Just before sunrise from the porch of our B&B at Terlingua, TX

The "crack of dawn"

Sunrise, Terlingua, TX

We did our morning survey of the wall outside our room; here's another walking stick.

Katydid

Katydid

Mary, checking her morning messages; rocking those Crocs

Mary, on the porch

Scaled Quail near the house

Scaled Quail

Scaled Quail moving up the hill NE of our B&B

How many Scaled Quail do you see?

We counted seven.

Mourning Dove, well-camoflaged

Mourning Dove

Black-throated Sparrow, singing below our B&B

The Black-throated Sparrow flew up to the ledge in front of the B&B.

Black-throated Sparrow

Rock Squirrel on the rocks south of our B&B, toward the highway

That's the Rock Squirrel in the middle of the photo.

We really enjoyed this little cafe; we had their omelets etc three mornings and late dinner two nights.

This morning we took the Old Maverick Road from Maverick Junction, not far into Big Bend National Park, to Santa Elena Canyon. We stopped several times to take in the beautifully stark scenery.

Patti found this dessicated millipede exoskeleton on the ridge overlooking the valley.

Pyrrhuloxia in an ocotillo

Probably Cassin's Sparrow
per SW Cardiff, but
reported to eBird as sparrow sp.

Gray or Dusky Flycatcher
per SW Cardiff
reported to eBird as Empidonax sp.

Gray or Dusky Flycatcher
per SW Cardiff
reported to eBird as Empidonax sp.

Gray or Dusky Flycatcher
per SW Cardiff
reported to eBird as Empidonax sp.

We concluded this was a young Red-tailed Hawk that flew out of a tree at the left side of the road to the middle of the embankment, then sat and watched us as we creeped by in the car and took photos.

Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

A short distance farther, this Great Horned Owl flew from the brush to the right of the car and down the road in front of us before landing on the embankment on the left.

We decided this Great Horned Owl might be a juvenile as well.

Great Horned Owl, Old Maverick Road, Big Bend National Park, TX

A little farther down the road, this Greater Roadrunner crossed our path.

Greater Roadrunner

Rock formation along Old Maverick Road

Old Maverick Road scenery

Beside Old Maverick Road

More scenery

Santa Elena Canyon in the distance

At the end of Old Maverick Road, we wound down to get to the parking lot and the access trail to the canyon.

Nancy V scanned the ridge for birds.

Sides of Santa Elena Canyon

After a short walk, we reached the Rio Grande where it flows through the Santa Elena Canyon.

Patti follows Nancy V, Steve and Nancy R on the wooden path that had been laid down to the river.

Nancy V, Nancy R, Mary and Patti approach the river with some canoers coming up behind them.

Patti, Nancy R and Mary

Nancy R and Mary

Mary, at the Rio Grande at Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, TX

Nancy V and Patti

Steve, Nancy R, Nancy V and Patti in the distance with some folks putting a canoe into the water at Santa Elena Canyon

Shore of the Rio Grande

Nancy V spotted a Common Black Hawk and Steve went to get a photo.

Common Black Hawk in the trees near the river

The Common Black Hawk taking off from the trees

The Common Black Hawk had been reported recently in the area.

The Common Black Hawk circled over our heads for several minutes, giving us ample opportunity to take photos.

Common Black Hawk, circling near the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, TX

Common Black Hawk

Common Black Hawk

Common Black Hawk

Common Black Hawk

Common Black Hawk

Then a Turkey Vulture joined the hawk overhead.

Patti and Nancy V watch the birds.

Mary, Nancy R and Nancy V

Nancy V found some shore birds along the river.

The Rio Grande running into Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park, TX

Steve, Patti, Nancy R and Nancy V

Steve, Patti, Nancy R, Nancy V

Patti and Nancy V

Mary and Nancy R

Nancy V

Mary and Steve, beside the Rio Grande at Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, TX

Mary and Steve, beside the Rio Grande at Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, TX

Mary and Steve, beside the Rio Grande at Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, TX

Juvenile Chipping Sparrow, on the Mexico side of the Rio Grande

Adult Chipping Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow in flight

When we got back to the car, this Townsend's Warbler was hopping around in the trees next to the parking lot.

Townsend's Warbler

Back out on the road, we saw this Great Blue Heron in the river below.

Great Blue Heron in the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, TX

Two Western Kingbirds on a power line along the road

Back on pavement, heading away from the canyon on the southern route through the park

We looked for heads, faces and animals in all the rock formations we passed.

I'm not sure what we thought this one looked like.

We made our way to Cottonwood campground where we stopped to look for birds, like this Western Wood-Pewee, and have some of Nancy V's crunchy peanut butter and honey on multi-grain bread.

