The first six photos were taken at a boat ramp along Texas Highway 48, then the rest of the morning was spent at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, near Port Isabel.

This morning was spent on a boat trip along the Inland Waterway, into the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, primarily to see Whooping Cranes. We saw several pairs, including one family with a juvenile. In the afternoon I went to the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center in Port Aransas.

A drizzly morning in this attractive park south-west of Houston.

Visit to the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, east of Houston, on a cold January day.

An afternoon and the following morning in this wetland reserve in the Rio Grande valley.

A visit to this amazing gypsum dune field in New Mexico. This was to enjoy the landscape, although I did see some birds and managed to photograph a few. I hiked the Alkali Flat Trail (5 miles / 8 km) and the Dune Life Nature Trail (1 mile / 1.6 km).

Two days in this area of the Chiricahua Mountains, mostly on South Fork Trail, at Cave Creek Ranch and at Paradise. Birders in this part of Arizona mostly want to see the Elegant Trogon – finally spotted on my last day in the state.

A stop at this bird-friendly environment with feeders to attract hummingbirds and other species. It also attracted a hawk that ate one of the smaller birds.

I stayed in a B&B in this beautiful park, with bird feeders outside. Made a 6-mile (10km) hike to Josephine Saddle, going up Old Baldy Trail to Josephine Saddle, and down the Super Trail.

I made an early start from Tuscon, Arizona, driving up Gates Pass and into Tuscon Mountain Park at dawn. Followed by the western part of the Saguaro National Park and then later in the day the eastern part, on the other side of the city.