Hummingbirds and other local critters

The last few days have been warm, but  not too hot yet, and we've had nice breezes, sometimes heavy winds.

I haven't seen any burros since the last post, so they are roaming elsewhere.  As much fun as it was to have them here, I've gotten a little worried when Katie and I walk.  I've heard from numerous people in the area about how the burros will go after and kill small dogs because they consider them a threat.  When we take our walks, I'm scanning the ground and bushes for snakes and the horizon for burros.  So far I haven't seen a single snake in Arizona, but because of Katie's "alert" bark, I did see this guy outside The Palms.

He was pretty good sized, definitely not a small lizard.  I'd guess he was 18 inches long, or more.

 He looks well fed, doesn't he?

And of course, being Quail Hill campground, we have quail. It may be because I'm not putting seed out, but I haven't seen a lot of them, and they seem thinner and less colorful than the quail at my site in Quartzsite. This one was outside The Palms standing on a large rock, calling out in their distinctive voice.

There are at least three different kinds of hummingbirds.  One is very pretty and rakish looking, kind of like an action figure.  He has fluorescent green feathers on his head and neck, with red feathers coming down under his eyes and cheeks, going back and out out at his neck like a Viking warrior.  Doesn't he look like a fighter?

This is also a very pretty bird - he has three distinct areas of color, like a little piece of art.  He's not shiny, but I think he's the prettiest of the three that have been coming by the feeder.

Then there's this little guy.  He isn't as pretty as the other two, but seems to be the dominant bird; if another bird comes by when he's around, he drives them off.  The other day they flew into my window during their scuffle.

He's not very colorful, pretty much brown wtih a lighter chest, 
and he has spotting on his throat.  

I'm not sure if the following photos are of a different, fourth, bird, or not.  He doesn't seem to have the same coloring as one of the others, but these flying photos are the only ones I have of him.

These hummers come by early in the morning, before I lift the window shade (I can see their shadows flying in to the feeder on the shade), and keep coming back until dark.

Thursday we went over to the Christian Center to register for mail delivery, then we went back up the road to the main LTVA to dump our tanks and take on fresh water, then we drove to Yuma and did some grocery shopping.  I looked at new TVs, but after much deliberation at Walmart and Best Buy, I decided to wait a month or so for the new models to be on the shelves.  I don't want to pay full price for a TV that's been out a year or more, especially when the new ones are just being received by the stores.

It was a really tiring day, we started out at 9:30 and didn't get back to camp until after 6:30, the sun was just going down behind the mountain.  It was good to be back!

I will be here at least a few more days - my daughter is mailing my motor home registration, which expires on the 8th.  I was going to have my mail delivered to the Army base down the road.  I went in on Thursday, it was the first time I've been on a military base.

This is at the left side of the entrance to the Administrative Gate.

The right side has an Army tank. 

You have to show them a photo id, vehicle registration and current insurance card to get in.  Since I have to show a current registration to get on the base, I'll be a couple of days past the renewal date when it arrives, so I couldn't use their post office.  I could have walked onto the base to the post office, but decided to use the Christian Center mail service across the street.  Their post office is open for one more week, very limited hours - one hour per day on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, then they close for the season.  So, luckily I'm within the time the registration will arrive, and I'll be good to go.

I just paid my annual motor home insurance, too, so The Palms will be legal and insured for another year.  I can't believe it's been a year since I bought The Palms.  How excited I was last year at this time!!!  A lot of water under the bridge, and a lot of bridges traveled over, since then.

Here are some photos of our site and the area around us:

That's The Palms up on the hill.

 View east from the dinette is of West Pond and the canals down to the dam.

 West Pod?

 Two tiny islands that are often covered with little birds. 
Each day, in the early evening, hundreds of little birds swarm over this area.

 Another view from the dinette window.

Looking up the road is the burned forest area.

My impression from other RVers is that this camping area is very crowded during the season.  There isn't as much desert area as Quartzsite, so when I was there, I could have moved almost anywhere and found a good site to park The  Palms.

 During these last few weeks, there's tons of room around each RV.

Lots of good camp sites right now.

 Katie and I walked across the street to The Pond, 
but I couldn't see a path to the water.

Looking out to the pond was very pretty and quiet and peaceful.

 The Pond at sunset.

Last night I looked out the window and this is what I saw:

It was just beautiful, especially with the sprinkling of lights from the base below.

Those are the photos I've taken during the last week, since I've been here at Quail Hill - with all the burro photos I didn't have a chance to post these before.  

From Me and Katie, have a great Saturday, everyone!  :)