Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico Dec 3, 2025

Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico

Every December, as morning unfolds, a chorus of rattling calls fills the marshes of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. This 231 square kilometres sanctuary in central New Mexico prepares to stage one of nature"s most stirring performances as sandhill cranes return from their seasonal journey. Soon, tens of thousands of snow geese and other migratory birds join the scene, filling the sky with movement and sound.

© Jack Dykinga/Minden Pictures

palette

Today in History

Chasing summer in the art world
Dec 3, 2023Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
Dec 3, 2024Amber Fort, Amer, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Say hello to these halophytes!
Giddy family fun
Jun 23, 2024Dhaka, Bangladesh
A castle full of history
May 26, 2024Methow Valley, North Cascades, Washington, USA
Feb 4, 2026Red kite in snow
Aug 3, 2024Three Natural Bridges, Wulong National Park, China
Where are these magnificent cliffs?
Apr 14, 2025Ambedkar Jayanti
Mar 16, 2025Baby giant panda, China
Mar 27, 2026World Theatre Day
Sep 2, 2024Rhino mother and calf, Kaziranga National Park, Assam
Sep 18, 2024Gujō Hachiman Castle, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Getting starry-eyed at the moon
Jul 15, 2024Marine Day, Japan
Jun 6, 202581st anniversary of D-Day
Gravity-defying wonders of the world
Aug 9, 2025Raksha Bandhan
The lord of all beginnings
Sep 7, 2024Ganesh Chaturthi
Jun 19, 2024Reticulated giraffe mother greeting calf in Kenya
Aug 14, 2025Cable car station on Piz Nair mountain, Graubünden, Switzerland
Mar 8, 2026Akbars tomb, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Aug 29, 2024Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia, Spain
A warm hug in the icy north
Wait, mountain – you shall bear my castle!
Centuries of time in a Delicate Arch
Pride and Joy
Birthplace of the Renaissance
Apr 2, 2026Wildflower bloom, Central Valley, California, United States