Spring Images from Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

The spring bloom is on in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park northeast of San Diego. We've returned home after a week-long visit.  This wonderful preserved desert area is known around the world for its spring wildflowers.  The bloom, though not as spectacular as some of the rare years, certainly was worth the trip.  And to brighten the spring spirits of readers of this blog, I am sharing here some of the images from daily hikes to view desert wildflowers and desert wildlife. If there are reasons not to cut funding of state parks in California, you find them in this park by the thousands. Enjoy the colors and the critters below.

TO VIEW ANY PHOTOGRAPH LARGER, JUST CLICK ON IT. 
All Images Copyright by Tom Debley, 2011

All Rights Reserved

Natural rock garden in Palm Canyon

Desert Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua

Sand Verbena (Abronia villosa)

Dune Evening Primrose (Oenotheera deltoides)

Beavertail Catus (Opuntia basilaris)

Desert blister beetle (Lytta magister) feeding

Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

Male Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)

Northern Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis)

Desert Sunflower (Geraea canescens)

Desert Orangetip (Anthocharis cethura cethura)

Desert Dandelion (Malacothrix californica)

Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus)

Ghost Flower (Mohavea confertiflora)

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

Wild Heliotrope (Phacelia distans)

Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus)

Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)

Teddy Bear Cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii)

Sacred Datura (Datura stramonium)

Brown-eyed Primrose (Camissonia claviformis)

 

Female American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata)

Honors for Some of My Photographs

I am happy to share that my image seen here earlier, "Steeple Rock on a Winter's Day," picked up a 4th Place Award in the Advanced Pictorial inter-club competition of the Northern California Council of Camera Clubs (N4C) for February.  The image also is now featured in the New Members Gallery on the website of the Photographic Society of America.  You may recall it took a First Place Award in local club competition in January, allowing it to advance to N4C.

"Steeple Rock on a Winter's Day, Olympic National Park"

4th Place Award
N4C, Pictorial Advanced







Two other images in the Intermediate Creative inter-club competition of N4C in February took second and third place awards.  They are shown below.

"EmBARcedro Center After One Too Many"

2nd Place Award

N4C, Creative Intermediate

  

"Psychedelic Interpretation of  Embarcadero Center Architecture"

3rd Place Award
N4C, Creative Intermediate