There’s something you learn pretty quickly when you live in Placitas: you never quite know who your neighbors will be.

One morning, it might be a deer standing quietly at the edge of the road, or running across it in the village, like I recently witnessed! Another evening, you might hear a coyote calling in the distance. A hawk may circle overhead while you enjoy your morning coffee, or you may catch a rabbit disappearing into the brush before you can grab your phone.

That’s one of the things I love most about Placitas. Our neighborhoods don’t have a hard line where nature ends and our lives begin. Here, the two seem to blend together. And if you’re lucky, you get a front-row seat.

The Deer

Deer are some of Placitas’ most recognizable residents. You’ll see them wandering through open spaces, along roadsides and sometimes surprisingly close to homes.

A couple of weeks ago, I was visiting a past client, who has since become a close friend, and she showed me beautiful photos she captured from her kitchen window of deer in her backyard. Moments like that never get old.

Of course, their presence is also a reminder to slow down, especially in the early morning and around dusk. In Placitas, sharing the road sometimes means sharing it with four-legged neighbors, too.

The Wild Horses

And then there are the wild horses of Placitas.

Seeing a small herd moving across the landscape, especially against the Sandia Mountains, feels almost magical. They’re a beautiful reminder of the wild character that still exists here.

But admiration comes with responsibility. These are wild animals, not pets. Giving them plenty of space and resisting the urge to approach or interact with them helps keep both the horses and our community safe.

Sometimes the best way to appreciate them is simply to stop, watch and let them continue on their way.

The Coyotes & Those We Rarely See

Coyotes are another familiar part of life here. You might not see them often but you may hear them. Their calls echoing across the desert after dark are an unmistakable reminder of how close we are to the wild.

Bobcats, foxes and other elusive animals also call the high desert home. Spotting one can feel like winning a small Placitas lottery. By the time you realize what you saw, it’s often gone, and somehow, that makes the encounter even more special.

Look Up

Placitas is also home to an incredible variety of birds, including hawks, owls and other birds of prey. Take a few minutes to look up. You may see a hawk riding the thermals over the mountains or hear an owl after sunset. It’s one of the simplest pleasures of living here, and it costs absolutely nothing.

And every so often, we get a bigger surprise: a bear passing through, as we’ve recently been hearing more about, or some creature that leaves you standing at the window thinking, “What exactly am I looking at?”

Those moments become the stories we tell our friends and neighbors.

Living Alongside the Wild

Living alongside the wild is one of the many reasons Placitas is so special. We can enjoy it while respecting it, giving animals space, keeping pets safe, securing trash and food, never feeding wildlife and slowing down on our roads.

Most importantly, these animals aren’t visitors to their home. We’re visitors to theirs.

So the next time you see a deer crossing the road, a herd of horses moving across the desert, hear coyotes calling after dark or catch a hawk circling overhead, take a moment to appreciate the sight.

Because around here, even our unexpected visitors are part of the neighborhood.

By Ali Willis
Licensed NM Realtor & Your Placitas Neighbor