Moab

Our family took our annual trip to Moab a few weeks ago, I always try to get a little birding in during these trips and over the years have gotten several life birds while in Moab.
List of Life Birds from Moab:
White-throated Swift, Blue Grosbeak, Bushtit, Yellow Breasted Chat, Rock Wren, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Indigo Bunting, Black-throated Sparrow

Birding is usually done while we are doing other activities the rest of the family tolerates it as long as I don't infringe on the other activities. Nery and I did get to take a walk through the Matheson Preserve the first evening, we got there just before sunset so the light was bad for pictures so I didn't get any good pictures but did see a new life bird, I saw my first Indigo Bunting (no picture).

Lesser Goldfinch

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Birds seen during this trip were:
American Crow, Turkey Vulture, White Throated Swift, Violet-green Swallow, Say's Pheobe, Western Kingbird, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow Breasted Chat, Black-headed Grosbeak, American Robin, Lesser Goldfinch, Black-throated Sparrow, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren (heard only), Black-chinned Hummingbird.

Since I wasn't able to get many bird pictures I thought I would share some of the other flora and fauna pictures from the trip, evidence of why our family loves Moab so much. I am still learning the names of plants and flowers so I am not able to identify all of them

Trail through Matheson Preserve lots of Cotton from the Cottonwood Trees

Indian Blanket or Fire Wheel

Red cliffs looming over the preserve

Remnants of a fire at the preserve a couple of years ago

Shot of the half moon over Moab

Prickly Pear were just starting to bloom

One of the many lizards we saw in the desert

I am still learning my flowers and don't know the name of this one but it is beautiful

Bull Canyon road

Young Buck and Doe Mule Deer

Nery

I think this one is Silver Lupine

Prickly Pear and a Sunflower

Bennett enjoying the desert

I don't know their name but these yellow flowers were blooming everywhere

Another one I don't know the name but they contribute to the beauty of the desert

Sacred Datura

I took off up the trail to see Gemini Bridges without my 300mm lens and these Say's Phoebes were everywhere

Trail to Gemini Bridges

Goony Bird formation

Mormon Tea

Gemini Bridges

Desert Beauty

I never did get the name of this arch just south of Moab

I could get up to this view every morning

Looking out over Moab Valley from the Lasal Loop road

The Family