This cactus is a beavertail (opuntia basilaris). It grows in the wash behind and to the left of our house. It is behind several cholla cacti and creosote bushes, so we can’t see it unless we go up into the wash near the north property line.
I walked around the lot today, looking for quail nests and whatever I could see. I found a wren or thrasher nest (not sure which) in one of the cholla cacti on the other side of the lot from where I took the picture of the beavertail. There were no quail nests, though. Maybe it’s too early in the season for that.
Last year, I found some other beavertail cacti up on the hill on the other side of the lot. I dug several of them up and transplanted them to the landscaped part of the property, along the road and RV drive. Those are doing pretty well. Damsel hopes that they will produce some of their hot pink flowers this spring. Click on the image above to enlarge.