A splendidly Good Friday

Gaura

I got a slow start today. Slept in, then hung around the house watering the courtyard. The weather was perfect. Overcast and no wind. The temperature climbed to 80° this afternoon when I finally went down to the oasis to see what butterflies I could capture on camera. I'm just not fast enough for most of the ones I really wanted to capture. It's the only way I can ID them.

So I wandered all over the place, lugging my heavy camera, admiring all the wonderfully fragrant blooms.

Huisache

Saw my first dragonfly and damselfly of the year. Couldn't get a photo of the dragonfly, but got a poor one of the damsel. I haven't gotten it ID'd yet.

For me the highlight of the day was discovering a Western Screech-Owl in a nest box that several years ago I had, single-handedly, wrestled into place, straining my back, shoulder, and body in general in the process. Now finally, it has all been worth it. What I really want to know is if this is a mate to the previous owl, or if it's the same one, just in a different place. I hope to answer that question before long. I think if you compare the two photos the markings on top of the head look slightly different. Click on "Screech-Owl" on the right list of labels and both this photo and the photo of March 13 will come up for comparison.