AZJoe

A peak into the beauty and wonder of the Sonoran Desert in Phoenix

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Hooray for spring. This is actually my 2nd unofficial first day of spring declaration. The first was on Feb. 11, and it was indeed premature. Maybe this one will take...

Regardless of when it really starts, it looks like it is going to be a very colorful one...

I was very pleased to encounter this beauty. I have been watching for the Mexican Poppies for a while now, and this is the first one of the year for me.

Here's hoping that many such 'Drops of Sunshine' will rain across the landscape in the weeks to come.

Click on any photo for bigness...

Here she is again, this time shown with a fellow yellow bloom. Looks like there is going to be a whole lot of yellow soon.

Yellow does seem to be the dominant color for desert blooms. The Creosote bush can have thousands of little yellow blooms on one plant. Others include the Palo Verde tree, the Staghorn Cactus, the Barrel Cactus, the Brittlebush, and more and more...

Here is a shot of the teensy bloom that I mentioned earlier, the one that may well count into the trillions within The Park. This bloom is about the size of a BB, or about twice the size of a pin head.

It is interesting how so many to the tiny blooms seem perfect. With millions of these opening up every day, that is a whole lot of perfection going on.

I am not sure what kind this is either, but what a beauty. About the size of a nickel, she is flanked by her sisters, some just waiting to burst out.

I love the color combinations of the desert blooms. Purple and yellow go so well together, thrown in some white...a masterpiece.

Another first for the year, a butterfly shot. This little one was working hard on some little yellow blooms, as seen in the first Poppy shot shown a few posts above.

This leaf-ish flitterer was medium-small, about the size of a half-dollar.

I love watching these critters do their thing. They seem so full of life. I like it when finally take some time to stop, take aim and spread their wings right at the sun...all that surface area soaking it in. Aaaah...

I really enjoy watching the Flycatchers go about their business. They are so very flitty. Sometimes it seems more like they are air dancing than flying.

I am not sure what kind this one is yet. Soon...

Here he is again, old yellow eyes. Not sure what kind of worm or caterpillar that is in his mouth...that squirmy is a part pf a whole other world that exists out in The Park; the bugs and the micro organisms.

These tiny critters are crucial to the lives of the wildlife throughout The Park. Preserving their habitat  is crucial for the abundance of wildlife that The Park now supports.

Yesterday was a cold one, especially for March. There were some great low clouds rolling along, with some bright sunlight peaking through.

This is the first black and white landscape shot I have taken. I was inspired by the Ansel Adams show at the Phoenix Art Museum that I heard and read about. Going to check it out next week.

I think the mountains in The Park are well suited to these types of shots. It also looks like I have a long way to go in this arena...

 Fun.

Here is the first pink bloom of the year. I was surprised to see this one. These usually don't bloom till it gets warmer, but it looks like we had enough warm days in a row to flip the switch.

These blooms are some of my favorites. They are so bright and so delicate, and grow out of such an overly protective source. Notice the 2 layers of pointy spines on the cactus. The first layer is made up of 'stars' that fan out, covering most of the skin. The second lever of protection comes from the fishhooks, which are quite sharp. The red at the top of the cactus looks like blood, and is the point of creation for the new cactus skin and spines.

Here is a pair on the right, with a suitor on the left. Lefty eventually moved in and bumped the guy on the right. There was no resistance.

There is a lot of this going on in The Park right now. There is a Thrasher nest next to one of the trails that has 3 light blue eggs in it.

This bloom is a little smaller than a dime. I don't know what it's name, but I sure love it's beauty. Blue and purple is an unusual combination, and it sure looks good to me.

If you click on the image, you can see some blue pollen on one of the petals.

There is another tiny bloom out there in abundance right now...about the size of a BB. It has five petals, white, and is perfect. It is growing all over the desert right now, with all of the rain we have been having. Within a square foot there looks to be like thousands of blooms. This could mean hundreds of billions, or even trillions of them scattered across The Park, nice.

