Comments on: Bosque del Apache: Roadrunners, Phoebes, & Raptors

By: Marianne

Marianne — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:04:13 +0000

We visited Bosque several times on trips to New Mexico … extraordinary place. We settled down at a viewing window in the visitors’ center overlooking a water seep, wet but not quite a pond, and realized that the bird happily splashing away like a robin in a Pennsylvania backyard was a Cooper’s. Wow!

By: Mary Carlson

Mary Carlson — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 06:23:49 +0000

Great photos, Amber. I got “homesick” for the Bosque while reading your post. That is my favorite NWR; there’s always so much to see and do there. Thanks for sharing!

By: bob k

bob k — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:22:06 +0000

Yes, it is a Cooper’s Hawk. We’ve never been to Bosque so thank you for sharing your experiences there.

By: Max

Max — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:32:00 +0000

I agree that it was a Cooper’s hawk. The bosque is full of them.

By: Amber Coakley

Amber Coakley — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:34:03 +0000

Vickie-yes, Bosque del Apache IS a great place!

Larry-I was so impressed with my first visit to a NWR, that I am planning a visit to Hagerman NWR just as soon as I finish my spring gardening work. So many birds, so little time!

By: Larry Jordan

Larry Jordan — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:07:35 +0000

Isn’t it great to visit a National Wildlife Refuge? We get to see so many birds close up that we may not get to see otherwise.

The Greater Roadrunner captures are AWESOME! We used to see them around our house 25 years ago but they are few and far between now. We have regular sightings in Shasta County but I haven’t been able to see one lately. They are really cool birds and I didn’t know about the “sunning.”

We get to see Say’s and Black Phoebes often but I never realized their range was so small. I feel very privileged now. I love watching the Black Phoebe hawking insects along the river. Isn’t it strange how we take our local birds for granted sometimes?

I think you are right about the Cooper’s Hawk. The tail looks rounded to me and the Sharpie has a square tail. The head also looks too big for a Sharpie. These two are always difficult to tell apart.

Nice Red-tailed Hawk capture too. And I am soooo jealous of your American Kestrel shot. This is one of my favorite birds and I see them every day on my way to work but they fly off whenever I get anywhere near close enough for a photo. I did get a chance to hold one though, when I helped my friend Steve band some of his babies. He monitors 76 American Kestrel nest boxes in Central California.

What a fun visit to Bosque Del Apache Amber! Keep ‘um comin’!

By: Vickie

Vickie — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:31:33 +0000

That tail on the red-tailed hawk looks pretty short! In fact, when I first looked at it I said, what happened to his tail?…so much for my ID help. Loved your roadrunner, says phoebe and the black phoebe. Wonderful fun place isn’t it!