On a photo workshop last week I took my client to visit the Hawks in my previous week’s post. My client is an accomplished bird photographer. Well.., I was expecting maybe mom, pop, and the chick I saw on my last visit, but to our surprise, we spotted a whole family of five. Fledglings were taking to the air from the treetops, encouraged in their maneuvers by the parents. What a treat it was to see the adult male, female and chicks perform this ancient summer ritual at this roadside location.
Enjoy!
Male Red-tailed Hawk, on the wing, San Luis Valley.Female Red-tailed Hawk, sits in tree top, San Luis Valley.Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk lands in a tree.Male Red-tailed Hawk stands guard in tree top, San Luis Valley.Three juvenile Red-tailed Hawks sit in a tree top, San Luis Valley.Male Red-tailed Hawk, showing how it’s done and lands in a tree.Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk prepares to land on a tree branch near mom!.
As always, thanks for looking. I appreciate all the comments and compliments. Thank you. G
I was on a photo tour last week demonstrating with a photography client the benefits of looking down and how it can often pay off with a rewarding image. In this case, looking down in a puddle on the flagstones, we captured a really nice reflection of the iconic San Francisco de Asis Church in Ranchos de Taos. Of course, it helped that one of the parishioners was hosing down the walkway, and I’ve shot this type of scene, many times.
Yesterday, I went up north for a short drive scouting some locations for an upcoming workshop happening for the next three days. I drove on a back road I’m very familiar with and found a male and female Red-tailed Hawk with their juvenile fledgling. The male was off on a power line pole to the east, the female and the chick were on a pole further west with a half-eaten rabbit. In the second image, you can see the nictitating membrane in the eyes of the mama and the young one as they both blinked simultaneously. This membrane allows birds to blink and clean the eyeball while still being able to see what is afoot. Here is a link to the nictitating membrane or “third eyelid”.
Red-tailed hawks, adult and juvenile in the San Luis Valley, ColoradoRed-tailed hawks, adult and juvenile in the San Luis Valley showing the Nictitating membrane.
A little bit of this and a little bit of that, from Ranchos de Taos, Taos Ski Valley, Ghost Ranch, Colorado, and the deck in San Cristobal.
I made this image of the ubiquitous blue window and shutters with hollyhocks in Ranchos de Taos. Hollyhocks are in abundance all around Taos this summer including the grounds of the famous St. Francis Church across the street from this scene.
We made a hike to the waterfall and streams coursing through the Taos Ski Valley to check out the wildflowers. Not a very long hike either. This little grouping of columbine comes back every year in the same spot. You can probably find a similar image from a previous year on my website.
Columbine with a waterfall in Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico.
We stopped in Ghost Ranch last week and saw that bits and bobs of a movie set were still standing. They’d even moved a dead tree that had fallen down a few years ago elsewhere to the middle of the set. (Thank you Mark Collins for the inspiration). We opened the doors and went inside. The light streaming through the holes made it sort of magical in a way. Thanks to the movie makers also.
Movie set chapel window, Ghost Ranch, NM
Looking through the window at another window, Ghost Ranch, NM
Movie set chapel, Ghost Ranch
Last week I spent three days working with a client from New York during his month-long cross-country road trip. One of the days was spent in Abiquiu and the Rio Chama Valley chasing storms, followed by a day in the Rio Grande Gorge and along the High Road to Taos. Our final day was spent crisscrossing the San Luis Valley photographing abandoned farmhouses, barns, and this old bridge.
Lobatos Bridge over the Rio Grande in the San Luis, Colorado.
The week ended back at home with a nice visual from the deck.
Rainbow over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains San Cristobal, New Mexico
A couple of days ago I headed north to Sanchez Lake, actually a stabilization reservoir, just south of San Luis, Colorado. I hadn’t visited in a while and as it was such a nice evening I wanted to go and check things out. There were some RV’s parked close to the lake on the east side just off the highway so I made my way around to the west side. To my surprise, I came across several American White Pelicans, I know not what the three on the left were up to, when a lone American Avocet strolled by, oblivious to me. I spotted some Grebes in the middle of the lake too far away for a decent shot, but a Killdeer came next wading in the mineral foam (not a pretty picture) on the edge of the lake. The winds picked up, the waders moseyed further down the shoreline foraging voraciously as they went. The pelicans swam to the middle of the lake. Later, when making a few images of the drying adobe mud in the dirt road ruts, I noticed an optical illusion. Is the mud concave or convex? Let me know what you see. As the shadows lengthened I made my way home stopping off at my favorite location, the red barn. The red paint on the barn is now more of a muted coral color softened by the grey, weathered wood and the sky seemed to dominate the scene begging for a black and white image. Except for the lone raven who sits in our cottonwood tree every evening waiting to greet me, that was that. Enjoy, I did! Stay cool if it’s too hot where you are. It’s been raining here for a week in northern New Mexico with more on the way.
American White Pelicans, San Luis Valley Lake, Colorado.
American Avocet San Luis Valley Lake, Colorado.
A Killdeer wading along the shoreline, San Luis Valley Lake. Colorado.
Drying adobe mud along the dirt roads, San Luis Valley, Colorado.
Red Barn with Ute Mountain and tumbleweed, in the San Luis Valley, Colorado.
Lone Raven in the cottonwood tree, San Cristobal, NM
An American Kestrel juxtaposed with a sign in a drive-by shooting!
American Kestrel, drive by shooting, Sunshine Valley, NM
It’s the “Summer of Love” in the world of dragonflies (I think they are dragonflies) at the Shuree Ponds in the Valle Vidal, NM. There were thousands of them cavorting with one thing on their minds! Addendum, thanks to my friend Larry, these are Damselflies. There were dragonflies too!
