My last post on this topic involved the ocean, but the bulk of that morning earlier this week was actually spent out in the chaparral: scrubby, thorny, and sparse vegetation in the desert just outside of Villa del Faro. Right before I exited the property I spotted a black-tailed jackrabbit warily watching me as I descended the hill–these hares are a common sight on the side of the dirt coastal road out here.

The land to the west of the hotel is pretty open, with smaller dirt roads branching off the main one, and then goat or cattle trails webbing in and out of those. It’s pretty easy to walk a couple miles into the scrub without having to push past cacti or thorny bushes, and it’s hard to get lost when you have the sun rising from the eastern ocean horizon at your back.

Despite the relative harshness of this dry and sunny environment, hummingbirds whiz by regularly in search of flowers, and other birds scout the sands for seeds or insects. Photos of different species I’m seeing every time I go out will show up as Bird of the Day posts, so look out for those!