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Thursday, February 6, 2020

Butcher Bird

This and the next 2:  yesterday's snow is long gone
Got off to an early start this morning despite the cold:  24F with a wind chill of 15 degrees.  Fortunately there was no wind west of Tortugas Mountain, otherwise I'd have frozen my buttocks off.

With the exception of a few remnants, all the white stuff from yesterday's snow was gone.  The Las Cruces airport reported a total of 1.8 inches.  I figured it was about that much.

There were only a few hearty outdoor enthusiasts on and around the mountain this morning, but I encountered nobody.  I kept my trek short--just over an hour--because I had an 11:30 appointment this morning.

The Loggerhead Shrike pictured here popped up onto a yucca stalk just as I started the final leg of my hike.  The bird was clearly hunting insects, swooping down to snag one before flying back to its perch.  Fortunately the Shrike didn't mind me photographing it.


Still a little snow on the Potrillo Mountains

Follow that road

This and the next:  Prickly Pear Cacti


West side of Tortugas Mountain

This and the next 2:  Loggerhead Shrike (aka "Butcher Bird")



1 comment:

Dr. K said...

Nice photos of the Loggerhead Shrike. A lot of birds don't seem to mind your presence.

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