Are They Sage Thrashers?

Early start

Solo with Wils this morning because Dr. K had an AAUW meeting to attend.

We did our usual hike with all the regular stops; Willow sees to it that I don't carelessly pass by any of her resting places.

Saw quite a few different birds out there today, including five or six Sage Thrashers.  Apologies for posting so many pics of them, but I just starting noticing them recently.

This & next:  hazy views

Last summer hummer?

Wils relaxing

Looking northwest

Losing leaves

This & next 2: Willow between left & middle branch arroyos

House Finch in flight

House Finches on ocotillo branches

Cactus Wren

The rest:  Sage Thrashers (Oreoscoptes montanus)

Not Cool Enough

1st 2:  chubby Black-throated Sparrow

It wasn't bad when Dr. K, Willow and I set off on our morning hike, but it still isn't cool enough.  We're set to hit 92F today, which is still quite a bit above normal.

When we were driving up to the trailhead we saw the Basset people far down below us, probably heading home after their hike.  We saw no other nature lovers out there today.

We did our regular route, stopping often because Willow demanded it.

Ocotillo flowers still hanging on

Freddie the Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Old nest in a yucca

Willow and Dr. K

Freddie on the move

The long view

Another Thursday Trek

The Wilster

Pleasant hike this morning; 60F at start.  Saw no other humans or canines out and about in the desert while we were there.

We did see several dragonflies, and a very beautiful House Finch landed on a nearby ocotillo branch and stayed just long enough for a two-image photo-op.

We saw Freddie the jackrabbit on the steep hill east of the upper flatland road when we were climbing at the end of our trek.  We've seen him there several days recently; he doesn't seem to scared of us.

Dried Soaptree Yucca stalk

Hill/mountain

Willow at the edge of the middle branch arroyo

Ocotillo in the middle branch

Variegated Meadowhawk dragonfly

This & next:  house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)

Willow otra vez

Long view of Tortugas Mountain from the right branch arroyo

Barrel cactus

Towhee?

This & next 7:  Spotted Towhee

Despite many attempts I couldn't get a decent photo of the Spotted Towhee pictured here.  Two things puzzled me about the bird: first, its eyes weren't red/orange like countless ones I've seen, and photographed, in higher elevations, and, second, I've never seen one down here in the lower desert.  From its markings, though, it's undoubtedly a Spotted Towhee.

Dr. K, Willow and I had a pleasant hike today, following our regular route.  With the exception of the towhee and a rock wren we saw no other desert denizens--none, at least, that we could identify.

When we got home Dr. K got ready and left for her shopping stint at Target.

Rock Wren

Pencil Cholla fruit

Heeler known as Willow