Damselflies at the Shuree Ponds in the Valle Vidal, NM
Damselflies at the Shuree Ponds in the Valle Vidal, NM
Some color on a porch deck in Madrid, NM
A splash of color in Madrid, NM
The church of San Rafael in La Cueva with blue sky and the coral tones of Negrita (Desert Globe-mallow).
The church of San Rafael in La Cueva, NM
Last but not least, if you’ll indulge me one more time, wild iris and mountain Golden Pea in a meadow in the Valle Vidal.
Wild iris and mountain Golden Pea in a meadow in the Valle Vidal, NM
Another fun week in the field and a couple of instances from the deck! During one of the last snowstorms not long ago in memory but ages ago for the much-needed moisture. We can watch the storms build up over Taos Mountain from the deck. The mourning doves have been enjoying life and seem to be inseparable, hanging out side by side in the old cottonwood tree, also visible from the deck. We made a trip to join our friends Chris and Carla at their ranch in Black Lake, New Mexico a few days ago. The meadows were carpeted with millions of wild iris. I’ve seen similar fields of iris in the Valle Vidal but nothing like this. And this was only a square mile of it. On June 11, the waxing crescent moon swung by the planet Venus. I have a favorite parking spot to watch this particular sight when it occurs. Summer Solstice is coming up on Sunday, June 20th. Where to go for a Solstice moment photo? We shall see!
Taos Mountain storm cloud building up, San Cristobal, NM
Mourning Doves in the old cottonwood tree, San Cristobal.
Wild iris, Black Lake, NM, in Lonesome Dove country near where they filmed the TV movie.
Venus, Moon and sunset across the Taos Plateau.
Enjoy the summer where you are and as always, thanks for looking. G
First time in these mountains since last year. The air is cool, refreshing and the light at this elevation, (10,000 feet) is pristine. This waterfall is just a few hundred yards from the parking area and a short uphill hike. In about two to three weeks the Columbine and other wildflowers should be gracing these slopes. If you get a chance to go here, you won’t be disappointed. Or join me on a photo trek and I’ll take you here.
Waterfall on the Williams Lake Trail in Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico.
The next four images are from the Valle Vidal. It was 84ºF in San Luis Valley and 45ºF in the mountains. We were surrounded by hail, sleet, and rain and these exquisite, Yellow-rumped Warblers flitting about everywhere.
Comanche Point in Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest, New Mexico.
Yellow-rumped Warbler in the Valle Vidal, (Valley of Life), New Mexico.
Yellow-rumped Warbler at the Shuree Ponds in the Valle Vidal, New Mexico.
Yellow-rumped Warbler at the Shuree Ponds in the Valle Vidal, New Mexico
As always, thanks for looking and all your comments and compliments. G
Three black and whites from a photo tour this week. In the first image, at Placita on the High Road to Taos, I happened to look up and there was the last quarter moon with the deep shadow from the church roofline running through the scene. The second image was taken at the church of the Sacred Heart in Rainsville, NM. I was drawn to the shapes and patterns of the shadows and light interacting with the white-trimmed window. The third image is east of the church in Rainsville looking toward the plains. We waited for the clouds to roll through with a little rain thrown in for good measure.
Placita, Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion chapel and moon, High Road to Taos
Rainsville, Church of the Sacred Heart, New Mexico.
Tree with a backdrop of storm clouds Rainsville, NM.
The moon was nearly full when it rose over the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. I’m a proponent of as little travel as possible when the presentation is before me. Dewitt Jones said, “The banquet is spread constantly, with no thought of whether anyone will attend. If I were receptive enough, perhaps I would see it in everything. But I’m not, so photography is one of the tools I use to help me concentrate, to help me see deeply, to block out all that is extraneous and see that which is essential.” I shot the moon rise last night and the following two images looking out from our deck early this morning. The potential for a vibrant eclipse diminished through the night as clouds moved in. Around 3 am the moon vanished altogether. At 4:30 am, my alarm went off. There was a faint moon with clouds surrounding it. I nodded off. By 4:55 am I was dressed and standing outside with the camera set up. I surmised that the moon would perhaps emerge from and disappear behind intermittent banks of clouds. It did as I thought but not with the resounding determination I’d hoped for. It seemed to pulse faintly as it set and then it was gone. At 5:45 I was back in bed. I woke up at 7:15 am with a feeling that I had traveled miles. In effect, at that moment I had hitched a ride with the moon. I think I’ll also need a nap later.
Nearly full moon rising over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, NM
Lunar eclipse, this morning from San Cristobal, NM
Full moon, Lunar eclipse, setting this morning over the Taos Plateau.
Below is a new print I’m working on. It’s a very large panorama of the sacred Fajada Butte in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. I’ll have this image ready for purchase on my fine art prints landscape page this weekend.
Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon, Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Not a lot of words are needed here. Suffice to say I’m playing around with my new Sony 100-400mm lens, and what better place than the garden. The birds are willing accomplices and help me put the lens through its paces. I really like this lens a lot.
Garden Buddha with seashells, San Cristobal.
Black-headed Grosbeak.
Black-headed Grosbeak
Female immature Black-headed Grosbeak.
Female Black-headed Grosbeak.
Female Evening Grosbeak.
Male Black-chinned Hummingbird, tasting the nectar or the air.
Male Black-chinned Hummingbird guarding the feeder.
Female Black-chinned Hummingbird.
Female Black-chinned Hummingbird on the feeder.
A Brown-headed Cowbird returned to the garden this year.
White-sided Sphinx Moth, often referred to as a hummingbird moth.
