Bad Willow

Just getting started

Unfortunately, Willow pretty much took the luster off this morning's hike by spooking a fawn and chasing the poor thing for a ways; I could hear the deer squealing in fear.  Worse yet, Willow did not listen when I called her off.  This is the second year in a row that she's pursued a fawn.  Willow will be hiking on lead in the foreseeable future.

Not going that way

The forest

This & next:  two versions of the same scene

Yoda

The culprit

Late-blooming Butterfly Bush flowers

 

High Country Heeler Hike

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Dr. K, Willow and I drove out the Sunspot Highway to the T105 trailhead near Apache Point to do our regular high-country hike this morning.  It was glorious up there, cool with a cooler breeze.  I had some excellent photo opportunities while we got in some decent exercise.  Willow shat once and threw up twice, the latter from eating too much grass on high.  After the trek we drove back to Cloudcroft, dumped garbage and went to Family Dollar where we bought six gallons of water, two bottles of Brisk ice tea, a bottle of apple juice and two packs of chocolate chip cookies.  What a haul!

American Crow

Starting out on T105, heading toward Cathey Vista

THE high country heeler

Spruce?

Peace

Pines

Willow and me

This & next: Weidemeyer's Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyerii)

 

Home

This & next:  Western Tanagers

Sacramento Mountain high

Aspen with twin trunks

Dr. K and Willow at 9500 feet

This & next:  views from on high

Weidemeyer's Admiral

Forest Trek Numero Dos

American Crow or raven?

Another forest trek for Dr. K, Willow and me.  The weather was pretty good, but we're still getting smoke from the Seven Springs Fire near Nogal--about fifteen miles from us.  Somebody on Facebook reported that the blaze is moving in the direction of Cloudcroft.  350 acres burned so far with 0% containment.

Smoky Haynes Canyon

There's a deer in this photo replete with ears

This & next 2:  Ash-throated Flycatcher

Two Rainbow Hedgehog Cacti

Willow at rest

Wils leading the way

Willow and Dr. K

 

View from the back 40

Hedgehog Cactus

Tuesday Forest Trek

Sacramento Mountains

It felt pretty hot when Dr. K, Willow and I started our mountain trek this morning, but as soon as we got into the forest the shady spots gave us much relief; add to that a gentle wind and it felt quite pleasant to be out and about.  By far the most interesting sighting on today's hike was the Flame Skimmer dragonfly we spotted; I was able to get a few really good images of the beautiful creature.

This & next:  Willow on our road

This & next:  Flame Skimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata)

Willow resting in the forest

Mountain vista

This & next:  Dr. K slaloming down the mountain

Big tree with sun

Healthy Allthorn in the forest

 

This & next:  favorite mountain hedgehog cactus

Trees