As I have done most afternoons lately, I drove up to Orilla Verde, to see what was going on. I had my fly rod and tackle in the van, but didn’t think it likely that I would go fishing, since the water had just jumped up to 900 cfs – too high for fly fishing.
But I had both my cameras with me – my Coolpix P600 Superzoom, and my Nikon D90, with an 80-300 zoom lens. I suspected that there would be some flowers already blooming, and I was right. And beside flowers, I knew that I could get some wildlife sightings.
I had noticed, at Petaca CG a few days back, that Western bluebirds were around. And they were again today, perching on posts. All the photos that follow were taken with the Coolpix, except those noted as being taken with the D90.
A few yards up the road, I noticed this squirrel, eating Siberian elm seeds.
I was heading for the Gauging Station area, which I usually visit in the Spring to find blooming cactus, but stopped on the way to photograph a pair of mallards, and a favorite section of the gorge rim.
I saw, as I arrived at the Gauging Station, a group of 4 mule deer, down at the water on the opposite side of the river. They didn’t get too alarmed by my presence across the river, but started to amble slowly away. About a week ago, I saw 3 Bighorn rams in the very same spot.
Then I started my search for blooming cactus and early flowers.

Green hedgehog cactus, with a $1 bill beside it for scale. It’s a very small cactus, and easy to miss.
Also blooming was the Western wallflower.

Gauging Station Rapid, Rio Grande del Norte National Monument
Then I continued upstream to the Taos Junction Bridge area.
Well … I sure got my money’s worth on this two-hour jaunt! You just GOTTA love the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument!