Landscapes and Plants of New Mexico Day 2 (and Arizona)

Might be a northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

For some reason these signs amused me, granted there’s nothing amusing about a dust storm

Might be an immature white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

View of Sheep’s Head Mountain outside of Tombstone, AZ

Agave on Boothill Cemetary in Tombstone, AZ

Cross-section of a petrified tree

Might be a nymph stage of a green stink/shield bug

Might be a eremopedes katydid (Eremopedes sp?) 1

Close up of ocotillo (Fouquieria sp?) 2

Sunset at Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area 2

Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) at Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area

Cactus growing out of a petrified log

Drive by landscape 1

Close up of ocotillo (Fouquieria sp?)

Might be a eremopedes katydid (Eremopedes sp?) 2

Beautiful view from a rest stop 1

While this is amusing graffiti it’s still a shame to deface nature

Sunset at Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area 1

Drive by landscape 2

Unknown thorny shrub close-up

Beautiful view from a rest stop 2

Hope everyone had happy holidays (for those in the US), I’m working on getting caught up with my posts and finishing out my Arizona and New Mexico set. For this post we left New Mexico and returned to Arizona so there are many drive by landscape shots. Before leaving Las Curces, NM we stopped in at the Zuhl Collection which is part of New Mexico State University. It’s a free and only a couple of rooms, but beautifully laid out with a large collection of petrified wood cross-sections, fossils, and minerals. On our way back we detoured down to Tombstone, AZ which is better known for its history, but there were some nice southwestern views and plants at the Boothill Graveyard, including one for which I just had to throw in the towel when trying to identify it. Finally when returning to Tucson we went up to Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area to try to catch a Southwestern sunset.

Year in Nature Photography – Day 28

The rain stopped but temperatures are dropping to possibly freezing tonight. Took some pictures from the boardwalk at Bethany Beach, had to be careful as the wind was just picking up the sand and moving it down the beach. Also a shot of the setting sun across the Indian River Bay which I’ll need to go back and try and get some better ones.

Bethany Beach, wind’s picking up the sand, another shot

Bethany Beach, Dune grass (sp?) plantings

Bethany Beach, wind’s picking up the sand

Blade of Dune Grass (sp?) at Bethany Beach

Sunset over Indian River Bay