Category: Travel

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Birding Photography Travel

Peregrine and Looking for a New Campsite

This morning I decided to drive north to Granite Gap and investigate some dispersed campsites on BLM land in the Peloncillo Mountains. About halfway there, I came upon a Peregrine Falcon perched on the cross arm of a powerline. It let me get pretty close and then gave me a nice chance at takeoff/flight shots. I think the flight shots are probably the best ones I’ve ever got of an adult Peregrine Falcon.

The campsites look pretty good, should be quiet there, good cell phone service, and free. The drawback is, like here, it is 45-60 miles to a grocery store, depending on whether I go to Douglas or Lordsburg. The Lordsburg grocery store leaves a lot to be desired but it is closer then Douglas (60 miles from Rusty’s RV Ranch). I have two more days to decide….

Peregrine Falcon on the cross arm.
Take off! Nearly perfect light for a change…
A Steller’s Jay at John Hands Campground.
Redwhisker Clammyweed (Polanisia dodecandra). This photo is from the Valley of Fires BLM area I was at last week.
Categories
Birding Photography Travel

Eared Quetzal

I drove over to the the Chiricahua Mountains area yesterday. I usually stay in the Forest Service campgrounds in Cave Creek but they are all closed. So, I’m in an RV park, Rusty’s RV Park, north of Rodeo, New Mexico. The bird I wanted to see here is the Eared Quetzal (pronounced KET-zal). There have been some seen in the Chiricahua Mountains off and on all summer. This morning, I saw one of them in Cave Creek and heard another. ABA Life Bird #603.

The Eared Quetzel is an uncommon, large trogon of pine and pine-oak forests in mountains and canyons of northwest Mexico. North of Mexico, this species is very rare. A wary bird, they will fly long distances when disturbed but can be found feeding quietly at fruiting trees. That is what this one was doing, feeding on hackberry fuits.

Young Male Eared Quetzal
Eared Quetzal. There were at least 15 other birders present this morning. A life bird for many.
Categories
Photography Travel

Heading for Arizona

I left Pierre Sunday morning and drove to Red Willow State Park near McCook, Nebraska. I have stayed at this park before and always liked it because it was quiet but the state has really raised the price of camping. I paid $38.00 for one night. They even add an extra $2.00 for out of state campers. That is nearly double what it used to be. It looks like I won’t be using Nebraska state parks anymore if I can help it. The following day I drove all day (I only go about 60-65 mph while towing) and ended up at the Walmart in Las Vegas, New Mexico. After my stay at the Walmart in Billings, MT last year, I said I would never do it again. But there was a quiet area behind the building with some other travelers set up for the night. I decided to try it and it worked out OK. And it was free…. Today I am at Valley of Fire Recreation Area (BLM campground) near Carrizozo, New Mexico. I am tired of driving so paid for two nights here. This is one of my favorite stops as it has a nice hiking trail through the lava beds. With my senior pass it only costs $6.00 a night. I haven’t had time for photography so far, with one exception.

I’ve been trying to get a good image like for a long time. I found the perfect location in New Mexico. Train is on the west, the rising sun in the east. The idea is to get the train sharp and the foreground blurred, so one has to be moving at the same speed as the train. It would be easier with someone else driving, but I managed. There was no road traffic, I could see a mile or more in both directions so all I had to do was keep it on the road and shoot.