October West Desert Views Of Clouds, Mountains, And The Moon

October West Desert view – Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light

Today I wanted to share these photos of some West Desert views of clouds, mountains, and the moon because I’d like to be out there seeing and photographing them all.

October is a great month to visit the West Desert because usually the skies have cleared from the smoke of western wildfires and it is also before our dreadful winter inversions begin. You can see for miles and miles and that makes it easier for me to spot birds from long distances yet I don’t just go out into the field for birds even though they are my primary subject.

Ferruginous Hawk perched on a wooden post in early morning light out in the West Desert – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

I also want to soak in the scenery, explore the flora, and become deeply intimate with the wild places I travel to. I want to take my time and memorize the peaks, the canyons, the trees, and the lay of the land. To immerse myself in the desert habitat.

West Desert clouds and the setting moon – Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light

I enjoy my journeys to find birds in the West Desert most when they are peaceful, relaxing, and when I can put the outside world, the news of the day, and all the stress aside. With views like these why on earth would I want to think about anything else?

Life is good.

Mia

These landscape photos were taken in October of 2013. I found the Ferruginous Hawk in the West Desert in September of 2021.

Click here to see more of my West Desert photos plus facts and information about the area. Click here to see more of my Ferruginous Hawk photos plus facts and information about this species.