Binoculars in the Backcountry: Tiny Bitty Desert Tortoise

We headed out to look for an uncommon flower Bob wanted to see. I am pretty certain that I have photos of this plant from years ago. Rachel also wanted to geek out on this plant, as did Mike. So, it was looking like a plant geek day plus Susan the random birder. We stopped for an interesting coreopsis, yes, there are two coreopsis and we got to see the one we had never seen before. Even I could tell it was different as the leaves are straight. While the others took loads of photos, I headed off to see a hillside of thistle sage. Now that is a plant I can appreciate.

California Coreopsis (Leptosyne californica)

Thistle Sage (Salvia carduacea)

Before I could get there I found a pair of desert tortoise. Sweet! I don't get to see them every year. Everyone came over to see them and take photos. Rachel (a professional tortoise biologist) gave us a science lesson and explained how to easily tell the sexes apart; it has to do with the shape of the shell by the face.

Female and Male Desert Tortoise

And then I found it, the plant they all wanted. Many more plant photos happened. Even I think it is cute.

Holy Dandelion (Glyptopeura setulosa)

That was all very nice, but Rachel took the prize when she found a tiny desert tortoise. She said it was the smallest she had ever seen. Probably hatched last year. Oh, my! It was so cute I watched it for a half an hour or so. And you may be wondering what it did? Well, as it turns out, not a lot. It made one small sprint, but mostly it twitched its legs a little and soaked up the sun. Good thing I am easily amused.

Now that is a small tortoise.

I noticed a small black thing on the back leg and thought it might be a tick. Rachel thought they might be the heads of ants. Blundering into an ant hill cannot be a pleasant way to start life. Being covered in ticks is nasty too.

Nasty things on its leg.

Isn't that foot bottom adorable?

Nap time.

And it just keeps sleeping.

Oh, it moved a front leg!

Bob took a short video. So here you go. For those reading by email, click this link for the YouTube video. It's too cute, so don't miss it!

Rachel, Bob and Mike geeking out on some flowers

I found a few ancient native house rings on the hill tops as well and a good assortment of the low elevation desert flowers we have been seeing for the last several weeks..

A house ring.

After a couple hours of plant looking in a very small area, I headed to the car for lunch and entertained myself with the shadows on my legs. Yep, it wasn't the birdiest of spots, my ebird list. It wasn't the most scenic either.

After lunch we headed down the road a bit and I looked at a few petroglyphs, while Bob and Mike spent time admiring a small monkeyflower. This post is for people who wonder what we do on a typical retirement day.