Birding Bonanza!

My mama always told me "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing"...which is exactly what we did in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Three days consisting of twelve hours of bird watching each day (6 am to 6pm) resulted in an extravaganza of beautiful birds sighted as well as exhaustion. John says we have to go on the "bird wagon" for awhile after that binge. Our most exotic and rare bird spotted was the tiny (4 inch) White Collared Seed Eater. Although I had never heard of that little peeper until today, it turns out to be quite a prize on the birding scene.
My favorite birds are the big, bright, colorful ones that stay put long enough for me to snap a photo. Here are some photos that I took during the birding marathon.

Green Jays dining

Road Runner warming the skin on his back in the late afternoon sun

Over 400 parakeets on the lines over a busy intersection in downtown Harlingen,Texas.
Lots of commotion and noise...be careful you might get pooped on...I did.



Colorful Cardinal and Ferocious Caracara

We spotted over 100 different bird species in our three day birding marathon.

Texas Impressions

Texas is so darn big that it has taken us 4 days of our daily max travel miles to drive
from the Texas/New Mexico border at Carlsbad Caverns to the Gulf Coast at Harlingen. And we hurried along, as we were being chased south by the threat of thunder and lightning storms and big winds. Our route has taken us through many small Texas towns along the Rio Grande River Valley. The local birds just keep getting newer and more exotic to us the further south we go. We are anticipating many colorful, tropical species in the swamps and palm groves of the Gulf Coast.

Sights along the way include the stately and ornate public buildings in some of the most remote Texas settlements. Gotta appreciate the pride and optimism that created such edifices.


Don't Mess With Texas





Porky Pig Texas Style (ie BBQ!)

Davis Mountains and the McDonald Observatory

A few days ago, Bo and I were 700 feet below the surface of the Earth deep in the Carlsbad Caverns. Today we are 6600 feet above sea level on top of Mt Locke at the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains State Park of Texas. The Davis Mountains are the highest peaks fully contained in Texas. The McDonald Observatory has nine different telescopes on the mountain tops aimed at the starry heavens!

Bo and I were lucky enough to arrive at the Observatory for a Special Viewing from one of the large telescopes on site. In the three hour viewing, we were delighted with views of Jupiter, the Crab Nebula, Andromeda galaxy, a dying star, globular star clusters, planetary nebula and other bright objects in the sky. Quite a thrill!

The Crab Nebula is 6500 light years distance from Earth. One light year is roughly six trillion miles. Do the math!

Cave Collection

As I was walking through the fantastic caves and caverns of Carlsbad Caverns today, I was recollecting the many different caves that I have experienced over my lifetime. Deep underground caves are a foreign country...total darkness, complete absence of sound, and virtually lifeless. Despite these uninviting conditions, I have visited at least a dozen caves worldwide.
In Arizona, the Colossal Cave of Tucson as well as the Kartchner Caverns near Sierra Vista. In September, John and I went down into the Lehman Cave at Great Basin National Park. Mexican caves visited include the Grutas de Garcia near Monterrey,and the Grutas de Cacahuamilpa outside of Cuernavaca. Can't forget the Lava Tubes near Bend, Oregon and the Ape Cave at Mt St. Helens. Have to mention the Lascaux Caves in France, the remote Allora and Ajunta caves in India, and the Glowworm caves of New Zealand.
For someone who doesn't like to think about being underground, that's alota of caves.

The allure of caves is their weird and strange beauty and the creatures hiding in them.

White Sand Dunes

The white sand dunes of White Sands National Monument are actually made of sand sized particles of gypsum. The gypsum originated in a shallow sea that dried up and was then uplifted into mountain ranges a long time ago. (about 30 million years ago.) Since then, the gypsum has leached out of the mountain sides and been blown into beautiful pure white sand dunes. John and I enjoyed exploring these dunes today being careful not to get lost out there in the whiteness. The gypsum sand is so stark white that it looks like snow.

Sand patterns caused by wind and gravity.

Slow Travel

After hanging around Silver City and environs for a week, our driving average per date is down to 74.5 miles per day. We enjoy our slow travel and rarely drive over 55 mph.

Being abducted for a few days by a giant in the desert outside Hatch, New Mexico slowed us down as well. It's a good thing that we are not in a hurry! (And he was a friendly giant!)

Slow travel gives ya more time to enjoy the local specialties!

10,000 Cranes

Actually it was more like 18,000 cranes that we saw today...Sand Hill cranes that is! We watched them fly out from the ponds of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge at sunrise, and later viewed them feeding in gigantic numbers on the fallow fields. This experience should be added to everyone's Bucket List...it is a soul stirring experience! Besides the thrill of the fly out, it was a gorgeous day and we saw over 27 different species of birds. Can you guess what the Bird of the Day is?

