Antes del Viento

A young Desert Cottontail

Becca and I beat the really heavy wind this morning, but it was packing a punch by the time we finished a long hike into the outback west of Tortugas Mountain.  Now we're getting gusts between 40-50 mph, and it's looking to become a nasty day in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  There's already blowing dust and sand in the air, and it's promising to get worse.  Heavy winds from 1-7 p.m. with moderate winds keeping up until 4 a.m.  Yipee!

Heading for higher ground

Prickly Pear flower and buds

Odd cloud

Becca on break

This and the next three:  Scott's Oriole eating Ocotillo buds

Looking down on a small Soaptree Yucca flower stalk

What the wind is bringing our way

Surprised at how heavy some of these clouds were

Beats me what this is

In an arroyo west of the mountain

Little Hummer

House Finch

My favorite Torrey Yucca

Further down that arroyo

Prickly Pear and the Organ Mountains

Sit!

Big winds starting to stir things up

Prickly Pear rose

Stingleaf

Stingleaf (Loasaceae family)

What else?  Prickly Pears are blooming now

Prickly Pear pad, flowers and buds

Western Kingbird