Moonscape

A lovely moon tonight.

On the above photo notice the hole in the agave stalk on the left. That's where the Elf Owls are nesting this year. 

A couple of days ago I was going to post some photos but had forgotten to take them with me to Alpine when I went, so here they are a couple of days late. Just when I think the ocotillo can't be prettier they put on leaves and are even more stunning. These were taken during that misty morning on April 18th.

Also wanted to mention something I've observed watching the male Lucifer Hummingbird's courtship display to a female versus display of aggression to another male. When he displays to a female he does the side to side shuttle followed by a vertical lift off like a rocket launch. But when he aggresses to a male he does the shuttle, first on one side of the male, then to the other side. This can go on for quite some time, sometimes switching sides repeatedly. (Vegetation happens to be a mesquite tree in bloom.)