Photogenic Birds

An early start on the mountain's west side

Becca and I got an early start on this windy, cold morning in the Chihuahuan Desert.  Even after sunshine struck the desert floor the temperature remained quite chilly.  We're only headed for a high of 51F today.  I was surprised to find some hearty birds out and about today, and I got a few good shots of a Loggerhead Shrike and a Cactus Wren.  When we were nearly back at our car we ran into JC and Olivia, but we stood talking for only a minute.  It was too cold to have a longer chat.

The sun just climbing above the clouds

On the Crosscut Trail

Just about as far out from Tortugas as we got this morning

Entering a sandy section of the desert

Loggerhead Shrike

These five images are of the same Cactus Wren

He looks ticked off at me for snapping his pic

Nicely camouflaged

Beautiful back markings

And an off-white breast

Trying to capture the rolling nature of the desert here

Deep, sandy dropoff

Getting close to the trailhead

Gee--I wonder which college basketball team JC and Olivia root for