Indian paintbrush in Spring Creek Basin.
I always forget how BRIGHT and vibrant they are … until the next spring rolls around and they blaze with color in the basin’s brown ground and green sage (and greasewood and shadscale and sage and other bits). Wildflowers this year are tiny and hugging the ground. The first prince’s plumes have started to stand tall … always a good sign.
Beautiful Madison: a vibrant vision in a dusty world.
The mustangs are chasing the growing green things (fairly limited this year) all over the basin, and you never know where they’re going to show up. I hiked way out on a hill in the southern part of the basin on a just-to-see mission, and it wasn’t until I turned around to head back that I spotted one horse in a little drainage. A little investigation soon found the band, tucked out of sight below another little hill, but they – like all the bands – are not interested in anything but *the green*, so the best thing to do is to sit quietly and wait for them to notice other band members coming over another little hill then snap the moment when they’re looking and/or shifting position toward another green patch. 🙂
You can see the dusty haze on the horizon toward Utah, but with the soft light, it was another lovely evening in Spring Creek Basin with Temple and her family. And any time with the mustangs is the best time.
Skywalker.
Sunset glow.
No other words necessary.
Cassidy Rain, never one to get too close (or allow closeness) moseys downhill toward a little ridge, the better to hide behind. … But isn’t she soooo lovely. 🙂
Very muddy Sundance, with the rest of his band, looks for green bits among the sage and shadscale. It IS coming up, slowly but surely.
There’s a pond fairly nearby where I found them that evening, and I hope that’s where he’s taking advantage of both the water and mud. It’s the only pond that has water currently in Spring Creek Basin.
Late golden light frames Chipeta perfectly on Earth Day evening.
I hope you all were able to spend some time outdoors, appreciating the life and wonder of this big, beautiful globe!
The morning of the snow, this little loggerhead shrike was calling from a bare tree just outside Spring Creek Basin (the dark band in the background is the rimrock that forms the basin’s western boundary). The cold didn’t seem to bother him/her much, and s/he allowed me to approach fairly closely to capture his/her lovely portrait.
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Happy Earth Day! More than ever, we need to cherish, protect and honor our planet.
I *adore* kestrels.
These pix all are significantly cropped, and as previously mentioned, I am no bird photographer! But wow. I’m extremely grateful to this extraordinarily handsome gentleman for perching close enough and giving me enough time to get several sharp shots before he took off (he dodged off to the (my) right, despite the fact that he launched first to the left).
I mean … I *ADORE* kestrels!
Just ask Kestrel. 🙂
Looking in the opposite direction of Thursday’s post (and with a peek of sunshine), Terra ambles after the band, grazing along the way. That background is dramatic in its own, very different way!
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Can’t believe I forgot in the busy-ness of the past week and scheduling posts, but happy Easter, everyone! And particular congratulations to mama Savanna (not a mustang, not in the basin) on her own beautiful new precious baby girl. 🙂
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 