Heat is on Again

1st 2:  Willow relaxing on smooth sand

Hot in the desert this morning for our daily trek; Dr. K, Willow and I all seemed slightly bothered by the heat.  We're headed for a high of 95F this afternoon.  If the atmosphere dries out enough our evaporative cooler should handled conditions quite easily.  We took a long drive after today's outing.

The rest:  Texas Horned Lizard

 

Rain Bugs

Drying out after Wednesday's big rainstorm

Sure looked like it could rain when Dr. K, Willow and I were out in the desert this morning, but my weather app gave only a 1% chance of precipitation.  Most notable thing about today's trek:  the rain bugs (Red Velvet Mites) were out in abundance.

Still a lot of humidity in the atmosphere

This & next:  Red Velvet Mites (Trombidiidae)

Lovely Willow

Red Velvet Mites are also known as "rain bugs"

Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus fruit

 

Post Deluge

Slice of blue

We had an absolute deluge yesterday early evening; according to a weather website we got 2.15 inches of rain, which is quite heavy for a couple of hours here in the desert.  This morning the arroyos showed evidence of the heavy downpour, scoured by rainwater running fast.  We may get more precipitation over the next few days, which is always welcome.

Young barrel cactus twins

Willow and Dr. K heading down LDR-A

First Nipple Beehive Cactus bud we've seen

LDR-A arroyo scoured by rainwater last night

Rainwater ran heavy through the Tellbrook Arroyo

Willow in the Tellbrook Arroyo

Nipple Beehive Cactus blooming near the right branch arroyo

Right branch arroyo

Millipede

 

Poche Foto

1st 2:  Soaptree Yucca fruit

Pretty good morning hike with Willow and Dr. K.  Weather was warm with something of a breeze.  We followed our regular route seeing one hiker and a dog trekking southward along the high ridge east of us.  We're headed for a high of 89F this afternoon with a good chance of rain in the early evening.  We sure need the precipitation.

Willow between the left and right branch

Find the barrel cactus

This & next:  why it's called Allthorn

In the right branch arroyo looking northward

 

Warm Wind

1st 2:  artsy birds

It was a bit humid and hot when Dr. K, Willow and I took our regular hike in the desert this morning; to add to the slight discomfort a warm wind blew most of the time.  There's a chance of rain over the next few days; we'd like to get some because we always need it here.  Saw nobody else out and about in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert.

This & next:  pics from the right branch arroyo

Willow relaxing in the right branch arroyo

Looking southwest from the right branch arroyo

Crossed swords

 

Welcome Back

Backlit Black-throated Sparrow

Just Willow and me on the daily hike in the lower desert this morning; Dr. K had to prep for a meeting.  It was our first trek since returning from the cabin yesterday afternoon.  Unfortunately we're returning to a short heatwave, the temperature heading for a high of 96F this afternoon.  It already felt pretty hot when Wils and I were out there, and she took plenty of shade breaks to prove it.  We saw no other nature enthusiast while we followed our regular route, though the Pickup-Truck-Lady's pickup was parked at the Tellbrook/Sonoma Ranch lot when we were leaving.

House finch doing the split

Willow in ocotillo shadow

Said ocotillo

Somebody's got a new pad

 

HIgh Country Birds

Sacramentos

We've had an incredible number of cicadas up at our cabin this time, more than we've ever had before--at least in our recollections.  It's because there are so many, I believe, that a large number of birds are present.  I photographed all of the Western Bluebird juveniles after Dr. K, Willow and I returned from our morning forest hike.  After the hike we made the mandatory trip down to Alamogordo to do our shopping at Lowes Signature Market where we also put gas in Red, the CR-V.

On to something

Forest

One of several Western Bluebirds (juvenile)

Ash-throated Flycatcher

This & next 6:  Western Bluebird juveniles

 

Willow doing one of her favorite things