in soft and filtered light.
Claret cup cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus).
The blink of a hummingbird's eye...
caught in a pair of images, capturing the moment when the nictitating membrane extends across the eye.
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri).
The opaque nictitating membrane extended across the eye, for about 1/60th of a second.
A standout in the bush...
with its bright blue head, this is hands down my favorite bird at the feeders. Here’s the first arrival, caught in muted light.
Breeding male Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena).
A long and windy pilgrimage...
to another remote petroglyph panel occurred yesterday, with seven good friends of Rory Tyler hiking eight miles with his remains, dispersing them at this site where he had his epiphany in rock art interpretation.
Longtime friend of Rory’s, BH explains some of the symbols and their interpretations at the panel.
A solemn gathering of close friends...
occurred at dusk at an unidentified petroglyph panel to pay respect and say goodbye to Rory Tyler and to return his remains to the Earth. Rest in peace, my friend.
A memorial stone has been hidden in the landscape.
The first hummingbirds...
arrived yesterday and they’re already zooming the feeders. This one is taking a rest after doing the aerial sexy dance for a while, displaying for a female at one of the feeders.
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
The greening of Castle Valley...
is occurring right now, with more wildflowers showing off their colors, despite the low soil moisture.
View northward from near Round Mountain. Click on image to expandify.
Utah penstemon (Penstemon utahensis).
Narrow leaf yucca (Yucca angustissima).
Munching on a locust seed pod...
out in the open, this squirrel is clearly mocking me. This is Number Four, having deported three others so far this season to other locations during the ongoing varmint war. They’re very cute but they can be very destructive.
Rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus). Click on image to enlarginate.
FOLLOWING DAY UPDATE: Number Four is going for a ride. Couldn’t resist the grapes and peanut butter in the live trap.
The new corral in the upper valley...
off Castleton Road is nearing completion. Its sturdy and all steel construction suggests that a dinosaur might be penned here someday.
But this velociraptor could easily hop the fence, even if electrified!
Exploring the steep slopes...
beneath the prow of Adobe Mesa, with the mesa top standing 1,600 feet (490 m) above my vantage point.
Yellow cryptanth (Cryptantha flava).
Bright scarlet blossoms on this claret cup cactus...
belie the extremely dry winter and early spring in the region. It’s the loveliest cactus in canyon country and you can’t change my mind.
Claret cup cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus).
Probing the nooks and crannies...
that smaller birds can’t reach with their tiny beaks, this determined blackbird is richly rewarded with a bounty of out-of-reach seed and grain.
Non-breeding male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus).
Miles continue to tick by and accumulate...
on my trek around the world, with the hardtail turning 4,800 miles (7,700 km) old on today’s ride. And what a terrific place to ride!
This sparrow with the distinctive topknot...
has invaded the feeding stations in great numbers this spring.
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys).
Both lovely and toxic...
at the same time, do not consume the bulb of this tiny beauty with a threatening name. Blossoming right on time in mid-April at the Round Mountain annex to the Castle Valley Botanical Gardens.
Panicled death-camas (Toxicoscordion paniculatum).
On the lookout...
from atop its underground bunker, this squirrel’s days of freedom are numbered as the live traps are set in the ongoing varmint war.
Rock squirrel (Otospermophilus variegatus).
The shadow cast by Castleton Tower...
at sunset will slowly creep westward across the lower slopes of Adobe Mesa through the coming months, arriving at its prominent prow at the time of the summer solstice. It’s a slow motion countdown to the longest day of the year.
The Tower’s sharp shadow will translate towards the right in this image of the face of Adobe Mesa during the next two months..
Castle Valley Botanical Gardens awakens...
for spring with beacons of color appearing on the rusty landscape.
Narrow leaf yucca (Yucca angustissima) with emerging flower stalks.
Dwarf lupine (Lupinus pusillus).
Nike Smoke roars skyward...
at the Ken’s Lake Proving Ground today, one of four successful mid-power launches and recoveries.
Mt. Tukuhnikivatz provides a dramatic backdrop to the most beautiful launch site in the country.
The melodic chirpy song...
of this striking sparrow with the bloodshot eyes is one of my springtime favorites.
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus).