Overwintering birds arriving

Came to the oasis this morning hoping my allergies would be better here, but if they are, it's not noticeable. The mosquitoes are nearly gone though, but so are the chances for new butterflies and odonates, I think.

It was pleasant to see my overwintering species again. The Northern Flicker (Red-shafted), Green-tailed Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and other species. I suppose winter isn't far behind.

There are lots of Chinati Checkerspots around. It wasn't that long ago that I was thrilled to see my first one. Brian tells me this one is a female.

And here's a butterfly species that had me going for a while. I couldn't figure out what it was. Brian solved the mystery though. It's a Bordered Patch, but one that looks more like the ones in Arizona than those in Texas. It does look like it's had a long hard journey.