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Tag Archives: northern harrier

Evening Walks

The evening light was beautiful where we camped and the girls and I enjoyed walks after dinner. I admit to being obsessed with the pastel pinks and greens of willow and sage and rabbitbrush and the stark aspens, not yet leafed out. And that geologic feature – the rock fin that came straight up out of the ground with its small arch on top. The female Northern Harrier must have had an unseen prey item and didn’t want to move even though we walked by her coming and going. Those two photos are heavily cropped. We were not overly close to her.

Scenes From a Roadtrip, Part Two

Random scenes from the northern California coast.

female Northern Harrier
This plant was everywhere and vivid with its fall colors
This skunk was in the campground and was either injured or sick. It could only drag its back legs and tail on the ground. The thing it is trying to eat is a giant slug.
I love this fence
California ground squirrel
Point Cabrillo Light Station
Horizontal or vertical?

Bosque del Apache

We continued to travel south, staying at another RV park without goatheads this time, north of Socorro. I wanted to see wintering Sandhill Cranes and other birds at Bosque del Apache, a National Wildlife Refuge in the Rio Grande valley. After setting up camp, we headed for the refuge and spent the afternoon in the visitors’ center and driving one of the auto tours. The dogs spent the whole time in the car so as not to disturb the wildlife. The weather was cold and windy, not the best for bird watching and photography but I made the best of it.

Sandhill Cranes
female Northern Harrier
Harriers hunt by hovering and pouncing on small mammals
Snow Geese

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