A winter picnic for the birds-and you.
A picnic in the middle of winter? We must be nuts. Now, hold on a minute. Here you are, living in the "city different," so why not try something different? After all, there's a big beautiful state out there known as New Mexico, and there's more to winter than a good book and a cup of coffee at Starbucks. What about a winter picnic at a spectacular setting unlike any other with a fantastic array of
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delicious foods and equally fabulous wines? Here's a recap of our picnic that we enjoyed last winter at the magnificent Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
We planned to meet a couple of friends who spent the previous night in Socorro, so we got an early start, as the drive from Santa Fe is a good two and a half to three hours. Supplied with extra clothing for the diurnal winter night, along with our tantalizing picnic complete with wines and foods that would keep with minimal refrigeration, we drove south through vast open country. Although we were quite hungry by the time we reached Socorro, we decided to continue on to the Bosque as we were both eager to get there.
We met our friends at the visitors center, where we tanked up on a snack that would hold us until our evening repast. Signing up for a guided tour, we headed out to board the bus that took us to remote areas of the Bosque not normally open to individual tourists who privately walk or ride through the area. The tour guide regaled us with the history of this national wildlife refuge. For example, 17 birds were counted the first year of its being, and now, 65 years later, the Bosque hosts countless thousands of snow geese, cranes and other winged wildlife. This is an incredible tribute to the hard work and dedication of the "friends of the Bosque," who have worked tirelessly to make this such a welcoming retreat. As we rode the bus along narrow dirt roads surrounded by wetlands and cornfields specifically planted for the migrant birds, we were able to get a glimpse of what was in store for us later that evening. We saw sandhill cranes hopping and pronking like avian Mick Jaggers, but without the microphone (and, of course, they were all much better looking). Coming around a bend in the road, we were startled to see a field so white it looked like it had just snowed-and in a way, it had, as the ground was covered with snow geese who were already settling in for the night. The tour had given us the lay of the land, so to speak, and when we returned to the visitors center, it was time to find our own perfect spot to have dinner while watching the much-anticipated nightly "fly-in," during which hundreds of thousands of different species of birds return to the Bosque in continuous, noisy droves.
Spreading our blanket at the base of one of the most popular landing sites at the Bosque, we proceeded to unpack our exquisitely delectable picnic that included:
• Blocks of Havarti and smoked Gouda
• Crackers
• Dijon mustard
• An assortment of olives
• Cold pasta salad (rigatoni, hot banana peppers, fresh tomatoes, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, freshly grated parmesan and extra-virgin olive oil-don't forget to season well with sea salt, cracked pepper and Italian seasonings)
• A crusty baguette
• An assortment of fresh fruit and biscotti for dessert
• A thermos of hot coffee (it will get cold quickly as the evening approaches)
Our wines for this festive event, all produced in New Mexico, were carefully chosen to complement our gourmet dinner. They included:
• La Chiripada Viognier, vintage 2004 from La Chiripada Vineyards in Dixon, a perfect starting wine with its crisp, slightly citrusy taste and wonderfully clean finish.
• Corrales Red, a nonvintage, medium-bodied wine from Milagro Vineyards in Corrales, which has hints of berries, plums and cinnamon.
• St. Clair Port, aged at least 10 years, from the St. Clair Vineyards south of the Bosque, a sweet and delicious dessert all by itself.
As we munched on our meal and sipped our wines, we witnessed one of the most amazing visions and sounds that nature has to offer. At first, the honking and whooping of
the cranes, geese and ducks flying in was just a drone in the
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background, but as the birds got closer, the cacophony of different tones, languages and whistles along with the fluttering of tens of thousand of wings foretold a visual explosion of thousands upon thousands of birds flying in to their nightly sanctuary. With the sun going down and the western sky still aglow, the silhouette of the swarming flocks were beyond comparing to anything we had ever seen.
One of our fondest recollections of this experience is the looks on the faces of the many people who walked past us as we sat enjoying our feast. We heard, over and over again, "Why didn't we think to do that?" and "What a marvelous idea." and "Who would have thought to have a picnic here tonight? I wish we had."
Bosque del Apache is open year round, and anytime is a great time to visit and picnic, but the winter brings the spectacular dawn fly-outs and dusk fly-ins. That, along with the crisp cool of the early evenings, makes winter a perfect time to bundle up and feast not only on the magnificence of your surroundings at the Bosque but, equally as magnificent, on your delicious and much-envied picnic dinner. Try it…you'll thank us later.
The annual Festival of the Cranes takes place this year on Nov. 14-19, a perfect time to have your winter picnic.
Directions to Bosque del Apache from Santa Fe: Take I-25 South approximately 144 miles to exit 139 toward San Antonio. Drive east ¼ mile on US 380 to the flashing signal at the village of San Antonio, then turn right onto Old Highway 1 and continue south about 9 miles to the Visitor Center.
The Bosque del Apache is open every day of the year from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. The visitors center is open year round (except major holidays), 7:30 am-4 pm Monday-Friday and 8 am-4:30 pm Saturday and Sunday. The refuge comprises 57,191 picturesque acres along the Rio Grande and is home to more than 340 species of birds as well as coyotes, mule deer, elk and many other types of wildlife. For further information, log on to
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The Owl Bar and Café is a New Mexico landmark located in San Antonio. If you are a hamburger gourmand, be sure to stop here on your way to Bosque del Apache for one of their famous green chile cheeseburgers. Located at the intersection of US 380 and Old Highway 1, you can't miss it.
