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deep orange eyes

2009-03-27 - 5:27 p.m.


all photos © 2009 by elaine radford

an overview of rose and red valley from sword valley

It was raining this morning when I headed out. I decided to head on out and get a jump on the day -- a good decision as it proved. As I turned down the path toward the Valley of the Swords, I heard a small bird commotion in the spot where, yesterday, the guys were cutting down the last tree of any size in the area. The small birds were cutting up a fuss in the scrubby little tree near the road, so I strolled right up.

I couldnt believe what I found -- a perfect Long-Eared Owl, almost close enough to touch, in its long tall thinned-out camouflage stance, just like it shows in the book. Long, long ears sticking out for miles. Perfectly still. Deep orange, almost red round eyes met mine. No movement at all.

There is no owl here. No owl. Do not believe the chatter of sparrows. They are excitable birds prone to imagınation. No owl here.

But his attempt to hypnotize could not work, when I was almost close enough to touch him. So he took off suddenly and silently, almost like a ghost because of the way that he passed right past me and I couldnt hear anything even though he practically brushed me.

Hard to explain the emotion of the moment so I wont try.


a rock-cut church in sword valley

Today I went down ınto the Valley of the Swords instead of just enjoying the view from above. It was an almost all-day hike in an eerie landscape. From Swords Valley to Rose Valley and into Red Valley, I only encountered one other hiker and that one going the other way so it was a brief encounter indeed. Strange rock formations, every kind of housing ın the fairy chimney and stones from several story 10th century condominıums to rock-cut chapels to pigeon roosts. Pink-flowered trees and bushes, yellow wildflowers, vineyards scattered here and there. There was a Painted Desert type thing going on in the Red and Rose Valleys. A story better told in pıctures, no doubt.


a view from red valley

The view from the top of Red Valley was breathtaking. Unfortunately, there was a chatty old guy there. Bad enough to have to chat when youre in Edward Abbey mode. Worse to have to chat to someone who cant quite believe you dont speak his language and so instead of sitting in comfortable silence, insists on playing charades. He sells drinks up there, no doubt a lonely job at the end of a longish day that started with rain, encouraging the sane tourist to turn over and go back to sleep. He tried to sell me a hot tea but Ive already figured out they serve the tea too hot so you can sit and talk. Am I an awful person because I prefer to buy the more expensive Coke, slurp it down, and hit the trail? Oh probably. But I have to chat enough in the poker room. Give me some glorious silence.

I still had a little light at the end of the day, so I also went some ways ınto the Zemi Valley. An actual running creek there and more rock-cut structures. Some of what we would call hoodoos, giant people frozen in rock rather than the fairy chimneys that are big enough to turn into resort hotels. I saw two hikers there so a total of 3 others on the trails today. You cant beat it with a stick. There is an Arizona look to some of the landscape but Arizona ıs too crowded. Maybe if they got more rain...

I had better luck with birds today, although plenty IDs still eluded me. The first bird of the day was a Kestrel that I heard calling from my hotel -- I looked for the bird and eventually one and then a second Kestrel flew over. Not sure what flavor though. Good numbers of Steppe Buzzard -- one of which was being mobbed by a Kestrel less appreciative of its presence than I. I saw Nuthatches on the rocks but they were all regular Eurasian Nuthatches as far as I could tell. Chaffinch, Eurasian Jay, Southern Grey Shrıke, what else?

Of course, I cant forget my life Syrian Woodpecker, a patient female who humored me with looks from every angle so I could inspect the field marks that distinguished her from Greater Spotted.

Someone just came and brought me tea. Everyone is indeed very nice here, I must say.


a stroll along a sword valley path

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