It was early January, and the toyon sapling I’d planted the week before wasn’t nearly old enough to produce fruit. So I asked a friend if I could collect a handful of berries from a plant on their ...

It’s chilly at dawn in the desert, even though blazing heat will arrive before midday. To the east, stark outlines of cactus and thorny trees stand against the growing light. And on all sides, the air ...

On a patch of desert land in Indio, an unassuming building once offered sanctuary to birds injured across the Coachella Valley and beyond. Soon, a new facility will open in its place, with a similar — ...

Tony Davis Aug 3, 2024 Aug 3, 2024 Updated Sep 8, 2025 A small, iridescent, purple-tinged bird darted from Joe Siegrist’s just-unclasped hands, and quickly flew out of human view. “Ooh!” an onlooker ...