A Walk in the Spring

All of a sudden, it seems, the colors of the desert burst forth, and for a short, glorious time, flowers everywhere are advertising their wares to potential pollinators and awed onlookers.  From prickly pear to cholla, saguaro to palo verde, the desert is going crazy.  My walk around the neighborhood was slowed by the urgent need to photograph every flower.  Of course, I didn't get them all, but here's a little taste of what enamored me so.

First, the flowers . . .

Cholla Cactus

Cholla Cactus Flower

Ocotillo, Saguaros, Palo Verde

Prickly Pear Cactus

Cholla Cactus

Cholla Cactus Flower

Saguaro Cactus

Cholla Cactus

Prickly Pear Cactus

Prickly Pear Cactus

Prickly Pear Cactus

Cholla and Palo Verde

Purple Prickly Pear

With Yellow Flowers

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus

Prickly Pear Flower

White Ratany

Twining Milkweed Vine

Purple Prickly Pear surrounded by Catclaw Acacia

Blue Palo Verde

Blue Palo Verde Flower

Yellow Bird of Paradise

Ocotillos

But, it wasn't all flowers.  Some of the other sights . . .

Phainopeplas and Dove in Ocotillo

Cooper's Hawk

Beautiful Long-Nosed Snake

The snake's tail

 And, when I got home, who should come to visit?  This handsome fellow.

Desert Kingsnake

All the flowers are somewhat early as we've had a warm, dry spring.  After the blue palo verdes bloom, come the more numerous foothills palo verdes, which will turn the entire landscape yellow with their beautiful blooms.  They are slightly paler yellow than the blue PV flowers due to the presence of the white banner petal.  So the show will go on for a while.

The Sonoran Desert in spring will forever alter your perception of "desert" in a good way!