For more
information, contact
us at
1-888-203-7464 or
by email at
travel@nestlingtours.
com.
Nestling Tour's and Front Range Birding Company
Itinerary for Bosque del Apache Quick Trip in 2009

Friday, February 20, 2009:  Denver to New Mexico then Sandia Crest
  • We will leave the Denver Metro area at 6 AM for New Mexico.  At 6 AM, one
    group (meet Charles Thornton-Kolbe) will leave from the I-25 and Yale Park-
    N- Ride.  A second group (meet Tom Bush) will leave the University and C-
    470 Park-N-Ride at 6:05 AM.  The full group caravan will meet up just south of
    I-25 and C 470 at about 6:10/6:15 AM as we head south.
  • We will enjoy a few select 10 to 30 minute bird-watching stops along the way
    to allow for brief stretch of legs and hopefully a few trip birds.  These will often
    include a bathroom break as well (or primarily for that purpose).  We will
    need to make fairly decent time to arrive in the Albuquerque area by about 2
    PM.
  • Lunch:  Picnic lunch (see budget) and brief trip orientation.
  • By about 2 PM, we will begin the drive up to Crest House in the Sandia Crest
    National Forest area.  We will have some good birding along way through
    forest area (maybe Red Crossbills, Pine Grosbeaks, and certainly other
    mountain species, such as Pygmy Nuthatches, Stellar’s Jays, Mountain
    Chickadees, maybe Evening Grosbeaks).  Though somewhat whether
    dependent, from the gift shop (the privately owned Crest House) you can
    usually see all three Rosy-Finch species (Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, the
    stunning Black Rosy Finch, and Brown-capped Rosy-Finch).   Please Note:
    This is a ski area, and significant snow could change our plans for the
    afternoon.
  • We will grab a late afternoon snack so that we can continue on until close to
    7 PM for supper.
  • As we drive back down the forest service road, we will do some more
    birding.  We will check a somewhat reliable roost for Northern Pygmy Owl as
    the sun starts to go down.  The roost is well described, but the reliability of
    seeing the Owls is trickier.
  • We will stop for dinner at around 7 PM and refuel.  At supper, we will discuss
    our early morning plans.
  • After supper, we will drive another 60 to 90 minutes to Socorro.  We should
    arrive at the hotel by about 9 PM.  We will have two hotel options (see trip
    budget) in Socorro for the night.
More on Nestling Tours Bird Watching Trips to Uganda,
Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Namibia, and South Africa:
Photo by Jeff Bouton of Leica Sports Optics.
Saturday, February 21, 2009:  Bosque del Apache
  • We will leave the hotel at about 7:30 AM after we have had breakfast.  A smaller
    group may want to leave earlier to catch the Sandhill Cranes as they fly out in
    the morning (likely leaving at 5:50 AM).
  • We should arrive at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge,
    recognized on several lists as one of the top 20 birding hot spots in the United
    States, at about 8:00 AM.  During a full day, you can nearly bird the entire area.
  • After checking in at the visitor’s center, we will then enjoy several small walks as
    we drive around the loop at the Bosque.  This is one of the top spots to enjoy
    Sandhill Cranes during the winter.  We will likely also see thousands of Snow
    Geese and some Ross’s.  Numerous other water and a few wetland and
    shorebird species will be found.  Bald Eagle will likely be found along with
    several other raptors.  I look forward to seeing (not so much hearing) the Yellow-
    headed Blackbirds and several other species who winter in the area.  Several
    surprises are usually found on at a trip to the Bosque  --- we shall see
  • At some point, we will stop and enjoy our picnic lunch.
  • We will likely have plenty of time for a few walks during the day at the visitor’s
    center and perhaps in the small woods.  
  • At dusk, we will head towards our hotels (again two options) in Socorro.
  • At dinner, we will finalize plans for Monday morning.
Sunday, February 22, 2009:  Bosque in AM, Rio Grande Nature Center and Home
  • Some of the group may want an early start back at the Bosque to catch the Sandhill
    Cranes as they fly out in the morning.  At 5:50 AM, the Crane enthusiasts will need to
    start the 30 minute drive and to catch the Cranes as they fly out at about sunrise (6:45
    AM).
  • The rest of the group may choose to stay at the hotel (and catch up on their sleep).
  • By 8:30 AM, we will head back towards Albuquerque and the Rio Grande Nature Center
    State Park.
  • After spending the rest of the morning birding at the Rio Grande Nature Center, we will
    have lunch just around noon.
  • By 12:30, we will continue our drive back to Colorado.  We will have time for a few short
    bird watching stops along the way (10 to 30 minutes) with the goal of arriving back in
    Denver between 8 PM and 9 PM.
Something Fantastic and More:  Note:  If something fantastic erupts on the either the New
Mexico or Colorado Rare Bird Alert or if enough people in one car demands it, the group (or
part of the group) may add an extra night (at additional meal and lodging costs) to spend a bit
more time birding in New Mexico or on the return trip.
Budet and Pricing for the Trip to Bosque del Apache:
1.  Meals:
•        Breakfast:  Eat before we leave on Friday or bring something to munch
on as we drive to New Mexico.  Saturday and Sunday breakfast are free with
lodging.
•        We will be sharing the costs of picnic type lunch.  The group will agree
well in advance about simple lunch items (sandwiches, salad and fruits)
which will be purchased at local grocery stores, prepared as a group and
shared as a group.  In this way, we can reduce the amount of time needed
to stop for lunch.  More importantly, we can enjoy a picnic lunch and bird
watching.  We estimate about $5 per meal for lunch.  
•        We will eat supper out as a group with meal costs at $8 to $15
depending upon what you choose to purchase.  
•        You will be charged for your share of lunch costs (an even split on the
grocery bill) and your actual dinner cost.  We estimate this will be about $45
per person (assuming $15 for each of 2 suppers).  
2.  Hotels/Motels:  We will offer two choices each night.  I personally find the
Howard Johnson’s option just fine.  The Socorro location is newly
remodeled.  Feel free to enjoy the slightly nicer other options (Holiday Inn
Express is across the street).  Actual room costs will be charged.  The
service of booking the rooms is included in your trip planning and guide
charge for the trip.  The cost for 2 (two) nights of lodging will be:
•        $78 ($39 per night)  Howard Johnsons for a shared room or shared
bed (if couple).
•        $112 ($56 per night) for a single room at Howard Johnsons.
•        $133 ($66.50 per night)  Holiday Inn for a shared room or shared bed
(if couple).
•        $254 ($127 per night) for a single room at Holiday Inn.
3.  Transportation Costs:  We estimate about 1400 miles on the trip.  Using
the Denver Field Ornithologists guidelines, each participant will be charged
$105 per person.  Drivers travel for free and will be paid the $105 to cover
the gas costs and the costs of vehicle usage, wear and tear.
4.  Planning and Guide Services and Costs:  Each person will be charged
$90 to cover the transportation and lodging costs of the guide/hosts
(Charles Thornton-Kolbe and Tom Bush).  Additional planning and booking
services will also be included in this $90 fee.
5.  Access Fees:  We have budgeted $15 for access fees.  In some cases,
you may be able to use annual passes and the like to reduce these costs.  
You will be charged the actual access fee cost up to $15.00.

