Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Because we’re really celebrating the onset of spring this year after what seemed like a lengthy winter, some examples of things we’re celebrating:

The horses in the band I was with alerted me to this handsome fellow. He or she paused here and looked back at something (not the band I was with), then continued to run across the area before disappearing. S/he was not close to us (not even close to close! hence the very blurry image), and the horses, though watchful, were not bothered.

These little yellow flowers are coming up now in Spring Creek Basin. The petals are closed here, but my handy-dandy new plant/flower identifier app on my phone says it’s called “Chambers’ twinpod.” This gets a 77% chance of correct ID.

And an update on this little beauty: It *might* be “soft popcornflower,” if you can believe there’s such a name! I’m not completely convinced – and neither is the app; it gives a 23% chance of that being the ID. But that name is so delicious, I hope it’s right.

UPDATE: It’s called Gypsum Valley cateye! When in doubt, ask the BLM guy! 🙂 Thanks to Mike Jensen, who was actually in the basin May 3 to look for this little plant, for the confirmed ID!

I’ve seen a slender-lizard or two skittering away out of the corner of my eye a couple of times recently, but this is the first horned lizard I’ve seen this spring. And look at those orangey little “eyes” on its back! They make me think of patterns reminiscent of some kinds of moths or butterflies? I don’t think I’ve seen that adaptation on any of the other horned lizards I’ve seen, but I love it!

One of my very favorite early birds of spring is the meadowlark. This bright ray of feathered spring sunshine was warbling (! trilling? that wonderful liquid sound they do) sweetly from a greasewood close to the road.

Look at these beauties! They were looking at the horses (and me) as we were looking at them. I like to think there was mutual admiration (among the four-leggeds, at least) and maybe a little curiosity (it was all admiration on my part!). They’re still a little rough, but they’re shedding fast like the horses.

And to end on a fluffy note, here’s little Peter or Petra cottontail. This little critter was much closer to the horses I was with and also moseying along among the greening greasewood.

Not all of these “signs” are limited to spring, of course, but they’re all things I’m always happy to see.