Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Tag: Rio Grande del Norte National Monument

Bighorn Ram, A Young One

Bighorn Ram, a young one! Handsome and immaculately turned out. His horns look like they haven’t yet seen any rutting or any entanglement with larger, more experienced, rams. He was on his own, on a rock in the Orilla Verde area of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, chewing his cud. Doing what bighorn sheep tend to do, he ignored us and moseyed on his leisurely way. Thanks for looking. G

Bighorn Ram, A Young One

Yucca Bloom, Rio Grande Gorge Rim

Yucca bloom, on the Rio Grande Gorge Rim at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area. The blooms are plentiful this year. The potential for the flowers to manifest is great, but… the Bighorn Sheep seem to enjoy yucca blooms very much. They bite the succulent heads off them and leave the rest. The evidence? Their droppings in the vicinity of a number of the plants. We’ll be back up there again tomorrow so I’ll get to do some more sleuthing. Perhaps we’ll see some flowers like these I posted from Monument Valley, Arizona As always thanks for looking. G

Yucca bloom, on the Rio Grande Gorge Rim at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area.

Sheep’s Crossing, Rio Grande, Ute Mountain

Sheep’s Crossing on the Rio Grande, is below me to the left, with Ute Mountain straight ahead, in the Wild Rivers Recreation Area of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. It’s beautiful out here on the rim of the gorge watching the early morning light reach down into the canyon. The snow melt in the high country is making for great runoff and the subsequent river rafting season. Join me on a photo tour/workshop. Thanks for looking. G

Sheep's Crossing on the Rio Grande, with Ute Mountain.

Bighorn Sheep Ram, Rio Grande Gorge Rim

Bighorn Sheep ram, on the rim in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. The Bighorn Sheep were a “big” feature on a photo tour/workshop today on the Sites of Taos, the Rio Grande Gorge and Beyond. It was a grand day, filled with spectacular clouds, New Mexico blue skies, rain, hail, and snow, all in good company and image making. Thanks to my guest photographers and thanks for looking. G

Bighorn Sheep Ram, Rio Grande Gorge Rim

Coyote Watches, Rio Pueblo, Orilla Verde, NM

Coyote Watches, at the Rio Pueblo, in the Orilla Verde RA, NM. Today we were down on the banks of the Rio Pueblo, amongst the red willows, photographing fast flowing water. I was very surprised to look up at one point and discover we were being watched by this gorgeous coyote. It stayed where it was, not moving, during the photo session only varying its gaze to the left and right. We surmised that it had a den very near, possibly with young pups. It kept watching until we left. We felt very privileged to be party to this moment in nature, watching… as coyote watches us . Thanks for looking. G

 

Coyote Watches, Rio Pueblo, Orilla Verde, NM

Rocks, In The Rio Grande Del Norte

On the rocks, in the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument. Beautiful shiny igneous rocks enhanced with deep shadows. A gorgeous winter’s day in our corner of paradise. Thanks for looking. G

On The Rocks, In The Rio Grande Del Norte

Mallards Lift Off In The Orilla Verde

Mallards lift off, skimming over the water in the Orilla Verde, only to settle back on the the water a hundred yards away. Another fun day in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Thanks for looking. G

Mallards Lift Off In The Orilla Verde