I predict an early fall.
Red Admiral, Fall Edition
A Red Admiral butterfly, who paused for a moment amongst a few fallen leaves in the bosque today.
Lichen Detail
I’m obsessed with lichens these days. I also finally have a decent macro lens that can capture their details. I found these in the Sandia foothills.
Porcupine in the Bosque
Usually they’re way high up in trees in the Rio Grande Bosque. The other day, though, I came around a corner and saw this one low in a small tree. As soon as we made eye contact, it bumbled down off the tree and onto the ground. It was pretty dark and there was a fair amount of debris on the ground but I somehow got the shot anyway. I’m pretty sure it didn’t like me very much.
Tumbleweed Flowers
I’ve lived in the desert southwest for well over three decades, and I never ever knew until this year that tumbleweeds have flowers. They’re teeny tiny, and of course you wouldn’t want to get too close to them because they’re very prickly. Turns out another name for them is Russian Thistle. As you might guess from their name, they actually are not native to the US, and they’re considered invasive. I was finally able to get a decent shot of them, thanks to a rented macro lens (I think they’re really pretty — up close, anyway).
Fall Along the Rio Grande
A heron wades in the shallow part of the Rio Grande as it passes through Albuquerque.