TECOLOTE CAMPSITE, PINACATE
This flat, sandy camping area is surrounded by an arc of
jagged lava formations, produced from cooled, solidified
lava beds that were broken and uplifted by later,
underlying molten lava flows. The plants in this area
include saguaro, senita, paloverde, creosote bush and wolfberry.
Mayo cone (a volcanic cinder cone) next to the Tecolote
campsite. Note the different zones of vegetation. The
lower, flatter slope is dominated by teddy bear cholla,
saguaro cacti, paloverde and other shrubs. The upper part
of the cone supports a stand of ocotillo (see image
below) but the steep middle section consists of small
cinders and is too unstable to support vegetation. Two
footpaths (left of centre) lead up to the volcanic
crater.
Ocotillo and other shrubs near the top of the cinder
cone. Note the transition between the more stable ground
surface at the top of the cone, where larger rock
fragments were thrown from the volcanic eruption, and the
zone with smaller cinder particles that do not support
vegetation. The unstable surface of this zone is
indicated by the exposed ocotillo roots (bottom left of
the image).
Costa's hummingbird in
Tecolote campsite. This tiny hummingbird (8-9 cm) has a
restricted distribution compared with several other
hummingbirds. It occurs only in the southwestern deserts
from cental California and south Nevada down to
northwestern Mexico. It feeds on nectar and insects, and
is said to be perhaps the most desert-adapted of all
hummingbirds. The male has an irridescent violet-purple
crown and side feathers. [Note: the angle at which this
image was taken did not show the colour of the side
feathers, so the colour has been copied from another
(poorer quality) image and painted onto this image] CLICK for more
hummingbirds
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Pinacate Thumbnail
images?
Pinacate Volcanic
Field: space radar image?
El Elegante crater?
Elegante crater rim?
"Bombs and cinders"?
Colorado crater?
Lava fields?
Pinacate desert floor?
Pinacate campsite?
Pinacate plants?
Pinacate playa?
Lava plants?
Pinacate desert wash?
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