Verna posted a photo of the Cleveland sage flowers in the courtyard a few days ago. I was looking out of the front door and noticed a hummingbird browsing the sage. I stuck my little pocket camera out of the screen door and took several photos of the little bird as it went from flower to flower. This photo was the best of them. Click on the image to enlarge.
I noticed a bird at the bell feeder that I didn’t recognize. According to Stokes’ Field Guide to Birds. this is probably a first-year male Black-Headed Grosbeak. Wikipedia notes that this species is highly migratory and winters in Mexico. This one must have been just passing through when he found our seed bell this morning. Click on the image to enlarge.
When atmospheric conditions are right, we can see contrails (condensation trails) overhead and from horizon to horizon. Today was one of those days. I was walking the dogs at around 9:30 this morning when I heard a jet flying overhead. I looked up and saw these two contrails just a fraction of a degree apart. The aircraft were both heading eastward, obviously at different altitudes. Click on the image to enlarge.
The hummingbirds just love these Cleveland Sage Flowers in the courtyard. There were several of the hummers out there this morning browsing the many flowers on the three sage bushes. Click on the image to enlarge.
We went downtown today to shop for Mother’s day. Just outside of the shopping plaza, there was a planter with several varieties of succulents growing. In addition to these desert succulents, there was a covering of iceplant on the floor of the planter. We usually don’t see iceplant in the desert since the cottontails, jack rabbits, squirrels and javelina would find this spineless succulent a tasty snack. Click on the image to enlarge.
I was walking up the RV drive after taking pictures of our new thrasher chicks when I spotted this bright red cardinal on the block feeder. I pointed my camera and took several telephoto images. This one seemed to be the best, so I’m posting it here. Click on the image to enlarge.
