Guadalupe Mtns National Park

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

 During our New Mexico trip we continued on the National Park highway to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas.  We visited the Pine Springs Visitor center also stopped at the Frijole Ranch. As we hiked the Manzanita Spring trail of course I just had to look for birds along the way.

Various scenes from the Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

 Above on The Pinery trail exhibits describe the Chihuahuan desert vegetation.

At the Pine Spring visitor center we walked along the trail checking out the vegetation and the views of El Capitan (elev 8749).

The Sage Thrasher was a lifer for me..it was seen along the Manzanita trail near the Frijole Ranch. The trail is located behind the ranch house, the spring is a great desert watering hole for wildlife and a great birding location.

 Above the Red-shafted Flicker, Townsend's Solitaire and a couple of Chipping Sparrows.

The Frijole Ranch was owned by various people since 1876.  It has it's own school house, a springhouse, a cattle ranch, orchard. In 1966 the Hunter family sold the ranch to the National Park Service. Today the ranch museum is on the national register of historic sites.

The Red-shafted Flicker seemed to be a common bird, seen in many places during our trip.

As always, I hope you enjoy my post and thanks for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

Join in on the fun and for more wonderful photos please visit  Mosaic Monday and more
 from  Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to our host: Mary our host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  I wish everyone a happy week!