Canid Encounter

Early light on Picacho Peak

I didn't intend on doing a lot of bushwhacking this morning, but the Heelers talked me into it.  Not long after we started heading east through the creosote they picked up a scent and began pulling my arms out of their sockets.  I felt as if I was water skiing across the desert floor.  I saw fresh Javelina tracks as well as Mule Deer prints, so I figured Frio and Willow were onto one of them.

Not long after a cottontail bolted from a bush a few yards in front of Willow we were all startled by an animal racing down a nearby wash.  It was a Coyote running full bore after something, but when he caught sight of us he pulled up, skidding to a stop in the sand like a cartoon Coyote.  As soon as he turned back I saw the others:  three full grown males headed our way.  One was running quickly in our direction, having not spotted us.  I let out a holler that stopped them all short and they turned immediately to flee, pausing only briefly once to look back.  It was exhilarating to see them hunting together like that.

The next segment of our trek was spent bushwhacking over to a large patch of purple flowers so I could get a look at it and determine which plant was responsible for the display.  Then we headed back, bushwhacking over to the long dirt road and hiking up to the waiting CR-V.

This and the next:  same Soaptree Yucca

Sun at right, sundog at left

Cloud over the Organs

All reds:  Claret Cup Cacti

Bushwhacking got us here

The Heelers spotted a patch of purple and wanted to explore it

This and the next 2:  what's responsible for this purple patch?

Been way out here with Becca in the past

The desert and Bishop Cap

This and the next:  Desert Sumac

♫ Heelers in the sand ♫

This and the next:  what made that patch of purple

Phacelia crenulata

Desert Cardinal (aka "Pyrrhuloxia")

Same Desert Cardinal

Ocotillo branches

Same Desert Cardinal, different locale

Ocotillos

This and the next:  different effects on a shot of the Heelers

At bottom right you can see a huge Claret Cup Cactus

Willow and Frio