This is one of the many Flycatchers in The Park. They are elegant flyers who seem to love flitting around.

Today, Tuesday Feb 23rd, was indeed a cold one. The day after a big rain, it was sunny and chilly late into the morning. Joel spotted this dead Palo Verde tree laying next to a trail. It was glistening with 'diamonds'; some lovely ice crystals.

It was interesting to see how long many of the crystals grew. They looked like long glass slivers, or long-grain rice. We got there just as the sun started hitting parts of it. It was likely the last moments for the existence of these lovely crystals.

We never know what beauty we will discover in The Park...

We had been hoping to see another Kestrel, so it was with excitement that we photographed this beauty. She was busy flying around the desert looking for something to eat. She did capture a tidbit, but we were unable to identify what it was. We have seen them eat a caterpillar and a lizard before.

These are the smallest falcons in North America, about the size of a White-winged Dove.

click on any of the photos to see a larger version.

Well, the Blues are still with us. It has been 7 weeks since our first encounter, and they still seem to be loving it here. It makes us wonder if they have set up shop in The Park, with nests and all.

I love getting 2 different species in the same shot. There is something about the contrast and compare, especially when they both have some nice color going on.  The Finches and the Sparrows seem to enjoy having the Bluebirds around...often times we will see them hanging out with the colorful visitors.

They have arrived, and they seem to like it here. It has been a few weeks now that the Robins have been running around The Park.

The American Robin is normally found in the higher elevations, so we are glad that they decided to visit, and to hang around for a while.

This looks to be a couple, with the male on the right and the female on the left. As with many bird species, the male has more color than the female.

Thanks for visiting us oh flitty ones...

What a beauty. Such delicate feather patterns on her head and breast. She almost looks frosted.

Here is another of The Park's great beauties. For some reason the male was given the face makeup, and it sure stands out.

This guy was busy pecking on this snag. Not sure why though. It didn't seem like he was doing it for insects, more like he was just doing it to do it. Maybe it helps keep his beak sharp, or maybe it just feels good. Anyway, it was sure great to watch and hear him go about it.

Below is a video clip of the pecking in action.

Here he is again, just after take off.

In this shot it is easy to see why they are called Gilded, with those magnificent golden color on the underside of the wings.

Here he is, doing that thing that woodpeckers do, peck.

I love how fast they do it, like a jackhammer. I wonder how it works. One thing that I do know is that I love watching and hearing it go on.

Today provided quite a treat...an encounter between a couple of raptors that live in The Park.

First we saw a large Great-horned Owl perched in a snag. All of a sudden she(?) started fluffing up and squawking loudly. At first I thought it was because of us, then we spotted the real cause for the ruckus; a Cooper's Hawk had flown into the same snag. Apparently the Owl had come a bit too close to the Hawk's territory, likely close to the nesting area.

Here is a photo of the two of them in the tree...the Owl in the lower left corner and the Hawk in the upper right corner.

Here is the Owl getting all worked up because the Hawk just landed in the same tree. The owl started making a bunch of noise, but the Hawk didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, the Hawk flew in closer to the Owl.

Here he(?) is, about to move in closer to the owl. His tenacity on driving the Owl out was most impressive.

The Hawk ended up chasing the Owl out of the snag and about 100 yards away. A bit later the Owl flew again, with the Hawk right behind. This happened several times.

Here is a short clip of one of the chases. It looks like the Hawk actually touched the owl here. We did notice on an earlier chase where there was definite contact.

These chases kept happening till they were finally perched in the same Palo Verde tree, several hundred yards away from where it all started. After a few minutes in the tree, the Hawk flew away, leaving the Owl in peace. Apparently the Owl was far enough away to put the Hawk at ease.

What a fun day in The Park.

It has been great fun watching and observing the pleasant Western Bluebird these past 3 weeks. One of the best parts is when they fly. That's because when they fly away from you, all that blue on their back side lights up, at its maximum. Experiencing such a dynamic flash of blue in the winter desert is quite a tasty treat.

