are areas where water is diverted to create extensive wetlands, farmlands, and riparian forests. The rest of Bosque del Apache NWR is made up of arid foothills and mesas, which rise to the Chupadera Mountains on the west and the San Pascual Mountains on the east. Most of these desert lands are preserved as wilderness areas.




The Refuge is an important wintering home for Sandhill Cranes, and will host as many as 14,000 during the winter months. Cranes will begin arriving in November, and will leave as late as the end of February, heading for Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge and Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge for a month or two before migrating onwards to Greys' Lake, Idaho, their breeding grounds.


The Bosque provides a critical Refuge for Sandhill Cranes and other migratory birds, providing food, protection and shelter. The Bosque is a critical habitat for a large number of resident birds and wildlife as well.

The Bosque is also home to over 32,000 Snow Geese and Ross Geese, dozens of Bald Eagles and Goldens, Great Blue Herons, Occasional Pelicans, Avocets, and many, many other birds. This beautiful Refuge is also home to small herds of Mule Deer and families of Coyotes. Seeing the sunset "Fly In" and the dawn "Fly Out" is an experience you will never forget! If you are lucky you can also see what we call "Puffs" of Snow Geese, thousands rising into the air, sometimes within 10- 20 feet of you. The sound of wings and the sound of geese talking is a fantastic, primordial experience, guaranteed to "wow" you out of your worries and "wow" you out of your own body, and guaranteed to lift your soul to join them.

ABQ: Halloween

ALBUQUERQUE

Halloween on Forrester in Downtown.

View the photo journal.



Where there is no imagination there is no horror.  ~Arthur Conan Doyle, Sr.

ABQ: Autumn

ALBUQUERQUE

Autumn in the Bosque, Downtown Albuquerque


Changing Seasons:

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” 

― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky (Discworld, #32)

Secret ABQ: Halloween on Forrester

SECRET ALBUQUERQUE

Halloween on Forrester in Downtown

View the photo journal of Halloween.


While most people around Albuquerque know about trick-or-treating at the stores in Old Town or by cruising the Country Club (Huning Castle) neighborhood, one of the best spots is on Forrester just north of Lomas in Downtown.

All of the neighbors pitch in together to make the entire street a fantasy of lights and bonfires. Not only do they hand out candy, but also books and toiletries like toothbrushes to area children that might otherwise do without. The street fills with music, spooky sounds and laughter.

ABQ: Dia del Dulce

ALBUQUERQUE

Dia del Dulce, Day of Candy, in Old Town

View the photo journal of last year's Fall Festival celebrating Halloween in Old Town.

Dia del Dulce (Halloween)

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Dress up in costume and bring the family down to Old Town!

4:00pm to 7:00pm:  Trick or Treating from Old Town Merchants

5:00pm:  Pet Parade & Animal Costume Contest around Old Town Plaza & Gazebo

6:00pm Halloween Performance at Gazebo (By Interplay School of Music & Art)

7:00pm:  People Costume Contest in Plaza Don Luis (Sponsored by Aceves Old Town Basket & Rug Shop)

ABQ: Restoration @ Route 66

ALBUQUERQUE

Middle Rio Grande Restoration Project

Study for Ecosystem Revitalization at Route 66

Crew are working on adding recreational facilities to the Tingley Ponds area of the Bosque Restoration Project along the Rio Grande. The changes include two new pedestrian bridges and two overlooks on the ponds along the paths just south of Central Ave. (Route 66) in Downtown Albuquerque.



Info about the project:

The Bosque Ecosystem Restoration Project at Route 66 is a project for the environmental revitalization of our Bosque. This area is bounded on the north by the north side of the I-40 Bridge Crossing of the Rio Grande, and at the south end at the south side of the Bridge Street Crossing.
 


Project features are being constructed just north of Central on both sides of the river and between Central and Bridge on the west side of the river. Project construction includes removal of jetty jacks and non-native vegetation across 121 acres of bosque. Non-native vegetation has been removed including salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima), Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila). The project also includes recreating 3 high-flow channels, and enhancing one outfall wetland at the Gonzales Drain. Additional restoration features include planting of native vegetation throughout the project area (121 acres) and creation of a number of willow swales. Improvements of existing facilities for educational, interpretive and low-impact recreational uses have also been incorporated into the Route 66 Project. 

ABQ: CC Halloween

ALBUQUERQUE

Halloween in Huning Castle, aka the Country Club Neighborhood

View the photo journal of the neighborhood decorating for Halloween.



About.com has a list of Halloween events around Albuquerque.


The Huning Castle neighborhood attracts trick-or-treaters from around the city. Neighbors decorate their houses and hand out tons of candy.