Happy Equinox

Canadian Geese at Dawn

Rustic Sphinx Moth (Manduca rustica)

If you have ever wondered what hornworms (often called tomato worms) turn into, this giant Rustic Sphinx Moth (Manduca rustica) is one example. They also turn into the common Sphinx Moth or what is often called the Hummingbird Moth. The big boy was born in the catio this morning, so it’s a Euinox Rustic Sphinx Moth. Laurie saw the kitties looking interested as the moth crawled across the floor (wings not dry enough for it to fly). She snatched it up and put it outside the catio, out of reach of the cats.

Rustic Sphinx Moth on my hand for scale. It was about 3 inches long.

Spunk trying on his Equinox Wings.

Loki started celebrating Equinox with a bit of catermortis. Silver and Glenda are in the background.

Marble Hot & Fresh in Fall colors in Minutes.

A big hand blessing the beginning of Autumn at Dawn.

Let There Be Critters

Gwendolyn: “Did you say critters? I see!”

Black-chinned Hummingbird

The Rio Grande is running high.

Canadian Geese on the fly

First Dragonfly photo of the season.

New Mexico Whiptail Lizard. “Whip it. Whip it good!”

A slightly battered butterfly

Fire in the sky

RAW Power

I’m trying out a new photo editor called RAW Power. So far it’s pretty good.

Processing a photo of our bunny in RAW Power.

pTerodactyl flying overhead

Buddy working hard

Hummingbird behind

Almost the same devilishly cool temperature inside as outside.

Sunrise looking south

Cresent moon at sunrise

Pretty Peonies

Come Together… Over Me

Daddy Owl (left) and Mama Owl came together over me tonight.

The geese were really cranky this evening. They did take a break from cranking to do synchronized preening.

Mama Owl

Late afternoon to sunset.

Daddy Owl looking at Mama Owl who’s giving the Paparazzo the squint like Clint.

Cranes On The Water, Fire Rainbows In The Sky

The cranes were flying in and landing on the Rio Grande in bunches. Click on photos to enlarge them.

These are not technically Fire Rainbows (very rare) because we are below 55º north latitude, and the sun was much lower than 58º above the horizon as the sun was setting. However, the clouds were cirrus, and they obviously had ice crystals acting like prisms refracting sunlight and creating a firey rainbow effect. They are probably run-of-the-mill rainbow clouds.

Sunrise and a crescent moon peeking through the clouds.

Pink clouds make a halo around the Tangle Heart Tree.