Foto's

Snagging another permit to explore Coyote Buttes (South) Wilderness, I arrived at dawn and began exploring the area from the Cottonwood Cove trailhead. Trailhead is actually a misnomer as this wilderness has no established trails - just footprints in the deep, soft, sand that can fill in on a day with strong wind. 20 permits per day are issued for the area, 10 booked online up to 3 months in advance and 10 issued the day before on a first come, first served basis at the Knaba Ranger Station.

The title? Looking at the focal point of this photo I see a gigantic, prehistoric, petrified bird perched atop the rock while looking over its shoulder at me. Perhaps it's wondering whether I'd make a good meal. What do you see?

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Non-sky area subjected to Photoshop's auto-contrast and slight shadow reduction.

ISO 100, f/18 @ 1/160th second, 70mm focal length