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| A male Pyrrhuloxia, aka Desert Cardinal, eating Ocotillo flowers |
Pyrrhuloxias were out and about on Tortugas (Tortoise) Mountain this morning. One was busy feeding on the flowers of an Ocotillo. Others were singing melodically. The Pyrrhuloxia, a mid-sized finch, is related to the Cardinal, and, in fact, is referred to as the Desert Cardinal.
Back at the Chihuahuan Observation Center, flowers of the Cholla Cactus were blooming despite the extended drought we find ourselves in: currently 90 days without measurable rain. The Desert Willow was blooming, too.
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| The Pyrrhuloxia is a year-round resident of the Southwestern deserts |
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| The "lush" area inhabited by Pyrrhuloxias |
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| The male of the species is the most colorful |
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| Flower of the Cholla Cactus (Opuntia) |
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| Cholla flower and buds |
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| Castor and Pollux |
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| Blossoms of the Desert Willow (not a true Willow) |
3 comments:
The Desert Willow flower looks like an orchid (which, I'm sure it's not, either). Do you know the botanic family or the Latin binomial of Desert Willow? Neat plant. Neat bird (I saw my one and only Pyrrhuyloxia on vacation at the San Pedro River in Arizona).
The Desert Willow is Chilopsis linearis.
You have outdone yourself with this photos.
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