Humid Hump Hike

Hill alongside LDR-A

We got a bit of rain overnight, and that made the atmosphere quite humid this morning for the hike.  When the sun broke though cloud cover the weather conditions heated up, but when the sun was obscured again the temperature dropped.  Dr. K and I were never overly warm nor cold, and Willow didn't seem to care one way or the other.

House finch

From here to the mountains

This & next:  barrel cactus with almost dried flowers

Roadrunner who was hunting within feet of us

This & next:  Willow in the right branch arroyo

Landscape (phone pic)

 

After More Rain

View from LDR-A

Rain again last night caused wet desert floor and humid atmosphere.  Dr. K, Willow and I followed our regular route while warming up all along the way.  We saw the Basset People and their hounds while we ascended the left branch arroyo, but never were close enough to them to worry about an encounter.  After a satisfying morning outing we returned home and I left almost immediately to do my weekly shopping at Albertsons.

This & next:  Desert Globemallow

Blackfoot Daisies

Willow on wet sand

Prickly pear and marigolds

Ancient Soaptree Yucca

Barrel cactus and Soaptree Yucca (Cactus Peacock)

4210 hill and Tortugas Mountain

Prickly pear and ocotillo

Flank of Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

 

Slightly Humid

Headed down LDR-A

It rained for a brief spell yesterday evening, leaving the morning atmosphere a bit humid.  During our daily trek Dr. K and I noticed the slightly muggy conditions.  The temperature was cool, though, owing to the many clouds that often obscured the sun.  We followed the regular route today, seeing no other nature lovers out and about in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert.

To the southwest

North to Tortugas and the Organs

Dr. K and Willow in LDR-A arroyo

Desert Globemallow

This & next:  partial rainbow

Barigold = barrel cactus + marigolds

Blackfoot Daisies

Camera pic of the yellows

 

Hike and Ride

Morning sky

Regular hike this morning; spotted Basset people and hounds, also the guy with the SUV who has several dogs with him.  Took a ride after the trek on our usual Sunday morning drive.

Hill west of the trail

Amarillo

West of the Organs

Barrel loaded with fruit

4210 hill in yellow

My only bird photo today:  White-crowned Sparrow

Willow in sunlight

Across the desert to the mountains

 

Lower Desert Again

Southwest of Tortugas

Dr. K, Willow and I were back in the lower desert this morning, dressed to ward off the chill, but enjoying the sunshine.  Still a bit windy in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert, but not as bad as the overnight wind nor the all-day blast we experienced on Thursday at the cabin the result of which was a lengthy power outage that sent us back down the mountain.

The Wilster

Looking back at the way we came

A lot of yellow still on 4210 hill

Willow and Dr. K on a chilly morning

West of 4210 hill

Ocotillo leaves showing their age

 

In a Rut

This bull elk was making a racket bugling this morning

When I took Willow out for her morning business meeting we heard a bull elk bugling and bellowing loudly.  I spotted him and quite a few cows out in a grassy area across the valley from us.  Took a few pics of him and the girls.  Later Dr. K, Willow and I did a hike in the forest near the cabin following our regular route.  Afterward Dr. K and I drove down to Alamogordo to dump some garbage, buy groceries at Lowe's Signature Market, and put gas in Red the CR-V before heading back up the mountain.

One of the cows in his entourage

Elk cows

High on juniper berries

This & next:  Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

Willow spotting critters

Flesh fly? on Golden Crownbeard

The rest:  Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay