Many species of dragonflies and damselflies–all of them beautiful–have gathered around The Stockpond, out on that permanent main leak we call “The Cienega”, and over the ephemeral dirt tank. There are, however, no tadpoles to be seen in the main pond! The algae sheets have reappeared of a sudden, and maybe they’re hiding under them.

Bell’s Vireos are chattering from every bosque edge. Caltrops are in bloom out on the pastures, small-flowered species and large, and a single Yellow-headed Blackbird stops by.

A profound end of day calm comes upon these pastures and mesquitales and in the pink afterglow The Stockpond is silent and empty. A single tanager’s “pik-tuck-tuck” from the mesquites off to the West, one nighthawk drinks and is gone, a single new mother cow is mooing impatiently far off.