A Cheerful Song

High on the upper foothills trail

35 F when we hit the trail this morning, with a stiff breeze that made it feel even cooler.  About two-thirds of the way through the hike we came upon this young Scott's Oriole who was singing his head off.  He didn't seem particularly perturbed by our presence, though Oriole's are usually fairly flighty.  This one took off for a bit, then returned to the same spot after a short absence.  I shot several short videos of him, but the one posted is the best.

In the red sand

Chihuahuan grassland

Looking south toward the Franklin Mountains near El Paso

Tortugas (Tortoise) Mountain

Claret Cup Hedgehog

What's over this hill?

Bright sunlight

Scott's Oriole on an Ocotillo wand