High Now

Yucca shadow

Willow, Frio and I did a quick, but usual, hike in the lower desert this morning.  Dr. K stayed at home to take care of her outdoor plants in preparation for our trip to the high country, where we all are now.

Weather is good here, 78F right now rather than 91F in Las Cruces.  Nice.

This & next:  the "O"s

Unusual black bee on Butterfly Bush

About the size of a Carpenter Bee with brown eyes

Unperturbed by my presence

This & next 2:  Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)

This & next:  Sacramento Mountains

Look at the reflection in this insect's left eye

Last 2:  same bee as all above

 

Five Minutes Later

Soaptree Yucca blossoms

Not long after we started off this morning Dr. K and I remarked about how cool it felt; five minutes later our assessment had changed.  Although it wasn't really brutally hot, the conditions had warmed significantly.  Willow and Frio both demanded we take plenty of shade breaks, which we did.

We saw some interesting things out there today, most notably the Hog Potato plant and the Scott's Oriole.  Wish I had been able to get better images of the oriole, but it was quite a distance away from us.

This & next 2:  Hog Potato (Hoffmannseggia glauca)

Matching set of Heelers

Spectaclepod

This & next 2:  Willow and Frio

Find the lizard, find the lizard's eye

Blackfoot Daisies

Little-leaf Sumac berries

White-winged Dove

Last 3:  Scott's Oriole

 

Sunday Solo with Heelers

Three kings

Dr. K went shopping this morning so it was the "O"s and me on the daily trek.  Pretty nice out there, not too hot with a cool breeze.

Saw a woman hiking up LDR, but spotted no one else during the trek.

Drove over to Circle K after the outing in order to fill up the CR-V.

LDR-A arroyo

Three kings

Soaptree Yucca fruit

This & next:  artsy Soaptree Yucca

Willow and Frio on shade break (kind of)

Crossover trail to Middle Branch Arroyo

This & next 3:  Greater Earless Lizard

Three kings from opposite side

Willow and Frio

The "O"s

Ephedra trifurca

 

Blossom Bonanza

Just getting started

The temperature was very pleasant this morning for Dr. K, Willow, Frio and me as we did our morning hike.  Due to clouds and sun the lighting was excellent for photos.  I took 90.

We followed our usual route with a few detours, the latter so I could take pics of a Desert Willow in the Tellbrook Arroyo.

All involved in the daily trek enjoyed the natural beauty and the exercise we got while scoping things out.

View from LDR-A

Heading down LDR-A arroyo

Soaptree Yuccas in bloom

Soaptree Yucca flowers

This & next 2:  more Soaptree Yuccas

This & next:  same Desert Willow

Willow, Frio, Dr. K

Twin-leaf Senna

Soaptree Yuccas against a dark background

Even more Soaptrees

Willow and Frio

Little-leaf Sumac berries

How's this for camouflage?  Common Side-blotched Lizard

3 amigos:  White-winged Doves

Tres amigos

Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

Climbing Milkweed