Sunday Symbiosis

Little puff clouds

Nice morning for a hike:  about 50F at start.  Dr. K, Willow and I followed our regular route; we spotted a few other outdoor enthusiasts during our trek.  After our exploration we took a semi-long drive around several different neighborhoods.

Distant hikers bushwhacking through the desert

Probably a flower by afternoon

Threadleaf Groundsel and range ratany

Willow, relaxation mode

Pretty prickly pear

This & next:  prickly pear flowering

Desert Marigolds

Checkered White?

 

Mockingbird

Artsy mockingbird

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Friday Photos

Has-beens

Warmer this morning as Dr. K, Willow and I did our daily hike; less breezy, too, although it's quite windy this afternoon.  Headed for a high of 80F, but we have another brief cool down coming thanks to a cold front blowing through.  Only thing to note about today's outing:  we bushwhacked over to the Soaptree Yucca that's blooming west of the right branch arroyo.  We'd meant to trek over to it yesterday, but forgot.

Cactus Wren on ocotillo

Willow relaxing in the left branch arroyo

Ocotillo flowers

Barrel cactus, range ratany, desert marigolds

This & next 4:  Soaptree Yucca in bloom (1 pic w/Dr. K & W

 

Pitayas and Prickly Pears

Black-chinned Hummingbird

All of the flower pics were taken yesterday afternoon; I went back out after the morning hike in order to capture some images of what I suspected would be blooming cacti.  I wasn't disappointed.  The photos of the Swainson's Hawk on a distant yucca and the one of Willow were taken on today's morning trek.  Dr. K, Willow and I followed our regular route noticing that all the flowering cacti blossoms from yesterday had yet to open for today.

Prickly Pear blossoms

This & next:  Strawberry Pitaya growing beneath a yucca

This & next:  Adonis Blazingstar

Strawberry Pitaya

Prickly Pear flowers

Pitaya and Prickly Pear

This & next 4:  Prickly Pears in bloom

 

This & next 2:  is it Swainsy back again?

Wils on lead

Green Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus beneath a yucca

Cactus Wren and Cactus Flowers

1st 3:  our first sighting of Swainson's Hawks (2) this season

About 50F at the start of the hike this morning; a stiff breeze made it feel quite chilly out there.  Dr. K and I both complained about the weather conditions, but Willow had no gripes.  We did our regular route, noticing other nature enthusiasts in the desert:  hikers with dogs.  Best part of today's outing was seeing two Swainson's Hawks hunting for breakfast; they're the first we've seen this season.

Cactus Wren on yucca saber

Adonis Blazingstar

Prickly Pear flower opening

Last 2:  tree cholla flowers