This photo illustrates the amount of blue on the back of the male. When he takes off, he appears to be saturated with blue.

click on the photo for larger version

It is always a treat to come across one of these beauties. This is one of the 3 woodpecker species in The Park. These are especially active, and spend a lot of time on the ground.

Ladderbacks have one of the most interesting pattern designs of any critter in The Park. I just love that swirly face paint, reminding me of the middle of a rolled ice cream cake. Then there are the delicate white spots on the front of the red cap, like paint splatter from a fine brush. Then there is the back...so much going on there...the stripes, the dashes, and the spots.

What a very loud outfit that is!

Phaenopepla Couple

This is one of my favorite couples in The Park.

Female

Here she is, caught in the act of fluffing and preening. I love the color differences between the the female and the male, below. They are both well dressed. The  female is decked in slate gray with white accents, while the male is in all black with white accents. They look like they are going out to a great event, dressed up about as far as you can go.

They not only look like none other, they also fly that way. They may be the flittiest of the flycatchers. I love to watch them in the air. Their flight is indirect and spontaneous. It reminds me of my experience with the Painted Redstart, another exotic flycatcher.

Male

Here he is, Dapper Dan, on his way back from the black-tie affair, stopping off for some tasty Mistletoe berries. I love how those red eyes glow against all that black. It looks like a tiny round window into a fiery furnace.

Phaenopeplas also have one of the most interesting calls around. It is a simple single tone that is rich and far reaching. It is like someone is trying to get your attention, with a short mid-toned whistle that rises slightly at the end. It really does sound like they are saying, 'hey, over here, take my picture'. It is the easiest bird call for me to do.

It was great to see the Bluebirds again. We thought that they had moved on, but Stan called us to let us know right where they were. Thanks Stan.

This was one of the most active days of the year so far. Maybe it had to do with the heavy rains that occupied the 2 days prior. Maybe the birds were especially hungry, and maybe food is somehow more plentiful when the ground is well soaked.

White Crowned Sparrow 

The White-crowned Sparrow sure looks regal. They are common in The Park, but I rarely get a good shot at one, so this was a treat.

Gilded Flicker, female

The Gilded Flickers have been out in force, getting ready for nesting season. I just love how those spots are layered, as well are her two-toned head.

Sage Thrashers eating Mistletoe Berries

The Sage Thrashers are somewhat rare. They are easily mistaken for Cactus Wrens. This is one of the first good shots that I have gotten, and love that there are two in there. It seems like a lot of the birds like the Mistletoe berries, those red berries in the tree.

Black-tailed Jackrabbit standing tall

The Black-tailed Jackrabbits are pretty common in The Park, but they are elusive when it comes to photography. I was glad to capture a brief moment with this one. Not sure why he was standing up, but I sure like it when they do it. That posture sure makes him look like some relation of the kangaroo.

Thanks to all the animals that shared with us today.

Click on any of the photos to see a larger version

We experienced a Blue invasion today. About 15 Western Bluebirds rolled through The Park, and we were fortunate enough to be there. They were great models, seemingly posing for us, and glad to let us get pretty close. What a great addition this is to our list of wonderful critters found in The Park.

The top bird is a male Western Bluebird, and the bottom bird is a male Mountain Bluebird. I hear that it is quite rare to see a Mountain Bluebird in the desert. It was very interesting how he was flying with the Western Bluebirds, like somehow the Blues like to stick together.

It was a beautiful experience. So much color and such a presence. We are hoping to get a few more such experiences , but this may have been it.

Thank you blue beauties, for stopping by and for being so friendly.

Here is a link to a site with some nice Bluebird information: Arizona Birds

What a fun encounter this morning; a pair of beautiful Coyotes meandering along. I can't remember when I have had such a relaxed experience with this canine species. After Joel and I happened upon them, they slowly walked off, without the usual alarmed trot that we normally get.

