Some pics---

[Al Hansen]

Soaking up some late afternoon sun.

A post duck season pose! Chili seems to be enjoying life.

I kept this shot just because of the size of the Mule deer buck's ears. They were huge. Just as I entered Bosque del Apache there were fifteen deer along the highway.

It is enjoyable to watch ducks in the springtime. Courtships/mating rituals are interesting. Drakes all dressed up for the occasion.

We still have almost a thousand snows and Ross' which is very unusual for this time of the year. The chief waterfowl biologist stopped as I was taking pictures and told me about four Cacklers or Cackling Geese that were with the snows. This sighting was unusual because the vast majority of Cacklers winter in the Central Valley of California.

You can see how small Cacklers are when comparing their size with the Ross' that happen to be on either side of them. The first Cackler that is in front of the juvenile snow is much smaller.

 

[MLBob Furia]

As usual, very nice shots Al. The ducks look to be in a flooded river bottom?

 

[Ryan Werden]

Man do I need to see a Cinn. in hand some day. Gorgeous bird. Nice shots Al.

 

[Matt_n_Barb]

Al
you post flowers and I woke up to snow this morning......

 

[Al Hansen]

Matt, I am hoping that we will miss that storm. It seems to be tracking north of us. Last week this time we had snow on the ground but only for a few hours. Fickle weather is normal this time of the year. I know you will appreciate the snow much more than I would!!!!
Al

 

[Al Hansen]

Bob, your guess is correct. There are approximately 6,000 acres of flooded land out of the total 57,000 acres that makes up Bosque del Apache. When the wintering waterfowl head north, they slowly drain the fields and they will be planted in either corn, alfalfa, and or natural crops such as smart weed. Thank you for your compliment.
Al

 

[D Behrendt]

Nice, Chili is a lucky dog.....

 

[Al Hansen]

Ryan,
I'm glad you liked the pics. Those cinnamons are something special. Once in a while I will get lucky and pull one down that has already started its reverse migration in January. I guess it has boiled down to around once in every three years or so, I will shoot one. That reminded me of this year when I got one. I considered myself very lucky.
Al

 

[Al Hansen]

Good to hear from you, Don. I think I am the lucky one---not Chili! She is something so special.
Al

 

[Al Hansen]

Jim, this is her bi-annual bath!
Al

 

[Eddie Kershaw]

Al
Thanks for posting the pictures, chilli looks rearly relaxed on that chair and not got a care in the world, I wonder whats going through her mind, I bet she is thinking ( I car,nt wait for duck season to come ).
take care and God Bless
Eddie
Its all about Building that Bond.

 

[Al Hansen]

Eddie, I'm glad that you liked the pictures. One thing is for sure----If she isn't thinking about next year's duck season-----I AM!
Al

 

[Capt. Brian Rhodes]

Very cool shots!

Man those cinnamons are BRIGHT! Would love to get one of them some day.

 

[Gary March]

Al!!!!!!!!! Great shots. I especially like the one of your dog. Super job, Thanks for taking the time to post.

Gary March

 

[Al Hansen]

Brian----what is so interesting about cinnamon teal to me is that I can NOT see those colors at a distance. To me they look almost black. In my hand or a relative close distance I can see that reddish color but it quickly fades away with distance. The only reason I took those pics is that the waterfowl biologist had stopped and told me where they were. Not until I had the picture on the computer did I know I was taking a shot of a cinnamon teal. Being colorblind red/green/brown has its drawbacks, I guess.
Al

 

[Al Hansen]

Thanks, Gary. Once in a while I have thought about the number of pics I have taken of Chili since she was a pup. When I look at her now, I guess there would never be too many!
Al

Took the first two pics over 5 years ago when I thought she was going to kill the tennis ball! She has always been a very passive dog but at the same time she is my shadow---never letting me out of her sight.

One of her many attributes is that she has a super sensitive mouth----very gentle as this picture will show you. I had a young racing homer out and she decided to go after it. After I took the picture I took the bird from her and released it into the loft. A second later the bird flew to its perch acting like it had never been in Chili's mouth.

 

[Dave Horvath]

Nice pictures Al.