Big Bend Photo Report ~ Day 1
A week ago Friday (June 22) our Ecology of Big Bend class left Arlington at around 6 a.m. We drove south and west across Texas, stopping a few times to eat and add gas. We arrived at Big Bend National Park around 4 p.m. or so. Here is one of the first views we had of the Chisos, the only mountain range entirely contained within the park.
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As the sun set on the Chisos Basin, I was struck by the amount of color and contrasts of the plants and landscapes.
I took many a plant photo on this trip. Here is an unknown vine:
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My friend Jose (now a Ph.D. candidate at UC Riverside) introduced me to the wonder of insects when I worked in the Huntly lab. Since then, I'm fascinated with them. I love to take pictures of insects on plants. The abdomen of this dragonfly was a glowing blue.
The window is a slot canyon that drains the Chisos Basin rain water to the desert below. My friend Cody and I arrived at sunset. It was one of those amazing experiences that one cannot describe with words or photos.
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On the hike back to camp, I saw this Assassin bug on a Sumac.
Later, I jumped this Desert Cottontail.
I was having issues with my head lamp, so I decided to hike back in the dark. I was sort of afraid of stepping on a rattlesnake, but I felt like I saw and heard more without the light. Big Bend is now my "One Particular Harbour" as it were, and I had the striking feeling that I wouldn't have traded that moment for anything.
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After we had set up camp in the Chisos Basin Campground, the majority of folks decided to do the five mile round trip Window Trail. I led the hike through the high desert. Here is a self-portrait. I could use a good pair of horse clippers.
As the sun set on the Chisos Basin, I was struck by the amount of color and contrasts of the plants and landscapes.
My friend Jose (now a Ph.D. candidate at UC Riverside) introduced me to the wonder of insects when I worked in the Huntly lab. Since then, I'm fascinated with them. I love to take pictures of insects on plants. The abdomen of this dragonfly was a glowing blue.
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