BLOOMS, BIGHORNS AND BUTTERFLIES

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Superbloom season is in full swing



By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2019 (Borrego Springs) -- What a glorious day in Borrego Springs!  The desert is in full bloom --- a huge contrast to just a few days go, when I last visited and found some early blossoms but not the spectacular flower fields now delighting visitors.  Something about frolicking in a field of flowers elicits pure joy. (Photos left and right, along DiGiorgio Road.)

By 10 a.m., the parkiing lot at the Anza Borrego Desert State Park visitor center was already full.  But it didn't matter.  Wildflowers were visible across the desert floor as we made our way from the Montezuma grade into Borrego Springs, through fields poppping out with yellow daisies, purple lupine, verbena, and more.

As added bonuses, we spotted migrating Painted Lady Butterflies throughout the desert flower fields. 

Plus on our drive down the Montezuma grade, we were fortunate to spot several Desert Bighorn Sheep, for which Borrego was named.

Out S-2, about 11 miles north of Borrego, fields of purple verbena are in bloom, interspersed with yellow sunflowers and poppies.

In Borrego Springs, on Christmas Circle, you'll find a wildflower visitors center as well as the Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association's visitor center, both of which can provide you with the latest information on prime wildflower viewing spots.

Ocotillos are just beginning to bloom, with fiery red blooms at the ends of their spindly arms that reach skyward, dwarfing even desert bighorn.

We admired some blown glass bighorns, coyotes and other desert creatures for sale at Friday's farmer's market on Christmas circle. If you go this weekend, you can enjoy the Circle of Art, where numerous artists and artisans will have their creations on display.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Comments

3-18-19 Monday: Don't waste your time and fuel

As a senior native San Diegan, we circumvented all of Borrego 360 on Monday, including the visitors center; and it was a wasted trip. Just a heads up, no butterflies, few flowers but lots of us look-e-loos and traffic. Perhaps last week or maybe after the next rain.

There are still plenty of flowers out there.

Stop at the wildflower viewing center, the park visitor center (if you can get there) or the Anza Borrego Natural History Center.  Some of the place require driving beyond the circle to outlying areas just a few miles outside the town, as our story above mentions.  The prime viewing areas change every few days as different flower species at different elevations start to bloom. There are also hiking destinations into some canyons.  Readers who live in Borrego have sent updates in the past couple of days, saying some flower fields are still poised to pop open so it's not too late -- though the season doesn't last long. Once all those hungry caterpilars hatch out, the flowers will be gone so enjoy them while you can.

 

 

Nice :-)

Some of earth's beauty on display. Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful and Remarkable!

Beautiful photos of the vivid transformation fresh wildflowers bestow upon our desert landscapes and what a remarkable day in spotting and capturing Bighorn Sheep!

It was a splendid day in the desert!

The flowers were the prettiest I'd seen, and in all my years going out there, this was the first time I saw bighorn sheep in Borrego. They did not seem at all camera shy!