Seems I spend a lot of time watching Sonoran Desert birds, occasionally I see a rabbit, and there’s still some flowers blooming in the ever increasing temperatures at the end of March.
After a week boondocking in the Sonoran Desert I had to go to town for fresh fruit. Took advantage of a strong enough signal in Ajo to load a video about my drive from Owl to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Yes, I’m weeks behind real time on the YouTube channel and here on the blog. I returned to the same camp, because I like it.
One morning, motion caught my eye as a giant Jackrabbit, not a bunny really, bounded past camp. Easter early but no eggs left behind.
Just a beautiful sunset.
Motion usually means Sonoran Desert birds, like a Flicker hiding in a Palo Verde tree.
Or a Roadrunner catching a lizard.
The desert floor was heavily carpeted with purple Phacelia, also known as Scorpion Weed it’s prickly fuzz causes an itchy irritation to the skin.
Seems most plants in the Sonoran Desert have a bite. Some of the critters too but I’ve not seen any snakes or scorpions, yet.
Seems the Sonoran Desert birds mostly bite bugs so I’m safe, at least from the Mockingbird.
And unless it’s something dead the Turkey Vulture won’t bite.
I went for short walks that lasted several hours watching out for cactus that bite if you get too close and keeping an eye out for Sonoran Desert birds.
Need a hug?
The Saguaros are captivating in their various shapes.
I found a small patch of blooming Globe Mallow, but not like in past years when they were more dense.
The Ocotillo flowers and fruit also bring in Sonoran Desert birds.
The black-throated Sparrow was a new Sonoran desert bird for me to see.
Good thing I went out the previous day, as Tuesday was cloudy and in my mind at only 66° cold with high winds including 40mph gusts.
Many RV neighbors left. I’d rather be parked in high winds than driving. Gave me time to work on writing and processing photos for the last blog post.
Plus, even though I didn’t get outside, I sure saw a lot of pretty right through my windows, including sunset.
The crazy wind set off the trail-cam all day and night with moving flowers and trees. But it also caught a coyote after dark.
More clouds the next day even brought a little rain, a special treat in the desert.
And yet another beautiful sunset, this time looking east.
The following day was clear with no wind and 65° suddenly felt warm enough to sit outside in the sun enjoying my desert views. Must have been calm enough for the Sonoran Desert birds too.
I checked the trail-cam in the morning and discovered coyote had been by again, several times over the night.
Saturday I had company. Paul Gill, well-known Arizona Highways photographer, was on this way to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to shoot cristate cactus and blooms. We took a short walk but mostly sat in camp comparing notes and catching up.
Blister Beetle
Paul left before sunrise and I wasn’t too far behind on my way northward to Owl for the night and beyond to a water site the next day.
Lupine along SR85
Struggling to catch up, almost a month behind, and am now four places past this location. Hard to keep up when there’s so much cool going on.
Gorgeous. I never knew how much I love Spring best now. Bird on “lily” Ocotillo:) I call the “rabbits”. Jack-hares, but mostly Jills! Deer are out in herds here. One night deer, javelina and black angus. Sandy dog has a stuffed javelina, I kid myself saying time for home and Jav-a-hug. Globe ,orange mallow was maybe the first desert wildflowers I’d identified, besides the well knowns. My fave color orange. Favorite big picture is serious clouds above such green flora, above the More clouds. thanks Gaelyn once again.
Thanks. So much to see in the desert, and where you are too. Saw several deer through my window yesterday morning at Buenos Aires NWR. I do love clouds and seeing more today. Give Sandy scratches and hugs for you.
It’s fun to call the big eared Jack Rabbits ‘Jackalopes’ as the big ears resemble the antlers of the mythical creature.
You have such a beautiful spot to wait for Spring.
I’ve seen those Jackalopes occasionally. LOL I do love the desert but got hot and I moved. More coming about that.
Driving down I 17 on the Groome Shuttle to the airport yesterday, the globe mellow and yellow whatever were in full bloom and most gorgeous. I am now in Wappingers Falls, NY for over a week, then on to Rochester until May 23rd. I packed all cold weather clothes…duh! It was 80 degrees in NJ when the plane landed at 11 PM last night. When are you heading home to Skull Valley?
Definitely spring in AZ with all the blooms. And I guess also in NJ. You’ll have an excuse to shop for summer clothes. Don’t know when I’m heading back to SV. Having so much fun traveling. Have a great visit.
What a great set of photos and I love all the wildlife. Take care, hugs from us both, Diane and Nigel
Thanks. I’m getting better at birds, but not so good at focus.
Love your desert spaces and all the plants and animals. Jackrabbit! RoadRunner! Coyote! and more!!
Thanks. Getting kind of warm in the desert so I’ve moved on.
I love that there are so many birds and wild flowers for you to share with us. It gets my Is longing to go West going. I guess March is when I should come. I even pulled out Google maps to see how far a drive it is from where I am in Virginia to Oregon Pipe. It tells me 2290 miles. YIKES!!
Lucky I have your tales and wonderful pictures to take me there. Those jackrabbit ears make me laugh every time I see them. I guess mother nature wanted to make sure they could really hear. Wouldn’t it be nice if as we grew older and couldn’t hear well our ears would grow bigger so we could. Well maybe not actually. Think how funny we’d look.
I share the flicker and the turkey vulture with you 2,000 miles apart but I never get to see a real live road runner so thank you for that. Love the cactus with the two arms that’s a great picture. Whenever I see the prickly pear here it makes me think of you my desert friend. That’s a fantastic picture of the blister beetle. I have never seen one so up close.
Don’t feel bad about being almost a month behind, me too. But for me it’s not because there’s so much cool going on to see and do but rather that I become lazy when I’m not moving on to new places. Sorry for such a long comment. There’s just so much to see and comment on in your posts.
I’m a long ways from you, and guess that’s why I don’t get east. The Jackrabbit ears are large to help them cool off. Our ears do get bigger as we age, but not sure that helps hearing.
I too get lazy about writing and reading. Maybe that’s why the posts get so long once I finally get to it.
Thank you for being such a faithful reader. I love your long comments.