I went down to the Refuge yesterday, and what a difference from the last time I was there.

This information is at the entrance to the auto drive around the Refuge.
When I stopped at the gate, I asked the volunteer there what was new. She told me to go left instead of right first, because there were a lot of Sand Hill cranes in the field right there. This field, as you will see, is in the process of being flooded. Boy, was she right! I think I counted at least fifty of them, with more flying in. Imagine when there will be 10,000 of them!

After watching and listening to the cranes talking back and forth, I turned around and went my usual route. Passing another pond, I got out and walked up to the viewing deck, and there were possibly 500 ducks of different types, although someone next to me told me that most of them looked like Pintails.

Further down nearing the lagoon and the boardwalk, I spied about eight or ten White Geese enjoying a paddle...

At the lagoon, I met up with the same couple that I had been seeing throughout the refuge. There was only one Sand Hill crane fishing, but I got some really great photos of him...

I really loved seeing the crane's mirror image in the water.

These are the signs at the lagoon...

I continued driving around. The auto drive is divided into two 5 miles routes, one being the march drive, and the other the farm drive. The colors are getting more and more vivid. I do miss the reds from the maples and the dogwoods, but the aspens are really putting on a show out here.

As I had noted earlier on in one of my blogs about the refuge, the workmen and volunteers are making a massive effort to eradicate a bush/tree that is not indigenous to the area, and is crowding out the aspens and willows. This is what this foreigner looks like...

It has real feathery leaves. When we had seen the movie at the Visitor's Center earlier on, I heard the name, but didn't recognize it.

I came around a corner, coming to the end of my ten mile drive, and right to the field where the Sand Hill cranes were congregated. This picture shows a little better how they are flooding this field. The next picture show the water canal system that is used. These canals are all over, and have gates that can be opened and closed depending on which fields are being flooded. It is quite a unique system.

I stopped at the gatehouse on my way out, and chatted with the couple who were manning it. They are also Intentionally Homeless, and volunteer at several refuges depending on the season. They were originally from San Antonio, Texas, and the Refuge is in San Antonio, New Mexico.

This is a cactus, and I believe it is a prickly pear...

As I left I asked where the prairie dog town was, and they told me it was right around the corner, on NM 1. And sure enough, there was the signage...

I was really hoping that I would see at least one of those little guys. I had never seen prairie dogs live and in person. These guys were introduced here not to long ago, and they don't have a huge area dug out right now. I wasn't disappointed. I did see several going in and out of their dens, and as you will see, I am sure one of them was VERY pregnant...

And so my friends, it is time for me to leave you all. My daughters have me hooked on Mad Men, and I am in the middle of the third season. I watch three episodes a night. It really beats having a TV.

I love you all very much.
A hui hou,
Sally