Wandering through a Crane-Filled Wonderland

Andy Williams may have sung that Christmas is the Hap-Hap-Happiest Time of the Year. But for my money, the Hap-Hap-Happiest Time of the Year is when summer releases its grip of intense heat to let us get out and explore our wonderful desert landscapes;

And when the leaves start turning;

And best yet, when the Sandhill Cranes return!

One of our best places to see cranes in Albuquerque is in an unkempt section of the Bosque on the east side of the Rio Grande that is about a half-mile or mile to the south of the Hispanic Cultural Center. For those of you who do not live in New Mexico, the Bosque is a cottonwood forest that stretches along the Rio Grande from well north of Albuquerque to more than 100 miles to the south. It is believed to be the longest cottonwood forest in the world.

As for Sandhill Cranes, they begin drifting into the Rio Grande Valley in early October and will continue to pour in until the end of November. They’ll hang out all along the Rio Grande until the end of January and then start drifting off to points north in February. By the end of the month they’ll be gone.

But while they are here, it is absolutely wonderful to hear their chortle, see them dance in the sand, and watch them fly in a perfect formation. And then see them make a perfect two-point landing in the river shallows. There is isn’t a gymnastic judge anywhere in the world who wouldn’t give them a score of a perfect 10!

You’ll be walking through the Bosque on a casual trail that will pass through various forms of thickets.

You’ll also find side trails and openings that will give you a clear view of the river and the cranes. Keep in mind that every day is different. Some days you’ll be overwhelmed by the number of cranes. On other days there may only be a handful. Some openings will be packed with Cranes while another may be completely empty. In some places, you’ll see Canada Geese in addition to the cranes.

But one thing that you will definitely find are very few, if any, other visitors. For some reason, this is one of the least crowded and most peaceful places that you’ll find. It’s amazing that a city the size of Albuquerque has this hidden corner.

As you walk along the trail you’ll see that much of the understory is carpeted with Yerba Mansa. If you come during the summer it will be a sea of white flowers with white cones sticking out of them. If you come when the cranes are around, the Yerba Mansa will be turning brown or will already be brown. Regardless of when you’re there, you’ll find the aroma of Yerba Mansa wonderful. Pick up a leaf, whether it is green or brown, and crush it in your hand. You won’t believe how calming the aroma is!

You also can’t help noticing the Jetty Jacks tangled in brush. They were installed decades ago to protect the nearby levee from raging floods. The construction of Cochiti Dam to the north has pretty much tamed the Rio Grande and has turned the Jetty Jacks into historical curiosities.

As you work your way along the path, it’s worthwhile checking out some of the deadfall. The patterns of decay are intriguing and will make you wonder what type of critters are feasting on it. Because it is a relatively unkempt section of the Bosque, the deadfall will most likely be allowed to return the ground as it sees fit.

You probably will notice small pieces of glass ground into the path as you walk along. The pieces of glass, too, are a result of another historical curiosity. 100 years ago, Albuquerque was a much smaller city, and this part of the Bosque was considered both far enough away and downstream from town to be used as the city’s dump. From sometime in the 1920s to sometime in the 1940s, trash was hauled here and burned. All that remains today are pieces of glass, ceramics, and molten slag (now hardened).

You’ll see that the remaining mound from the dump may be ten feet higher than the nearby river. Today, it is affectionately called “the Glass Garden” and is definitely a sight to see. And if you’re working on a mosaic project, you might even find some pieces of glass that you can use.

As you can see from the photos, the Fall colors in the Bosque are amazing. But don’t despair if you miss out on the colors. When the leaves come off the trees, it now becomes Porcupine Season, and seeing a porcupine nibbling on a branch high up in the tree is definitely a treat. If you see something that looks like a basketball high up in a tree, it’s probably a Porcupine. Again, it’s hit or miss if you’ll see one. On some days, I’ve seen over twelve. On others, it may be one, two, or none. Regardless of how many you see, it’s another dimension to add to your walk through this crane-filled wonderland!

If all of this is not enough to get you out exploring. Depending upon the day of the week, the season, and the direction of the breeze, you might pick up the scent of roasting chiles from the nearby Bueno Chile plant.

In short, it’s very hard to go wrong when you start wandering.