The bottom one had one of the richest coats that I have ever seen. He(?) even has a fox-ish look to him.

It was great to see two healthy and seemingly contented Coyotes in The Park. It is a good sign that all is well with the eco system.

Thanks for taking your time with us today.

What a great way to end a nice morning in The Park. As I was packing my van to leave, I spotted this beauty a few hundred yards away. He(?) was nice enough to let me get within about 30 yards before flying off.

These hawks are quite a bit different from the king of The Park, the Red-tailed Hawk. Instead of flying high and dropping in on unsuspecting prey, the Cooper's Hawk flies low, often going through bushes and trees. It not only surprises the would-be prey, it surprises itself as well. They are fairly easy to distinguish from the Red-tail. They area bit smaller, with a long striped tail and big yellow eyes.

Thank you for letting me get so close.

I was a bit surprised by this encounter. I didn't think that many things would push a falcon around. Then again, those woodpeckers are a pushy bunch. I have noticed them throwing their weight around quite a bit.

This is the first Harris's Hawk that I have seen in The Park. At first I thought it was a Zone-tailed Hawk, the only other black bird that flies the way a hawk does. Later it was pointed out to me that it is most likely a Harris's, and was later confirmed.

I am glad to be able to add this magnificent creature to the list of animal images captured within The Park.

Thanks for the show.

Here is a photo of the Hawk from the video above.

These birds were experienced in west Phoenix, at the Glendale Recharge Ponds, just west of the Cardinal stadium.

This is also where the Osprey encounter took place.

Quite a rich place...

This wonderful bird showed up at the Glendale Recharge Ponds, and put on quite a show for us. At first he (?) did a couple of fake dives, pulling up before he hit the water. On the 3rd try, he splashed down. It was interesting to see how deep he went in, and how he had to flap his wings in the water to get out.

Impressive.

Thanks for the fishing lesson.

A Phaenopepla was perched atop this Palo Verde, looking for his meal tree to visit. Then the male Gila, on the right, flew on up. A moment later, his mate joined him. They didn't seem too happy about the black visitor, and proceeded to ply pressure on him by moving in closer and closer. At one point, both of the Gilas were bobbing their heads back and forth rapidly. It looked intimidating. A minute later the Pepla flew on to quieter greens.

The Gilas have great patterns on their back, and a wonderful split tail. I love watching them fly, how they boost up, then fall down about 10 feet before another flap of the wings. I just don't get it, why don't they hold their wings out to glide...interesting stuff.

I captured an image of this cricket a few months ago, just before I actually captured him(?). I was on my way to see my Mexican Blonde Tarantula gal, and I wanted to bring her something tasty. It felt like I was courting her. Anyway, these crickets are a lot different from the ones that I see around the yard. These look way tougher, even mean. They are also quite 'meaty' and provided for a tasty meal for one of my favorite lady friends. I think she appreciated my selection.

Click on photo for larger version.

Finally! After so many years of looking for one of these beauties, today was the day. This bird was quite a bit bigger than I was expecting, looking almost as large as a Red-tailed Hawk. This critter was busy munching some fresh meat, most likely a dove. At one perch he(?) was busy pulling feathers.

I hadn't heard of any of these in the park before. We have encountered other falcons, most notably the American Kestrel, and lesser so the Prairie Falcon. I love the 'mask' on his face.

Click on the image for a larger one.

This Thanksgiving was full of predator sightings. First off was a nice pair of coyotes. We were tipped off to their arrival by a couple of jackrabbits that were running along in an unusually speedy fashion. The coyote in the photo stood up on the rock hoping to get a glimpse of them, but they were out of sight by then. The coyotes moved quickly down the mountain to the flat areas, and were soon out of sight.

The male American Kestrel was perched inconspicuously on a branch several hundred yards away when Joel caught a glimpse of him. We tried to get close enough for some good shots, but he was having none of it. I was fortunate to capture an image of him just after take off. He flew a long way, well out of our range to follow. Still, it was a pleasant sighting.