Western Wood-Pewee

Western Wood-Pewee

Male Vermilion Flycatcher

Lavender trumpet-like wildflowers

Wildflowers

Lavender-colored wildflower

More lavender-colored wildflowers

Wildflowers

Lavender-colored wildflowers

Bark on one of the big cottonwood trees in the campground

Cottonwood bark

Cottonwood tree

Wilson's Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

Male Vermilion Flycatcher at Cottonwood campground, Big Bend National Park, TX

Male Vermilion Flycatcher

Male Vermilion Flycatcher

Male Vermilion Flycatcher

Male Vermilion Flycatcher

Male Summer Tanager with an insect

Male Summer Tanager

Summer Tanager

The Summer Tanager never gave us a clear look at its face.

Western Wood-Pewee

Western Wood-Pewee

The Western Wood-Pewee flew out from its perch, caught a robber fly and returned to the fence.

Western Wood-Pewee with a robber fly

Western Wood-Pewee

The Western Wood-Pewee seemed to be doing contortions to swallow its catch.

Black-chinned Hummingbird at the lavender bugle flowers

Female Black-chinned Hummingbird

Female Black-chinned Hummingbird

Adult female Summer Tanager

Bill D suggests the bird on the right is a Dickcissel.

Now the bill is looking more grosbeak-like

Male Black-chinned Hummingbird

Male Black-chinned Hummingbird

Male Black-chinned Hummingbird

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

Yellow River

Yellow Warblers

Ash-throated Flycatcher
Bill D: The rufous wing panels and rufous stripes in the tail indicate a Myiarchus sp. An Ash-throated ID is supported by the pale throat and wide, bright white edges on the wing coverts and tertials. The tail evidence for Ash-throated is pretty good on the left side with a rufous edge at the base of the tail, not brown as for Brown-crested, and a long brown corner from the middle to the tip. There looks like enough brown along the tip to indicate an adult. The bill is thin and sharply pointed, at least consistent with Ash-throated.

Yellow Warblers

Black-chinned Hummingbird at lavender trumpet flowers

Three Yellow Warblers

Yellow Warbler (L) and Wilson's Warbler (R)

Ash-throated Flycatcher
(see notes from Bill D on earlier photo)

Male Vermilion Flycatcher

Greater Roadrunner

Greater Roadrunner

Greater Roadrunner

Greater Roadrunner

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Wilson's Warbler in the grass

Wilson's Warbler poking its head out of the grass

Female Vermilion Flycatcher

Female Vermilion Flycatcher

Western Wood-Pewee

Western Wood-Pewee

Western Wood-Pewee

Male Ladderback Woodpecker

Male Ladderback Woodpecker

Lark Sparrow

Western Wood-Pewee

Western Wood-Pewee

Western Wood-Pewee

Western Wood-Pewee

Male Summer Tanager

Male Summer Tanager

Male Summer Tanager

After leaving the Cottonwood campground, we headed back to the house, across more interesting territory; do you see a left-facing head?

Landscape in Big Bend National Park, TX

Landscape in Big Bend National Park, TX; is that an up-turned face?

Landscape in Big Bend National Park, TX

Landscape in Big Bend National Park, TX

Landscape in Big Bend National Park, TX

"Mule ears" in the distance

"Mule ears"

"Mule ears"

"Mule ears"

Landscape in Big Bend National Park, TX

Landscape in Big Bend National Park, TX

Landscape and sky in Big Bend National Park, TX

Landscape and sky in Big Bend National Park, TX

Landscape and sky in Big Bend National Park, TX

Sotol yuccas in the landscape at Big Bend National Park, TX

Sotol yuccas in the landscape at Big Bend National Park, TX

Sotol Vista sign

The landscape at Big Bend National Park, TX

Landscape and sky at Big Bend National Park, TX

When we got back to Terlingua, we stopped at the Cottonwood Hardware Store for some ice and other supplies.

Old sign mounted inside the new hardware store building

In the afternoon, we decided to visit the old Terlingua "ghost town."

Old Terlingua

Hotel in old Terlingua

Old car under a small carport in old Terlingua

Old rock structures at old Terlingua

Old Terlingua

Crumbling rock building in old Terlingua

Old Terlingua

Cemetery at old Terlingua

Entrance to old Terlingua cemetery

Sign describing Terlingua cemetery

Historical marker describing ancestors of the region

Terlingua cemetery sign

Sign documenting history of the area

Returning to our B&B, we noticed these tepees on the north side of the road.

Storm clouds had started rolling in while we were in Terlingua.

Storm clouds building; a hail storm passed through as we finished dinner at the Chili Pepper Cafe.

The rain was blown so hard against the house that it came under the threshold. Mary took a photo and sent it to our host.