Run Rabbit

Velvety Nerisyrenia

Fairly often while Becca and I are hiking in the desert she'll pass a spot which I'll pass a few seconds later because she's generally always in the lead, and, lo and behold, a rabbit will leap out of the underbrush and take off at full speed.  It generally makes me laugh, but I'm puzzled.  Why does the rabbit chance having Becca so close to it before deciding to flee when I pass seconds later?  Perhaps the rabbit is thinking, "I'll make my getaway when the old human draws near because I know for a fact he can't catch me."

Arizona Jewel Flower

Arizona Jewel Flower

Ouch!

Desert Cottontail

Looking down on a yucca

Intrepid hiker

Arizona Jewel Flowers

Bicolor fanmustard

Bicolor fanmustard

Who's been eating the Prickly Pear pads?

Loggerhead Shrike

Desert sun through clouds

This and the next five:  Loggerhead Shrike

Organ Mountains

Arroyo west of Tortugas

Becca in the arroyo

An old, very large Ocotillo

Spectacle Pod

Wild Rhubarb

Ocotillo flower just blooming

Ocotillo flower

Not quite open for business

Black-throated Sparrow