Quite Toasty

New Soaptree Yucca flower stalks

It was already pretty hot when Dr. K, Willow, Frio and I hit the trail early this morning.  Looks like we might hit our first 90F temperature this afternoon.  Boo.

We did our usual trek today, spotting, along the way, the Basset Hounds and their people, and the guy who drives the black side-by-side off-road vehicle, who appears to have his dog riding in the passenger seat beside him.

Saw a lot of interesting things in the desert during our outing, and I took quite a few photos.

Why the long face?

This & next:  same Soaptree Yucca

This & next:  Willow and Frio

Blackfoot Daisy and friend

Frio and Willow

3rd day in a row we've seen this guy in his off-road vehicle

This & next 3:  Black-chinned Hummingbird

This & next 2:  Ocotillo flowers

New growth on Prickly Pear Cactus pad

 

Birds of Different Feathers

This, next and other jays:  Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

It was rather chilly when Dr. K, Willow, Frio and I set off on our morning trek:  51F, but it felt far colder due to a steady breeze.

Not long after we entered LDR-A arroyo and began our descent we saw the same off-road vehicle we spotted yesterday driving north up LDR; unlike yesterday the occupant(s) stayed for only a short while before turning around and heading out.

We saw some interesting birds today, a few pictured here.  Most interesting was the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay.

Swainson's Hawk

This & next 2:  Black-chinned Hummingbird

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii)

This & next:  Willow and Frio

This & next:  Soaptree Yucca flower stalk

Last 2:  Ocotillo on the steep hill beside Right Branch Arroyo

 

Heat With Wind

Small mesquite leafed out

It was fairly warm when Dr. K, Willow, Frio and I started off this morning.  No sign of the Basset Hounds and people, but we did spot an off-road vehicle heading north on LDR.  About 20 minutes later we saw it heading south up to Tellbrook.

Not too many critters in the desert today, but I did spot a Roadrunner on an Ocotillo branch in the distance.  Couldn't get a good pic of it, though.

We all got some decent exercise on our outing this morning.

This & next:  new Soaptree Yucca flower stalks

Who dat in the Ocotillo?

Range Ratany

The "O"s

Longleaf Teabush (aka Mormon Tea)

Will flower soon

Yucca elata flower stalks

Last 2:  Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus

 

After Hump Day Hike

This & next:  new Soaptree Yucca flower stalks

Dr. K, Willow, Frio and I followed our normal route on the usual hike this morning, spotting the Basset Hounds with their humans in the Tellbrook Arroyo as we descended LDR-A arroyo; we had to pause a bit to give them time to clear out of the way in order to avoid any interaction.

We saw no one else during the rest of the trek, but we did encounter several quail as well as two hummingbirds.  Got a few OK images of the critters.

The weather was fine during our outing, 50F at start and near 60F when we finished up.

Organ Mountains

New Soaptree Yucca stalks in the left branch arroyo

The "O"s

Looking northward down the right branch arroyo

Mormon Tea

This & next:  Blackfoot Daisies

This & next 2:  new Soaptree Yucca flower stalk

This & next:  male Gambel's Quail high on a perch

This & next 2:  Black-chinned Hummingbird and Ocotillo

Ocotillo flowers and the Organ Mountains

Last 2:  Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa)