Here we are!
We left our friends side yard in Alpine, TX on Friday and headed south.
We are staying in an RV park in Terlingua just outside of Big Bend NP.
We have no cell phone reception and spotty wifi at the RV park. Our mifi device is useless here as well.
Friday we just settled in to the campground and took a brief walk on some public lands outside of the rv park looking for rocks. We did find quite a few pieces of calcite and one large green colored calcite.
Will explore the area more this week to see what goodies we may find.
Saturday was Jeff's turn to decide our fate for the day so he took us to Upper Burro Mesa trail.
Upper Burro Mesa Pour-off Trail
Difficulty: Moderate; Distance: 3.8 miles round trip
Begin at pull-off, mile 6.6, Ross Maxwell Scenic DriveThis route follows a dry wash downstream to the top of the 100-foot Burro Mesa Pour-off. The trail includes some large rocks to climb down, where some rock scrambling may be necessary. Pay attention on the return hike to ensure that you follow the same drainages. Trail subject to flash flooding.
Mid 80s and a bit above my favorite hiking weather..
Luckily we had some nice breezes..
Not enough breeze to keep these critters from flying and landing all over us..
Thank goodness they only annoyed us and didn’t bite.
There were many wildflowers blooming.
Desert Marigold~Baileya multiradiata
I didn’t have a guide with me to ID these flowers, but when I got back to camp I downloaded the app Flowers of the Trans Pecos area.
This is~
a type of
Phacelia ~not sure which one.
possibly P. crenulata Via Michael Eason
I didn’t find this one in the guide..
Anyone?
ID via Michael Eason
Streptanthus carinatus = Lyreleaf jewelflower
Another one my app didn’t have.
via Michael Eason
Thymophylla sp (probably pentachaeta)
We followed the rocky dirt trail toward the pour off.
When Jeff and I were here four years ago we hiked the trail to the pour off from the lower Burro mesa trail.
Yuccas are blooming throughout Big Bend now..
Gray False Nightshade growing amongst the cactus.
I couldn’t find this shrub either..
Via Michael Eason
Dalea formosa
Featherplume
I am hoping my horticultural friends and family might help me.
It became less open and rockier..
See the difference in color?
We came from the darker colored stones..
we met the wash..
We saw these critters dashing past us on the wash..
Thanks to John Karges for the ID
The lizard is a Greater Earless Lizard (southwestern subspecies), Cophosaurus texanus
As the wash rounded a bend we saw beautiful yellow flowers growing on the rocky cliffs..
We continued the follow the wash..
The pathway became narrower and we walked over smoothed water worn rocks..
and between interesting rock formations..
The wash widens again and we stop to bird.
It was here we saw Canyon and Rock wrens, Cardinals, Ash-throated flycatcher and a pair of Black-tailed Gnatcatchers
We thought that we were getting close to the dropoff when we reached this point.
At the pour off looking down..
This was the end of the road for us..
Four years ago Jeff and I did the lower Burro Mesa hike to the pour off area..
The photo below shows Jeff at the bottom of the pour off.
Imagine a good rain~ the waterfall must be amazing.
Time to retrace our steps..
I take the climb first.
It looks steeper than it is.
I got my Muther worried when she saw this photo on facebook.
Its ok Mom..not very steep at all.
I ♥ This hike.. The window heading back to the trailhead. A Big yellow grasshopper on the side of the trail. I went to pick it up and it hopped away..
On the way back we took a break and sat in the birdie area on some quartz veins to have lunch and recharge.
Loved the scenery, the wildflowers and the birds we saw..
Could have done without the flies..
But …they were a minor annoyance amongst all the desert beauty.
Thanks friends for your help with the IDs! I really appreciate it~
Birds we saw on the trail
Mar 15, 2014
Big Bend NP--Burro Mesa pouroff
Traveling
5 miles
180 Minutes
Observers: 2
All birds reported? Yes
Comments:
Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.7.1
Turkey Vulture
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Say's Phoebe
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Verdin
Cactus Wren
Rock Wren
Canyon Wren
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
Curve-billed Thrasher
Canyon Towhee
Black-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Pyrrhuloxia
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
I adore reading about your adventures. Those Big Bloomers you've written about on your facebook page and people like me who ask if "Big Bloomers" are an advertisement for big Women's Undies who have a sense of humor think hiking and birding with you two would be a hoot. It looks fun. It's evident you enjoy your selves immensely.
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