Sunken garden

It is hot today and we decided to go check out the Palm Springs Art Museum outdoor sculpture garden/cafe. We were able to sit in the shade and enjoy the sculptures surrounding us while we sipped our lattes but agreed with the experts that you probably could fry an egg on the pavement today.

Teddy bears and hedgehogs

The cactus are the best treat in the desert. Cholla or teddy bear cactus glisten in the sun and call out to you to come closer! These are very sticky and sharp customers unlike their names and love to attach themselves to your shoes, shirts or skin if you're not careful. The teddy bear name comes from the dead branches which turn chocolate brown. They stay fuzzy (and very sharp).

Hedgehog cacti hide their beauty. You have to get off main paths to find them but it is a thrill when one of the beautiful flowers reveal themselves.

Joshua Tree visions

Joshua Tree National Park is divided in two parts according to whether it is in the Mohave or Colorado Deserts. You know you are in the Mohave if there are Joshua trees in your viewfinder. These trees are described as Dr Seuss trees - they are odd and in fact really not trees at all - closer relatives are grasses and orchids! Believe me, you can never take too many pictures of this plant in the search for the perfect speciman!

Cottonwood Spring walk

We made our first visit to Joshua Tree this week. We discovered that you can never tire of the odd vision of the Joshua Trees and the subtle beauty of the desert plants. The weather was perfect for desert walks - apparently 10 degrees cooler than usual. Mid-70's up at the highest elevation. We even needed to wear jackets at times - I like it! Much easier to hike when you aren't fighting 90 degree weather.

We were told about a side trail to a small spring where there might be some interesting birds. I found lots of exquisite desert flowers to admire and the rock formations were beautiful. We had a phainopepla lead us down the path. (Don't you love the way that rolls off my tongue?) He flew from bush to bush all the way back to the main trail as if we were in a Disneyland movie.

Phainopepla at 11:00 o'clock!

Up at 6:30 am to head up to Morongo Valley for a bird watch, we wondered if we'd be two of a few other tourists led by a serious birder through the marsh. Turned out that we were two novices in a crowd of about twenty-five keener beaners! Walking alongside tilley-hatted birders, lists in hand, scopes at the ready, we knew we'd hit the jackpot when we heard one shout, "Phainopepla at 11:00 o'clock!" A later cry from more than one was "Laurence goldfinch chasing a sharpie!" (aka, Sharp-shinned hawk being chased away by two tiny golden birds as he flew too close to their nest.)

Truth is our first sighting was a turkey vulture showing off his red bald head as he perched on the park sign but the morning was amazing - more sightings, laughs and wonders than we could have imagined. Bill accused me of being more interested in the birders than the birds but I think I split my interest about 50/50.

These intrepid birders were generous in their enthusiasm and knowledge, setting up their scopes on some colourful little wonder and offering views to whoever wanted to see a chipping sparrow, a ladder-backed woodpecker or, my new best friend, the lovely little phainopepla - a coal-black, crested, silky flycatcher who sat patiently on the tops of branches allowing pictures from all angles.
We did see the vermillion flycatcher and I gasped at my first viewing of this tiny, brilliant red flycatcher. He wouldn't stay put long so my pictures are of a red dot in the distance but believe me, he was worth the morning alarm clock.

At the end of the day, Bill said he was only disappointed that we hadn't see the Western wood-peewee flycatcher but we did add 28 birds to our newly started list. And there is always tomorrow....

Desperately Seeking Susan

A mockingbird has moved in and thrown the monotonous dove out. He is feeling the full force of spring fever and pushes the limit of sunrise and sunset singing a frantic repertoire of copied bird songs from before dawn to long after sunset.

Snow and Mountain lions

It rained yesterday. Big loud drops. The surrounding hills were covered by dark clouds and we woke up this morning to the sight of snow far down the sides of surrounding mountains. More is predicted - up to 15 cm above 4000 feet. We turned on the heat this morning but sat out on our patio basking in perfect weather this afternoon.

We're up before dawn tomorrow morning to take in a bird watch up in Morongo Valley Preserve. Amongst other things we hope to see a Vermillion Flycatcher.
We drove up yesterday for a walk around the marsh in the preserve and got the idea of the possible life we might see. Not likely but we'll be on the lookout!