Crane Crazed Bird Nerds

Apre-Birding activities included spa time at Blackstone Hotsprings Baths in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Escaping Winter

I have found that it is not really possible to escape winter entirely (unless you travel to the Southern Hemisphere). However Bo and I are giving it our best shot. Our time spent in the high desert environment of Silver City, New Mexico (5895 feet) has provided a winter reality check. After our first night here,we awoke to a temperature of 35 degrees in Lewis! We were swiftly inspired to warmify and cozy-up the coach. Daytime temps are mild with sunshine, so many hikes have been on the agenda...Boston Hill, Gomez Peak, the Twin Sisters.

Hike to Gomez Peak

Good ole friends meeting in beautiful places.

Silver City whimsy

Return to Silver City, New Mexico

It is just great to be back in Silver City, New Mexico welcomed by our wonderful friends Ron and Pam! They have melded us into their busy lives and included us in their weekly hiking group. Yesterday we hiked eight miles in the Twin Sisters area, followed by a five course meal at the Curious Kumquat restaurant. (http://curiouskumquat.com/) A memorable day! Many more activities planned for today including a folk music concert at the Opera House in Pinos Altos. So the beat goes on. I will attempt to keep up this Blog in the face of the whirlwind of events ahead!

Twin Sisters Peaks in the background.

Ye Ole Hiking Group...old, but alive...not bad!

Desert Adventures

 I know that 2012 is going to be a great year because here it is only 10 days into the New Year and I have already crossed paths with a vermilion flycatcher!  On our hike up Aravaipa Canyon (near Winkleman, Arizona),  we hiked in the perennial waters of Aravaipa Creek as that was often the best route through this rugged canyon. Other bird delights today included the bold canyon wren singing his signature song, as well as a cool looking frog who allowed us to photo him. On to Silver City, New Mexico tomorrow!!

Is this the rare Diamond Back Frog of Aravaipa Canyon?

Bo checks out a geological discontinuity.

Sara crosses the river for the umpteeth time!

Cave Creek Rendezvous

It's a lot of fun to rendezvous with friends who ride, and I am not only talking bicycles...horses too! My friends from Paonia, CO are here in the desert north of Phoenix with four horses brought with them from Colorado. So when you are talking saddles you need to be specific!

John and his biking buddy, John, shared a 44 miler this morning in the desert countryside.

Cowboys and Horses Galore!

OPCNM continued

On this our last day in OPCNM, we enjoyed a meandering hike thru the green desert. Intense sun requires hat,shades and extra water...hot enough to make us sweat hiking on the level.
There are some scary stories about the situation at the Arizona/Mexico border, and
some folk are afraid to come here. We have found this to be a serene and peaceful landscape. So if you like solitude this is the place (if you don't mind sharing the terrain with the 450 border patrol agents in this area!) We feel well protected.

Who is the lil critter hiding in the spines of the Fishhook cactus?

Ocotillo and Barrel cactus are buddies here.

Lush Desert

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument:
Although 'lush desert' sounds like an oxymoron, it is the perfect description of this portion of the Sonoran Desert. As a designated Biosphere Reserve, it showcases one of the Earth's major ecosystems in its unspoiled and ideal wilderness conditions (which means it doesn't get any more pristine than this.)! And amazingly, we have the place nearly to ourselves. We spent the day hiking and exploring and saw nary another soul.

Bo with the signature plant of the park - Organ Pipe Cactus

Breakfast al fresco!
Bird of the Day has be changed to show the correct quail,the Gambel's Quail, which is found here in Arizona.

OPCNM Revisited

I was here two years ago and loved it!  Now I am back and it is as beautiful as I remember.  Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a gem of a park especially since Bo and I have three nights here in the RV park for $18.
Who said the US government never did anything for us ole folks?!

We arrived just in time for a sunset hike.  Very few folks here in this beautiful setting.  We can see the lights of Mexico in the distance. Waxing moon above.  Camping in the desert...how sweet it is!!

Hello Desert!!

We have arrived in Yuma, Arizona under the glorious Arizona Blue skies. Such a feeling of expansiveness in these wide open spaces. Although we are not the only RVers here, there is still room for us. Staying at the Westwind RV Resort, we are inspired this morning to see so many ole folks out

walking, jogging, and cycling. We are staying over here in Yuma today, so Bo can watch the Ducks and the Badgers battle it out on the football field.