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Friday, October 25, 2019

Best Color Ever!

Just getting started on the Osha Trail
25F when Dr. K and I began our trek on the Osha Trail just outside of Cloudcroft, New Mexico.  We were dressed appropriately because we knew how cold it would be.  What we did not anticipate was how colorful our hike would be.  In nearly 30 years of enjoying the Osha Trail this was, by far, the most brilliant colors we've ever seen.

We were also entertained by an acrobatic Red Squirrel who dazzled us with his gymnastics, dancing across narrow branches over the trail while we laughed at his antics.  When he grew tired of our presence he let us know in no uncertain terms, barking loudly and even approaching within ten or fifteen feet before disappearing into the denser forest nearby.

And then--to make our trek even better--we heard, and then saw, a gorgeous male Hairy Woodpecker working diligently on a downed tree trunk to get his breakfast.

When our outing was over we drove into the village and did a little shopping at Family Dollar, buying a few gallons of water, a pack of small drinking waters, two cans of soup, and a few sundry items.  Then we headed back down the mountain to our high elevation residence.
Climbing

Looking down across the Mexican Canyon Trestle





This and all following of color are taken along the Osha Trail




















Narrow section of the Osha Trail

This and the next 2:  acrobatic Red Squirrel











This and the next 2:  Hairy Woodpecker






























This and the next:  looking across to White Sands


Homey, our Chipmunk pal




Eating berries in our yard


1 comment:

Dr. K said...

This must be one of your best blog posts ever, Packrat. Beautiful photos of the fall colors, the acrobatic red squirrel, and the hairy woodpecker.

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