Mary, along the Rio Grande in River Park, Los Lunas, NM

Steve, next to the Rio Grande at River Park in Los Lunas, NM

We didn't see a lot of birds in the park this morning, but there were some juncos.

As we were about to leave River Park, this Sharp-shinned Hawk soared over us.

Before picking up Jan at the airport, we stopped at Rio Grande Nature Center State Park in Albuquerque, NM, for a brief visit.

There were many White-winged Doves roosting in the trees.

House finches were near a feeder on the grounds.

We saw many White-crowned Sparrows everywhere we went in NM. This one is banded.

Spotted Towhee on the ground underneath a feeder at Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, Albuquerque, NM

Spotted Towhee

Downy Woodpecker

White-breasted Nuthatch

Male House Finch

Black-capped Chickadee

Female Red-winged Blackbird

White-crowned Sparrow

Gadwall on the pond at the visitor center

Gadwall

Female and male Wood Ducks on the pond

Wood Ducks

Wood Duck drake

Female Mallard

Male and female Wood Duck

Wood Ducks at the edge of the pond

Wood Duck drakes

Wood Duck

There were a few Green-wing Teal and Northern Shovelers near an island in the pond.

Northern Shovelers

We went to the airport and picked up Jan, then returned to the State Park to show her what we'd seen earlier, like this pretty female Wood Duck.

Wood Duck male

Wood Duck male

There was a field that seemed to be adjacent to the park that attracted cranes, ducks and geese.

A duck pokes its head up between a couple of Sandhill Cranes.

Two Canada Geese drop in to join others already in the field.

Two of the hundreds of Sandhill Cranes at Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, Albuquerque, NM

Sandhill Cranes

Mallard

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes vocalizing together

The younger cranes have less red on the crown.

Sandhill Cranes

We went outside the park grounds to an adjacent city street and walked over to the fence where we could get a closer look at some of the cranes.

Sandhill Cranes

Sandhill Cranes

The ducks and geese were in the middle of some of the crane squabbles.

As the sun descended, the cranes began to take off for the night time roost.

The geese began to leave the field as well.

A pair of Sandhill Cranes taking off from the field

Jan and Steve climbed a pile of wood chips to get a better look at the field of Sandhill Cranes next to Rio Grande Nature Center SP, NM

Jan and Steve try to get a few more photos of Sandhill Cranes in the dying light.

Steve and Jan, on a pile of wood chips, looking for more photos

The light faded, but we couldn't resist taking more photos of the birds.