Saline flats dotted with salt-tolerant plants stretched back from the landing site at Isla San Francisco to a narrow path that climbed through a lovely little valley alive with desert vegetation. Lemon-yellow blossoms of prickly pear cactus seemed so delicate next to the coarse, prickly pads that supported them. Clusters of red blossoms adorned the gnarled branches of palo adan, or Adam's tree, a close relative of the ocotillo found farther north. The tubular flowers attract hummingbirds, and we were lucky to spot one flitting by in search of nectar. Golden pollen dusted the hummer's forehead, evidence of repeated visits to this rich food source. It was a female Costa's, and we watched intently (see photo above) as she darted into a cholla cactus just at the edge of the salt flats. To our delight, she settled into her tiny cup-like nest where two even tinier white eggs lay side-by-side. One of the joys of exploring Baja California is to take advantage of the more subtle sightings as well as the more conspicuous.