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Wednesday 26 September 2012

Down and Up

The sky was spectacular last night, as the sun settled down below the horizon a whole riot of colours lit up the evening sky.


Then a fearsome cloud took shape looking very much as if it would consume all in its path.


 Slowly the colours faded and the mistress of the night sky appeared sailing across the velvet darkness.


But eventually she was consumed............................



Sunday 23 September 2012

That Fur Coat


What to do when you are a little rabbit wearing a snuggly fur coat and it is over one hundred degrees outside?


Well, you dig a little rabbit shaped trench under the shade of a big agave plant and you take a nice peaceful siesta!


And snooze away a hot Sunday afternoon.


Sorry about the poor photos but little rabbit was right outside our dining room window so I was shooting through glass whilst trying not to disturb him :)

Sunday 16 September 2012

A Family Visit


We popped out for dinner the night before last and while we were out my wildlife camera captured a family visit. When I first saw the picture I only noticed three Javalina, it wasn't until I cropped it that I spotted the fourth.

Tuesday 11 September 2012

A Personal Favourite

You may have realised by now that I love Herps. They are not to everyone's taste I know but I really enjoy having them around and there is one particular species that is a personal favourite.
The Desert Spiny Lizard was the first close reptilian encounter I had when we first moved in. We had a group of people working to clear all the Buffle Grass that had taken over our land. It was a chilly winter morning. The grass was being bundled into bins before being put onto a trailer. I walked past an empty bin and saw a pair of eyes looking up at me. One of the guys had found a lizard and put it in a bin! I wasn't sure what his long term plan was for the lizard but I didn't want it kidnapped lizardnapped so I asked if I could move it. The lizard was cold and so very sluggish so it tolerated me lifting it out of the bin and carrying it to a warm sheltered spot to thaw.


 Ever since that day I have been smitten! This one lives outside our bedroom and each morning is perched on the same rock, catching the warming rays of the rising sun.


And this one hangs out by our kitchen window. He has a favourite tree where he rests up during the heat of the day.


And this wily character sits under the outside light at the front of the house and feeds on the insects that come to the light.


I love my scaly neighbours.

Nature Notes hosted by Michelle at Rambling Woods

Wednesday 5 September 2012

The Family Unit.

They are certainly not a rare sighting in my yard but how can you not love these little charmers? They are not particularly smart and they fuss and chatter all day long but they are such a ubiquitous part of the scenery round here. When we first viewed the house, long before we purchased it, the first species I saw was the Gambell's Quail and so they were the very first post on this blog and I continue to photograph them year in, year out.
The chicks were a little late appearing this year but here are a few that I managed to get some shots of last month, just when they were getting to that scruffy, adolescent phase.


Here are Mum and Dad introducing one of their youngsters to the delights of the quail block.


And showing them were to pick up spilled seeds from under the feeders.


Checking out the yard from the wall, before dropping in for lunch!


 Remember those dreadful school photos that we all have hidden away somewhere? Is this the quail equivalent I wonder? We all 'grow into it' eventually!


So small and vulnerable


Good job Mum is keeping a good sharp look out for potential danger.


Three little bundles of feathers, so perfectly camouflaged but they've all got their heads down, I hope Mum is keeping watch close by.

Nature Notes hosted by Michelle at Rambling Woods

Saturday 1 September 2012

Multiplying

All the jokes have been made about how quickly they reproduce and maybe if I was planning on ploughing up my beautiful desert landscape and planting lots of vegetables I would be less keen on these little guys but for me they are just a part of a balanced ecosystem. If all the predators were to disappear, heaven forbid, then I am sure we would be very quickly over run but thankfully we have a strong population of snakes, hawks, owls, bobcats and coyotes so all is well.


So I can happily watch the rabbits foraging outside the office window without being concerned about priceless petunias.



And when the little babies appear I don't moan at the thought of lost plants



Instead I respect these little fluffy bundles for surviving in such a harsh climate where food is scarce and danger is plentiful



And if they do appear to be multiplying at this time of year I know that is natures plan, to keep others fed.



I enjoy their long-eared antics and who can resist this little one?



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