With a break between storm systems I decided to make a run out to Big Bend to check out the birds and butterflies. After a late start and spending the night in Sanderson I decided to detour to Marfa to look for Baird's Sparrow which was found without much effort so I decided to continue on south along RR 2810 and Pinto Canyon Road to see what I might find. There was a spectacular display of flowers all across west Texas but finding butterflies took some work. As the day warmed up I started to find some butterflies along Pinto Canyon Road. Best was this Acacia Skipper, only the second I've ever seen. This was my only shot. It was attracted to salts leaching out on the damp sand.
Another interesting butterfly at this site was this southwestern Bordered Patch.
A great Purple Hairstreak was also enjoying the salty road.
A butterfly was trapped in my car and I was surprised to see it was a powdered-skipper. Turns out it was my first ever Arizona Powdered Skipper.
Other butterflies in this area were Pipevine Swallowtail, Sleepy Orange and Desert Checkered-Skipper. Despite a fantastic bloom of wild flowers I saw not additional interesting butterflies as I drove the Camino del Rio to Big Bend.
