From X-mas to New Years, 2014. Return from the south.

 Midwinter insects. Dec. 26, near Elephant Butte.

 Gambel's quail getting a morning drink.

 Sandhill cranes coming into their roost.

 Snowgeese flying in formation. (click to enlarge)

Back under the Sandias on the last night of the year.

Mountains and birds.

 Although it looks like a tropical scene, it is one of the Donana Mtns near Las Cruces. 12/18/14.

 Again the Donanas with the Organs beyond.

 Only a few White Pelicans at Elephant Butte.

 Loggerhead shrike.

Commmon snipe.

Desert surprises.

Praying mantis egg case on Creosote bush. Is this a common thing? I never would have thought that mantises would live in that kind of environment.

 Honeycombs. I was tempted but.....

 Donanas and Organ Mtns.

 Organ Mtns., Las Cruces.

Organ peak.

Into the badlands. Dec. '14

 An ancient creosote clinging to a rocky slope near Caballo.

 A tortured mesquite that is still alive.

 Caballo Mtns. and reservoir.

 Caballo reservoir.

Soltice sunset, Caballo.

From Bosque del Apache to Las Cruces, Dec. 2014

 Snow goose flight.

 Rio Grande at Radium springs. Another 150 miles south of Socorro and the Rio is dry.

 Date? palms at Las Cruces.

Organ Mtn. sunset.

Bosque del Apache, Snow geese & Sandhill cranes

Bosque del Apache birds, 12/15/14

 American kestrel.

 Great blue heron.

 Roadrunner.

Meadowlark.

Escape to the south, Dec. 14 -31, 2014

 When winter really kicked in in Taos I was ready for a trip south.

 These 2 photos were taken on the same day, Dec 14. These red willows are at Escondida about 200 miles south of Taos. Things were looking a lot better.

 Rio Grande at Escondida.

Sunrise 12/15 on Polvadera Mtn. from Escondida.