"50,000 Birds Can't Be Wrong" a Socorro Travel Page by CCW

The Bosque del Apache, about 16 miles south of Socorro, is the most interesting birdwatching venue in New Mexico, and worth a visit even if you're not a "serious" birder. From about October through February, thousands of snow geese, sandhill cranes, ducks, coots, Canada geese, and other migratory birds descend upon this wildlife refuge; you'll see everything from roadrunners to bald eagles, herons, and cormorants. The refuge is also home to other wildlife, such as deer and coyotes, and I've seen muskrats and turtles in the ponds. There's a visitor center with informational displays, a nice shop, and a viewing area in back that overlooks a tiny watering hole where quail and other small birds congregate (note, as of winter 2005-2006, it was temporarily in abeyance while the center was enlarged, but you can spot quail in the native plant garden a few hundred feet away). All in all, it's a class act. The Festival of the Cranes occurs every November, with lectures and workshops and tours.