Snow Goose announcing its arrival

A Snow Goose announcing its arrival in magical light from my recently concluded Better than Bosque workshop in New Mexico, USA.

Snow Goose calling at light (Chen Caerulescens, Oie des Neiges, SNGO) from my recently concluded Better than Bosque workshop. Bernardo Wildlife Area (Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex), Bernardo, New Mexico, USA. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 2,500, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full frame image.

“Snow Geese are possibly the noisiest of all waterfowl. Their main call, made by both males and females, is a nasal, one-syllable honk given at any hour of the day or night, at any time of year, in the air or on the ground. Distant calling flocks are reminiscent of a pack of baying hounds. Birds less than a year old have a clearer and higher-pitched whistle. Family groups use a series of guttural notes to communicate with each other while feeding. Parents make a fast, quiet series of notes as a brood call to round up goslings. During nesting, they use a penetrating alarm call that varies in intensity. The flight call is a continuous chorus of shrill cries, hoarse honks, and high-pitched quacks, audible both day and night.”

— https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snow_Goose/sounds#

Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk in flight

This Sharp-shinned Hawk (Sharpie) tried to sneak past as we were preoccupied with the Snow Geese landing towards us during my recent Better than Bosque workshop in New Mexico. I have just announced next year’s Better than Bosque workshop from Dec. 5-9, 2024. Learn more and sign up HERE.

Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk (Sharpie) in flight (Accipiter striatus, Épervier brun, SSHA) from my recently concluded Better than Bosque workshop. Bernardo Wildlife Area (Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex), Bernardo, New Mexico, USA. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 3,200, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full frame image.

Sandhill Crane in last light

A Sandhill Crane in flight against the out-of-focus Cottonwood trees and distant snow-covered Sandia Mountains in the last drops of golden light.

We had some epic light and unforgettable experiences during my recently concluded Better than Bosque Workshop in New Mexico. The group was terrific, and the photographic opportunities were plentiful and awe-inspiring.

After driving our RV across the country, Julie and I spent a week scouting dozens of locations outside the Bosque del Apache NWR to ensure the group had the best opportunities as the Bosque del Apache refuge continues to decline as a photographic destination. We had an epic trip!

Sandhill Crane in last light (Grus canadenis, Grue du Canada, SACR) from my recently concluded Better than Bosque workshop. Bernardo Wildlife Area (Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex), Bernardo, New Mexico, USA. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 10,000, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full frame image.

Blue Goose (Dark Morph Snow Goose) Dorsal Flair

Better than Bosque workshop notes

I am finally home from an extended RV road trip to my New Mexico Better than Bosque Workshop. We had some great times with old friends before and after and spent extensive time scouting to ensure that we were in the best locations at the best time for the Better than Bosque workshop. Bosque del Apache is the draw, but the conditions for migrating birds and visiting photographers continue to decline, so we went to other nearby reserves where the birds were!

The Blue Goose

The dark colour of the blue morph Snow Goose is controlled by a single gene, with dark being partially dominant over white. If a pure dark goose mates with a white goose, the offspring will all be dark (possibly with white bellies). If two white geese mate, they have only white offspring. If two dark geese breed, they will have mostly dark offspring but might also have a few white ones.

The oldest Snow Goose on record, a blue morph, was shot in Idaho in 2020. It was 30 years and eight months old and was banded initially in Arizona in 1990.

Snow Goose (Blue morph) Banking (Chen Caerulescens, Oie des Neiges forme bleu, SNGO) from my Better than Bosque workshop. Near Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico, USA. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony Alpha alpha 1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm ISO 1,250, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure. Full Frame image.