Jeremy's Birds (and More)

Cacti and Yucca Soapweed Yucca ( Yucca glauca ) . The branches at the top of the stem is very rare to find, usually it is just a strait stem with a cluster of pods. Tree Cholla ( Opuntia imbricata ) . More tree cholla, I included this shot for the very cool spider web attached. 

4 Peaks in 4 Days: Day 2 - Carlsbad Cavern, NM Guadalupe Peak was just a few miles from the Carslbad Caverns so we decided to stop and check it out. The first photo is of the natural enterance and I posted one more as a representative sample of the caves. They were really quite cool. The night before we had stopped by to see the bats exit from the cave.  Although the Park wouldn't let us come as close as usual, we did see thousands of Brazilian or Mexican free-tail bats exit the cave. Silverleaf Nightshade ( Solanum elaeagnifolium ) aka Purple Nightshade. Desert Prickly-Pear ( Opuntia phaeacantha ) aka Brownspine pricklypear, Tulip pricklypear. Cave Swallow .  There were hundreds flying all around the natural entrance.  Given the millions of bats in the cave and the swallows, I'm surprised that there are any  insects anywhere near the cave.  Canyon Wren . Also near the natural entrance into the caverns.

Cacti and Yucca Engelmann's Prickly Pear ( Opuntia engelmannii ) . This was growing atthe very top of the peak. It would have been a better shot if the flower were more fully in bloom. Sotol ( Dasylirion liophyllum ) , aka desert spoon. A very cool looking plant. I love the long stem.