The Cooper's hawk came along towards the end of the day. He(?) flew right in front of us, and landed somewhere behind some trees. We tried to find him, but nada. Then he flew right in front of us again, staying low over the wash. He landed on the snag in the photo. I was fortunate to get off several shots before he moved on and out of sight. They have some of the 'brightest' eyes around.

The red-tailed hawk came flying towards us just as we were finishing it up. We were able to get some decent shots as she(?) circled overhead. I love that red tail of hers.

So that is what Thanksgiving morning held for me and Joel, and it was a very nice one indeed. We have had a rich year of wildlife encounters in The Park so far this year, including 3 desert tortoises, 3 long-eared owls, and 2 Gila monsters, to name a few highlights. We saw none of those today. No, today was ruled by the these 4 wondrous creatures, further enriching our lives and deepening our love for The Park.

Thank you to all the animals who live above, on top of, and below this magnificent Sonoran Desert landscape. Thank you for giving us glimpses of the great wonder and beauty that exists in the world of wildlife. Thank you for showing us what it means to have a deep connection with the earth, and for demonstrating what a balanced life is really like.

Click on any of the photos for a larger version.

This critter was busily working on the top of this cactus. My best guess is that there were some tasty ants in that veritable forest of spines. She would stick her head in there and work it for a while, then back out and take a long look in.

At the base of her tale is a nice swatch of yellow, which looks really good on her. I am surprised at how many spots she has all over her front...must be more than one hundred of them.

I can tell that this is a female because of the absence of the red face paint that the males have.

Here are a couple images from another wonderful hawk encounter from this morning. Here he(?) is fluffing and stretching, just minutes before taking off. I posted these two photos to show an interesting aspect of this bird, and of many birds. It is called the nictitating membrane. It is an additional eyelid, one that is used to clean and protect the eye. I have never seen these lids blink live before, I think they are too fast.

In the top photo is the bare eye, while the lower photo is showing the nictitating membrane in action. I wonder which birds have these, and which do not. Maybe they all do...so much to learn.

On the new site I will devote a page to images showing the nictitating eyelid. These are especially pronounced and very interesting on the Great-horned owl.

Click on the images for a larger view.

This is not a spider but a close relative. It is an arachnid called an opilione. I was able to identify this one with the help of  bugguide.net. The Harvestmen do not produce web, and have no fangs, two factors that make it difficult to hunt prey. Thus they are scavengers and opportunistic eaters, feeding on vegetation and decomposing animal parts.

I have been going through the thousands of images that I have accumulated in The Park over the past several years, and have been counting how many different types of life forms there are. As of now my count is at 90, and I am confident that 100 will be reached soon. I am working on a new site that will showcase these in a fun and organized manner...soon...

Here he is again, good old 'No Ears', this time in video.

There is nothing quite like having a good stare with a Great horned Owl. I think they have the most potent eyes in The Park. These are especially so, with the engorged pupils.

I love the way that he sometimes blinks both eyes at the same time, and sometimes only one. I also like his head movements, how precisely he moves when he looks up and back down...like a magnificent machine.

We haven't seen this fellow in the park lately, and very few Great Horneds, for several weeks now. Maybe they moved to another part of The Park after depleting the local squirrel and mouse population.

I encountered this creature during his final struggle with life. He(?) had lost two legs on the right side...not sure how. He was expending great effort to do what was easy for him before. To make things worse, he  kept flipping over, and would take desperate trials to flip back.

I hung out with the little guy for about 10 minutes. I was very impressed with his exceptional strength and persistence...two admirable qualities in any creature.

I love learning from and being inspired by the wildlife in The Park. From the awesome Red-tailed hawks and Great horned owls that rule from the air, to the ancient Gila Monsters and Desert Tortoises and lug on the ground, all the way down to the crawling bugs, there are lessons to experience, life to revere. It is simply a matter of taking the time and the humble perspective to let their light shine on me.

Thank you for sharing your lessons, and some of your last moments.

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