Monday, June 02, 2014

HOT HOT HOT June Rove

It is supposed to get to 109 today, but was only in the nineties when I did my weekly Rove at Tohono Chul Park. My roving partner and I had a great time. Even in the heat of summer, there is so much beauty. Here, for example, is the coral bean that greets visitors at the front gate:
coral bean 6-2-2014 8-05-32 AM 1958x1621
We saw other beautiful flowers, and a number of birds, including “the usual suspects” (Gambel’s quail, cactus wrens, white-winged doves, verdins, and Bell’s vireo, common here in the warm weather). We also saw, at the top of big nest high in an ash tree, the fuzzy white head of a baby Cooper’s hawk. We’d been wondering if the nest was active, and now we know! In addition we saw desert spiny, whiptail, and zebratail lizards, and one smallish diamondback that was waiting patiently near a mouse hole in the ground. 

At the back of the Riparian area, a trichocereus was in bloom:
June 2014 Trichos 6-2-2014 9-31-14 AM 2671x2168
In the same area we cooled off by watching one of my favorite fountains, the Pot Wall.


6 comments:

  1. Such a plethora of wildlife! And the summer heat does seem to bring out the deep reds. Gorgeous!

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    1. There are also bright yellows and oranges, and deep purples, but I didn't take too many pictures. Maybe next time. The trichocereus will bloom off and on all summer.

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  2. Ah! Most refreshing video (and it's hot and muggy here today, so doubly appreciated). Love the little birdies!

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    1. So much fun to watch them. There are some other amazing fountains at the Park, but this one is my favorite.

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