joshua tree

[grizzbass]

JoAnn and I drove out Friday night. Bad chose of the 60 east as we got to the two lane hilly section east of moreno valley and stopped as there was as an accident where it connects to the 10. took an hour and a half to go 15 miles. We stayed at a small motel we always enjoy. Well almost always. Last year the owner had been injured in a car wreck and his niece took over while he healed. It took almost a half hour to check in as she talked and talked and talked. (and talked)
Anyway we woke up the next morning and went to the hike we like best. 49 palms oasis. It's 3 miles up a mountain down then back up and down. The weather was quite nice about 78. On the road to the trail head I got some shots of my favorite bird a quail


The flowers were in bloom. Apricot Mallow (I don't know all of them but love this one)

Barrel cactus


My Wife


My wife really loved this one

Didn't see a tortoise but the chuchwalla were out in force

[grizzbass]

I chose to go with my Anderson sports kilt

Another strange flower that the ranger had no idea what it was

The chia is another plant I like. It looks like it should be Scottish. A flowery Mace

Another chuchwalla but a youngster

The quail were plentiful

The yellow carpet

[Nomad]

Thanks for posting your pictures it's very good of the quail to pose on prominent features.

[Tarheel]

I was able to get a few photos of the migrating Cedar Waxwings this week. I'd love to swap a few of the quail you saw for these visitors. The waxwings are here for two weeks each year and eat everything before moving on. At least the quail might hang around and populate.

Wishful thinking but good just the same.

[Tartan Bear]

Wow, that looks like a cool place. I'm a lifelong naturalist, and was particularly obsessed with reptiles when I was growing up in South Dakota. I would have gone crazy if I had encountered chuckwallas.

[grizzbass]

I was able to get a few photos of the migrating Cedar Waxwings this week. I'd love to swap a few of the quail you saw for these visitors. The waxwings are here for two weeks each year and eat everything before moving on. At least the quail might hang around and populate.

Wishful thinking but good just the same.

Good looking bird. There were a ton of Quail that day

[grizzbass]

Wow, that looks like a cool place. I'm a lifelong naturalist, and was particularly obsessed with reptiles when I was growing up in South Dakota. I would have gone crazy if I had encountered chuckwallas.

It is a great place. I love getting chuckwallas but tortoise, roadrunners and horny toads are really cool also. I've seen many chuckwallas there but only 2 horny toads. Last Saturday I was there again and saw my second one and got some really nice shots of it. I'll put those up in a few days after I've edited them.