Encounters

This morning's full moon between tree branches

Becca and I took a moderately-long trek west of Tortugas Mountain this morning, and we had several notable encounters, including a very brief one with a Coyote who was hunting for breakfast.  He trotted away quickly, stopping briefly to give us a cursory glance.  Besides coming across several different species of interesting birds we saw our first Claret Cup Cactus in bloom.  What better harbinger of Spring than the Claret Cup?

Barn roof at NM Farm & Ranch Museum, Las Cruces and Picacho Peak

Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus

Claret Cup Cactus

Castor and Pollux

Female quail on an Ocotillo wand

Becca is still pretty limber

Fly on yucca flower

Yucca flowers

See him?

You never know when The Trickster is watching

Arizona Jewel Flowers

Cactus zits

The long view

Young yucca blooming

Yucca west of Tortugas Mountain

Love to look closely at these yucca flowers

Closer still

Jet and blooming yucca

Loggerhead Shrike on an Ocotillo

Spectacle Pod

Taking a break

Is that a black goatee this sparrow is sporting?

Blooming yucca and the mountains