A Day at Anza Borrego Desert

Yesterday, I drove out early to the desert, hoping to get some reptile photos, and maybe some Bighorn Sheep photos, too.

 I headed up Palm Canyon.

The view looking back out of the canyon.

 The only reptiles I saw all day were a few very common Western Side-blotched Lizards.  I think many reptiles are starting to go underground this time of year.

I did see a few Rock Wrens bouncing around the boulders.

There were also a few Black-chinned Hummingbirds.

Palm Canyon always has water, and is a good spot to see Peninsular Bighorn Sheep.  I couldn't find any, and returned back down the canyon.

 When I got back down to the campground area there was one perched on a rock near a group of people intently observing it.  Once again, it seems like the most wildlife is in the campgrounds!

Next, I drove eastward and found a wildlife preserve off limits to vehicles.  I hiked through the sparse vegetation until I reached these dunes.  It was 93 degrees, but a "dry" heat.

There were a lot of cool tracks, like these Gray Fox tracks.

Near the top of the dunes, posts marked the end of the preserve, but that didn't stop this motorcyclist from roaring through the preserve anyway.  I was eating my lunch under the shade of a mesquite bush and surprised the heck out of him by standing up and aiming my telephoto lens at him.  Then I started to wonder if that was too bold a move,  A few minutes later apparent friends of his in a Jeep came into the preserve, and I heard him tell the Jeep people that they needed to stay on the other side of the markers.  A little eco victory!  

I headed back to the car and drove out to The Narrows, and hiked a short loop.

I went past the end of the loop up this little wash.

In small caves, I saw a couple Desert Woodrat nests.

I ended the day searching in the San Felipe Creek for a rock for a project I'm working in my Garden Art Welding class.  All in all, a good day of exercise, sun, and nature.