Total Trip Cost:  
$333 for a Person Choosing Howard Johnson’s Lodging and a Shared
Room.
$367 for a Person Choosing Howard Johnson’s Lodging and a Single
Room.
$388 for a Person Choosing Holiday Inn’s Lodging and a Shared Room.
$509 for a Person Choosing Holiday Inn’s Lodging and a Single Room.
Photo by Jeff Bouton of
Leica Sports Optics.
Sandia Crest and Rosy Finch Information and Blogs:

http://www.rosyfinch.com

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/leica/2007/11/rarest-winter-finches.html

Also a few blogs from Jeff Bouton of Leica Sports Optics on his recent
trips to the Bosque del Apache:

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/leica/2007/11/beauty-of-bosque-more-tha
n-obvious.html

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/leica/2007/11/bosques-raptors.html

Click below to learn more.

Also adding a group trip to San Blas, Mexico in November and
always happy to discuss your custom birding travel needs.
Photo by Lelis Navarrete.
Versicolored Barbet in Peru.
Photo by Jeff Bouton of
Leica Sports Optics.
Photo by Jeff Bouton of
Leica Sports Optics.
Endemic Red-fronted Macaws in Bolivia.
Photo by Colin Campbell.
Photo by W. Tarboton
Cape Sugarbird in South Africa.
Photo by J. Kamugisha
Papyrus Gonolek in Uganda
For more information, contact Charles at 720-320-1974 or at
1-888-203-7464 or by email at charles@nestlingtours.com.  Or feel
free to call Tom Bush at the Front Range Birding Company at
303-979-9260.
For more information, contact Charles at Nestling Tours at 720-320-1974
or at 1-888-203-7464 or by email at charles@nestlingtours.com.  Or feel
free to call Tom Bush at the Front Range Birding Company at
303-979-9260.
Birding the Bosque del Apache in the USA