Day Two

New Growth

We had an OK hike in the forest behind the cabin this morning.  I was hoping for some wildlife activity, but we only saw and heard a few birds--oh, and one cottontail rabbit.  The temperature was 60F at start, so conditions were quite pleasant despite the lack of sunshine.

This & next:  Wils in the mountains

Prickly Pear blooming at 7,000 feet

This & next:  ancient juniper

Cloudy start to the morning

 

Gimpy Knee

Haynes Canyon

Dr. K, Willow and I got to the high country yesterday early afternoon, and this morning we took our first hike in the forest behind the cabin.  We went straight up the steep hill behind our place, and I hung in despite my gimpy knee which started giving me grief a few days ago.  Most notable things on this trek:  the White-breasted Nuthatch (?) I got a lousy photo of and the Black-headed Grosbeak who's been singing his head off the past two days.

Willow in pumphouse shadow

Mountain living

Sacramentos

Lousy pic of a deer on the move

Sacramentos again

Prickly Pear blossoming at 7,000 feet

White-breasted Nuthatch?

This & next 4:  adult male Black-headed Grosbeak

 

Fungus among us

Prickly Pear flowering at 7,000 feet

Waiting for Mom

Ant Bite

Mutant cholla

Poor Willow.  Not exactly a pleasant hike for her this morning.  She got bitten by an ant about halfway through the trek and was plagued with a stinging bite for the duration.  Lots of stopping to lick her paw, but we kept her moving so we could get home and give her a dose of Benadryl, which has, in the past, always worked fairly quickly to relieve symptoms.  Now--late morning--she seems to have pretty much recovered.

Willow and Dr. K (pre-bite)

Down near the Tellbrook Arroyo

Stinging Serpent plant (Cevallia sinuata)

Cactus bee on Stinging Serpent (Cevallia sinuata)

White-winged Doves on ocotillo branches

Willow (post-bite)

 

Satisfied

Black-throated Sparrow

Normal starting time for Dr. K, Willow and me on this morning's hike.  Felt quite a bit warmer out there today.  We followed our regular route seeing no other nature enthusiasts while we were exploring.  Took a long drive afterward.

Say's Phoebe (point camera at where it might be and click)

Black-throated Sparrow otra vez

Ashie says, "This is how I part my hair"

Ash-throated Flycatcher

3D-ish

Willow relaxing

This fly tastes good

Faxon Yucca crown sans birds

Pencil cholla

 

Willow and Dr. K in the right branch arroyo

White-winged Dove

Same dove taking flight

Feathered Friends

A male Gambel's Quail

The rain we got yesterday in the late afternoon left a touch of humidity in the air which we experienced on this morning's hike; neither Dr. K, Willow or I minded it due to the persistent light breeze that kept conditions feeling cool.  We saw no other human or canine nature lovers out there during our explorations, but we did encounter quite a few different birds.  There seemed to be more of our feathered friends out and about than usual; did yesterday's rain have anything to do with the increased numbers?

Interesting sky

This & next:  same female Scott's Oriole

Curve-billed Thrasher

I think it's an adolescent Mockingbird

Willow on break in the left branch arroyo

Another pencil cholla pic

Curve-billed Thrasher on Faxon Yucca

This & next:  the same Say's Phoebe

 

A male Scott's Oriole