Sunday's Cold Wind

Willow in the right branch

Even though it was sunny when Dr. K, Willow and I hit the trail this morning the temperature was 41F and a stiff cold wind blew hard.  Three-fourths of the way through the hike, though, conditions got more bearable.  After the trek we drove over to gas up the CR-V at Circle K and then took a short ride around the NMSU campus before heading home.

Willow closeup

San Augustin Peak (center)

Organ Mountains

Early morning moon

 

Kestrel Moon

Morning moon

32F when Dr. K, Willow and I started off this morning; fortunately there was no wind.  A breeze kicked up when we were nearly finished with the daily trek.  We didn't see anybody else while we were hiking, but we did hear dogs barking; never could locate them, though.  We took a short drive after our outing.

Tortugas and the Organs

Tortugas Mountain Observatory

Wils

Artsy Organs

Moon over Magdalena Peak

Tortugas and the Organs

Last 3:  American Kestrel

 

Cold Wind

1st 2:  clouds over the Organs

When Dr. K, Willow and I walked out of the house this morning weather conditions were bad; it was cold with a stiff wind.  We prepared ourselves for an unpleasant hike in the desert.  Surprise, surprise, though--it was barely breezy along our regular route.  At times it was downright balmy!  (I just wrote that to make Dr. K scoff.)  We saw a runner coming down LDR as we were crossing toward the mountains and then heading back up the long dirt road when we were ascending the left branch arroyo.

View from the middle branch

Noble Willow

Long-distance shot of a Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Those clouds over the Organs

 

Nothing to Note

To the southwest

When Dr. K, Willow and I left the house this morning the wind was rather strong and the temperature low.  We thought it might be particularly chilly for our daily trek; but when we started off from the trailhead the wind has abated somewhat and the sun shone brightly.  It was slightly chilly, but not cold--at least not for me and Wils; Dr. K had a different opinion.

From the left branch arroyo

Sit Willow

Last 2:  different perspectives

 

White Dove

This & next: where Tortugas and the Organs seem to intersect

Bit chilly this morning when Dr. K, Willow and I set off on the daily trek; fortunately the wind wasn't strong even though the sunshine didn't find us until the end of the hike.  We saw the Basset People + 1 down in the Tellbrook Arroyo when we were heading up the right branch arroyo.  The highlight of the outing occurred when we reached home and spotted a white dove on the telephone line across from our drive.  At first I thought it was a leucistic White-winged Dove, but some later research revealed it to be a leucistic Eurasian Collared-Dove--the first we've ever seen.

Interesting light

This & next:  morning clouds

Intersections

This & next:  Willow in the left branch arroyo

Last 2:  Leucistic Eurasian Collared-Dove

 

Aquifer Survey

Cloud over the Organs

Dr. K spotted the helicopter carrying surveying equipment when we were ascending the right branch arroyo this morning.  The aquifer survey is being run jointly by New Mexico Tech and the New Mexico Bureau of Geology to try to determine how much water exists underground in The Land of Enchantment.

Wils on lead

Willow and Dr. K

Last 3:  helicopter carrying aquifer survey equipment

 

Can't Trust That Day

1st 2:  different renditions of the Organ Mountains

We saw no other outdoor enthusiasts while Dr. K, Willow and I did our morning hike; perhaps because it was a little cold.  However, it wasn't as cold as it at first seemed, mainly because the breeze didn't blow very strongly and the sun shone brightly.  I got a few photos of birds, but none worth calling to anyone's attention.

View from the middle branch arroyo

He knows if you've been naughty

View from the right branch arroyo

Willow in the right branch

This & next:  Black-throated Sparrow

Pyrrhuloxia (Desert Cardinal)