Heat Abbreviation

16 White-winged Doves

It was so uncomfortable out there this morning for Dr. K, Willow and me that we shortened the hike by a third.  Willow especially didn't seem to be enjoying herself due to the heat even though we stopped repeatedly for shade and water breaks.  We were all glad to get out of the desert before it heated up even more.

A female Scott's Oriole on Soaptree Yucca stalk

Another large ocotillo

Willow looking alert

Dayflowers

Desert Marigolds

Couldn't ID it

 

Grocery Day

Desert Unicorn-plant (Proboscidea althaeifolia)

75F already when Dr. K, Willow and I hit the trail this morning.  A persistent breeze/wind kept us from feeling the brunt of the searing sunshine.  We did our regular route, only spotting other outdoor enthusiasts--Pickup-Truck-Lady and her dog--when we were driving down Tellbrook Road on the way home.  After we got back I took a quick shower and then headed over to Albertsons for my weekly shopping stint.

Desert Marigold bouquet

Wils in sand

Hazy morning mountains

Round-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum)

Very large (15 to 18 foot) ocotillo

Desert Marigolds again

Small White-thorn Acacia tree

 

Raven or Crow?

Headed down LDR-A as usual

We got some heavy rain early evening yesterday and then storms overnight; the result this morning was a very wet desert and intensely humid atmosphere.  We did our regular route seeing along the way four large corvids, which, I'm informed from the iNaturalist website, are Common Ravens.  They were harvesting food from Soaptree Yuccas.  It seemed as if they were having a small spat with each other, squawking and making a lot of noise.  I loved seeing them.  The sun made an appearance toward the end of our hike heating things up to an unpleasant level.

iNaturalist says this and the next 4 are Common Ravens

James' Holdback, aka James Rush-pea (Pomaria jamesii)

Desert Marigolds

Clouds over the Organs

Willow on break again

 

Cloud Cover

Just getting started

For two-thirds of this morning's hike Dr. K, Willow and I got a good break; high cloud cover kept the temperature down.  With a third of the trek to go, though, the sun broke through and really broiled things (us) up.  We slogged through, however, and took a long ride in the air-conditioned CR-V to cool down.  We were feeling pretty comfortable by the time we reached home.

Headed down LDR-A

North to the flank of Tortugas

Willow on break

Dayflower

Clouds over the Organs

Desert Marigold plant

Crossing from left to middle branch arroyos

On a ridge looking westward

Tortugas and the Organs

 

Feeling Hot

Early morning sky

Due to higher humidity, blazing sunshine and lack of a breeze it felt really uncomfortably hot out there this morning for Dr. K, Willow and me.  Willow did her part in trying to keep us cool, stopping at every shady spot she could find; nevertheless, conditions were almost brutal for us in the desert today.  Chances of rain increase substantially for tomorrow and Monday.

Best pic I could get of the male Scott's Oriole

This & next:  my guess is Swainson's Hawk

Velvety Nerisyrenia

Northern Mockingbird

Southern end of the right branch arroyo

 

After the hike

Nipple Beehive Addendum

I went back out after 2 pm to photograph a Nipple Beehive Cactus I felt fairly certain would be flowering; it was.  Surprisingly I found several other individuals that Dr. K and I have never noticed before.

 

Lovely Clouds

1st 2:  Pichacho "Peak" from different perspectives

It felt cooler out there this morning thanks to high clouds that came and went during our daily hike; Dr. K, Willow and I were most grateful for the respite from the heat.  Apparently there's a very slight chance of rain this afternoon.  We followed our regular route seeing only one distant hiker on a high ridge south of us.  Not many outdoor enthusiasts have the desire to be out and about even in the early morning hours ofn a mid-June day in the desert.

This & next:  Northern Mockingbird

Twin-leaf Senna

At the top I see a fox peeking over a fence

This & next:  Greater Earless Lizard under a bush

Ocotillos on a hill

Backlit desert flora