Bonaparte Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Ross’s Goose, Snow Goose, American Pipit, Killdeer, Turkey vulture, Red-shouldered Hawks, Green-winged Teals, Gadwalls, Northern Pintails, Redhead, Northern Shovelers, Cormorants, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Carolina Wren – heard only, Great Blue Herons, Northern Harrier, Wilson’s Snipe, American Crow, and either a Song Sparrow or Cardinal. This was the list for today’s visit to Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge! It could not have been a prettier day.
First stop was the visitor’s center which is closed. However, they do have port-a-potties which was why it was our first stop. 😉
The visitor center has a nice planting of American Beautyberries in front. Also they have a nice native garden you might to visit. We did not today.
The cormorants were plentiful, but they were too far out for a phone camera. And the American Pipits (which there were quite a few) were also too small and far for photos.
The geese are what we came to see!
Among the geese it was mostly Snow Geese with sprinkling of Ross’s Geese.
We are not sure what spooked them. My estimate of the number was a couple thousands.
This young Snow Goose was on the side of the road. I wondered if it might not have been injured. 🙁
Of course with only my phone for a camera, the long distance shots are not too good. However, it was still a delight to see the mature Bald Eagle with the binoculars!
What to do? Of course, turn here!
Northern Pintails! Sorta looks like an arm with a hand grasping the culvert??
Northern Shovelers with their heads dabbling along. Most of the ducks today were busy doing the duck thing, eating LOL.
A Wilson’s Snipe was great find!
It was a calm day and the lake was beautiful!
The hole in this dead willow tree caught my attention.
Finally, the sign! Now why would anyone want to go fast here. You might miss something! If you never have been, I highly recommend the refuge. Of course, you can go by car as we did today. However, there are plenty of places to walk and hike.
Keep looking!
The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know.
A most wonderful place and so much to see.
I’d love to visit Hagerman sometime soon with you. I haven’t been there for years.
It would be fun!
Wow that’s alot of birds! Glad it’s a good year for snow geese
I don’t know if this is average number for the geese but I have been there when all the wheat fields were covered (so tens of thousands).
What a beautiful place as always!