In the late afternoon, a greater yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) forages at the water's edge. Photo taken in Albuquerque's North Valley on November 6, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A reminder that even the most graceful among us can be a klutz now and then. This pygmy nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea) was headed down a tree trunk when it lost its grip and hit its head on a branch. Loss of dignity aside, no harm done. Photo taken on September 14, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

One of the great things about Albuquerque is the ability to take a walk like this one on a beautiful fall morning, without leaving town. Photo taken on November 3, 2025.

A good time of the year to wander around in Albuquerque's botanic garden. Photo taken on November 2, 2025.

An immature great blue heron (Ardea herodias) caught in the first sunlight to reach Tingley Beach this morning. Photo taken on October 28, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds #heron

A great blue heron (Ardea herodias) puts on the brakes as it prepares to land. Photo taken at Isleta Lakes on October 23, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A male wood duck (Aix sponsa) in the Rio Grande Bosque, Albuquerque on October 22, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

Two neotropic cormorants (Nannopterum brasilianum) at Tingley Beach, Albuquerque on the morning of October 22, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A male great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) that I saw on October 13, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

Since we New Mexicans are spoiled by so much sunshine, here's a reminder of what the the state's weather can look like. Looking down a county road north of Estancia on the foggy, cold, wet morning of October 14, 2025.

In the North Valley this morning, a V of American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) passed low overhead, headed south. Photo taken in Albuquerque, New Mexico on October 15, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

True to their name, rock wrens (Salpinctes obsoletus) love rocky places. Not a setting you'll find on the high plains between Estancia and McIntosh, N.M. Instead, this rock wren was hanging out at a large pile of discarded timbers. Photo taken on October 14, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

An immature great blue heron (Ardea herodias) at Isleta Lakes, New Mexico on October 13, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

American snouts (Libytheana carinenta) are my candidate for New Mexico's least beautiful butterfly. Their appearance improves when the wings are open. This one is nectaring on seepwillow (Baccharis sp.). Photo taken in the Rio Grande Bosque on October 9, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #butterfly

In the Sandia Mountains this morning, an artist begins her painting of the fall colors. Photo taken at the 9 Mile picnic area on October 10, 2025. #nature #naturephotography

A Say's phoebe (Sayornis saya) watching for insects from a construction stake. Photo taken in the Rio Grande Bosque in Albuquerque on October 9, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

As the year winds down, so does the life of this female variegated meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum). Her children will fly south for the winter. Photo taken in the Rio Grande Bosque at Belén, N.M. on October 8, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #dragonfly

An Abert's squirrel (Sciurus aberti) shows off its trademark ear tufts. Photo taken at Carlito Springs Open Space near Tijeras, N.M. on October 7, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #squirrel

This female great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) was injured and foraging for food scraps at the Isleta Grill. At least she'll eat well. The Isleta Grill won the 2025 contest for New Mexico's best green chile cheeseburger and is doing lots of business. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) taking a break from its search for nectar. A female, I think. Photo taken at the Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area near Belén, New Mexico on October 3, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #butterfly

Time to rise and go... two turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) in the Rio Grande Bosque, Albuquerque on the morning of October 2, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds #newmexico

A female belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) in the Rio Grande Bosque on October 2, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A great blue heron (Ardea herodias) stepping along the shore of the Rio Grande in Peña Blanca, New Mexico. Photo taken on September 29, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A juvenile red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) wheeling over the Rio Grande Bosque in Peña Blanca, New Mexico. Photo taken on September 29, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

Most globe mallow (Sphaeralcea spp.) flowers are bright orange, but once in a while I see a pink one. Photo taken on September 22, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #flowers

In the upper Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque, the aspen leaves have started turning yellow. Photo taken on September 27, 2025.

As I walked in a little-used part of the Rio Grande Bosque this morning, a couple of female or immature male black-chinned hummingbirds (Archilochus alexandri) flew up to check me out. Here's one of them. Photo taken on September 25, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A southbound but off-course juvenile Sabine's gull (Xema sabini) at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge on September 22, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

Why I walk in the Bosque Photo taken in the Rio Grande Bosque, Albuquerque on September 20, 2025. #nature #naturephotography

This great blue heron (Ardea herodias) flew into a tree at Tingley Beach, and stared down at the water from there. Checking out the possibilities for fish, no doubt. Photo taken on September 20, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A male belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) keepin an eye on the main pond at Tingley Beach. The unused nest was made by Tingley's seasonal population of neotropic cormorants. Photo taken on September 20, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

An immature or nonbreeding adult American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) at Zia Reservoir, New Mexico on September 18, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A nonbreeding/immature spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularius) at Zia Reservoir, New Mexico on September 18, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A Brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri), probably on its way south. Photo taken at the Whitfield Conservation Area near Belén, New Mexico on September 17, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A male brimstone clubtail (Stylurus intricatus) in the Rio Grande Bosque, Albuquerque on September 16, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #dragonfly

Sometimes a close-up portrait of a bird does a better job of capturing its essence than a full-body image. Or so I feel. I saw this canyon towhee (Melozone fusca) in lower Bluewater Canyon on September 15, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A common raven (Corvus corax) fluffing out its throat feathers. It's perched on a sign at a travel stop, where it can watch for dropped food. Photo taken in Grants, New Mexico on September 15, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

Lower Bluewater Canyon, which snakes through public land in Cibola County, N.M., not far from Grants. The 2 mile long trail along the canyon bottom begins at a BLM parking area just outside the canyon's mouth. Photo taken on November 15, 2025.

A male bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) in Acid Canyon, Los Alamos on September 14, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A male widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) in the Rio Grande Bosque, Albuquerque on September 11, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #dragonfly

Under a New Mexico sky, an immature male rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) takes a well-deserved break. It's about halfway through its 1500+ mile migration from its summer home to its winter home. Photo taken in the Rio Grande Bosque on September 11, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

This very young red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is in no hurry for the summer to end. Photo taken in the Rio Grande Bosque, Albuquerque on September 11, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #turtle

They make it look so easy... An immature great blue heron (Ardea herodias) gliding in for a landing. Photo taken in the Rio Grande Bosque on September 10, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

A white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) seems to be giving me the hairy eyeball. That's not an actual pupil, though, but an optical effect known as a pseudopupil. Photo taken in the Rio Grande Bosque on September 10, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #moth

A blue fungus beetle (Cypherotylus californicus) perches on top of a woolly mullein seed spike. Notice anything odd about the antennae? Photo taken in the Magdalena Mountains of central New Mexico on September 8, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #beetle

In Albuquerque, you know fall is in the air when you start seeing clusters of hot air balloons. Including one shaped like a cement truck. Photo taken on September 9, 2025.

(Reposted with a revised ID.) A Western flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) resting on a woolly mullein seed spike. Photo taken in the North Fork of Water Canyon, Magdalena Mountains, central New Mexico, on September 8, 2025.

Looking down Water Canyon in the Magdalena Mountains. The peak in the middle distance is, I believe, Polvadera Mountain. On the horizon, the Sandias are left of center and the Manzanos are to the right. Photo taken on September 5, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #mountain

Don't you hate it when someone interrupts your lunch? This female/immature MacGillivray's Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei) was getting ready to enjoy a caterpillar in the shade when I showed up. Photo taken in Socorro, New Mexico on September 5, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #birds

An alpine meadow on the flank of South Baldy, which at 10,783 feet is the highest point in the Magdalena Mountains of central New Mexico. Photo taken on September 5, 2025. #nature #naturephotography #mountain