thunderbird

With this storm and cold winds there should be sightings of sandhill cranes in the skies soon. We think we can hear the deeper cries of cranes in the mornings now but we haven't gotten a picture yet. the far more common geese have started to return and migrate from the river to the fields daily to feed and rest.

for those who want to know; pigweed on the left with light green, straight branches.Tumbleweed on the right with spiky, dark green, curved branches.

Very few insects out on this cold and rainy night. Apart from this grass spider.

definitely more spider activity. The dew settles on grass spider webs the lower night temperatures let it.

dew is an important source of water for desert plants. Many of the silvery ones have small spikes that trap moist air from their respiration close to the holes on the undersides of the leaves.

A clear sign of autumn, tarantulas crossing the road on the mesa. these males are migrating, looking for female burrows under rocks or patches of grasses.

Migration is very important for most animals, not just the birds. Amphibians and reptiles can be very conspicuous as they try to maximize the heat of the day for hunting, or to warm up, which is crucial for their digestion too. There is an early morning woodhouse's toad, being a rock. You are welcome.