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 The bird behaviors continue to show that not only have I not read the book, but sometimes, neither have they. This finely posed coopers hawk made a very clumsy attempt to chase a mouse under a mobile home, and eventually came out the other side empty handed. I was always under the impression these birds preferred flying prey, but I guess not always.

Here he is trying to summon up some bird dignity with a fluffed chest before returning to easier prey.

These cinnamon teal have the most gorgeous pale lilac under feathers when in flight. They evidently like it here, as their numbers appear to be increasing. They seem to prefer more cover than the common green winged teals do.

This impressive beaver dam shows many of the usual features seen in these constructions. On the near bank is a pile of excavated mud and sticks which seems to be the source of raw materials. The far side has a mud spillway formed as the water level rises. On the far bank you can see a slide that leads into the main pool. It should be very close to the underwater entrance to the burrow. The beavers appear to have moved further north up the ditch. Likely to get away from humans that seem to delight in breaking holes in their dams. These dams not only create habitat for animals, fish and insects, but they trap silt and form bridges that concentrate land animals to crossing spots for easy viewing.

The birds, and this dove are definitely mating. This female is in a ready pose as she waits for the male to arrive that she called in with her cooing. She also raises her wings in a characteristic "chicken wing" angle, but I didn't get that on camera

This black phoebe was hoping I would scare up some insects as it waited in ambush on a river stick. These birds are in almost constant motion as they dart out to snatch a single gnat over and over again.

The fields are all being prepared for sowing. The ground has been ploughed, graded, and fertilized. ready for growing season to begin. This picture shows the edge of the field and the transition from tall grasses into mature trees. This is prime hunting area for just about all raptors like the hawks and owls.

Because of the drought, the ditches are empty for an extra month. This extra real estate has attracted fast growing plants like this one. It is in the tansy mustard family and is growing fast. I think it is flixweed.

This plant is a common garden plant - Rough menodora (hopefully)

I am hoping to get some more diversity in the insects soon. These guys are not terribly entertaining after a week of nothing else. They are fungus gnats, a staple for the gnatcatchers like the black phoebe.

Now this handsome guy is the first of the grasshoppers. New Mexico does have some amazingly beautiful grasshoppers, but there are three or four species that dominate. At these temperatures, the grasshoppers are very easy to catch, but good luck later in the season!

Cabbage whites are a cold tolerant butterfly and are usually out before now. This is the first one I've seen this year. It was examining the newly shorn cattails in the scuzzy ditch. They are attracted to salty marsh areas, but can be found anywhere until the summer turns up the heat.