Category: geology

I did a little scrambling over some small hills and rocks yesterday — going off-trail and traversing the opposite side of the outcroppings I perused last week while at the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument.

Now and then when it was too tempting to resist, instead of remaining linear, I’d venture over yet more hills and rocks to detour into the farther reaches to see what there was, and of course, there was more scrubland and outcroppings — a scattered labyrinth of the large formations.

These sculpted masses are replete with crevices, holes and indentations, seemingly offering many places for desert wildlife to hide or nest. They are basically compacted sandy terrain and deposit soils, and though they appear solid, they crumble at the touch, making them unfit for larger creatures, I would surmise. Continue reading Animal bones, a rock wren and visions of mountain lions

A small group of horned larks took me by surprise today at the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. They fluttered so suddenly near a small creosote bush and chirped in chorus before dispersing just as quickly and flying away from the park.

I had just finished photographing some sandstone outcroppings and was on my way back to my car. I managed to get only one shot of one of the birds, and it was a lousy one at that, because my camera settings were arranged for the outcroppings, which tended to glare harshly and needed toning down.

The monument is a rough-cut place, so don’t expect a visitor center, maps or restrooms. There’s minimal signage. The trail is gravel with many larger rocks scattered about, requiring you to watch as you walk lest you trip. Continue reading Lurking in the creosote at the fossil beds monument