The Easter Bunny

Says Happy Easter to everyone.

Hello Kitty!

Well you just know it is going to be a great day when you wake up to a Bobcat sitting outside your front door! Kathie and I were off on a birding trip (of which I will post on my other blog) so I was up early pottering around making my tea and getting ready for our day out. I looked out of the front window and there it was, looking for all the world like a neighbours cat until you catch sight of those massive paws and the distinctive 'bobbed' tail. Needless to say it was a fantastic day.

We're Hiding!

A couple of weeks ago I did a post of a nest I had discovered in a cholla. Well look what we have now! I had heard loud cheeping every couple of minutes as the frantic Thrasher parents rushed back and forth bringing food so when I had seen both parents leave I hurried in, took a quick photo and hurried away again so that neither parents or babies got too stressed. Aren't they sweet?

Verdin

The Verdin is another of natures small but feisty characters and they always make me smile. We seem to have a lot of them in the yard and now that I have discovered how much they love freshly sliced oranges I know exactly how to keep them around.

Clarity.

Nothing much needs to be said here, nature shows us perfection.

'Copping the attitude!'

I have gone through life being told repeatedly that I have a bad attitude and now that I am older and more cynical about peoples opinions I am quite proud not to be an obliging, pliant person. I also tend to instantly fall for any creature that happens to show that same 'piss and vinegar' attitude. Like this little guy - he was glaring in through the spare bedroom window this morning and if he hasn't got FEISTY written all over him I don't know what has!

Blue and Grey

What a beautiful morning. I wonder what was going on between this female Phainopepla and Northern Mockingbird. Maybe she was asking when he was going to start his migration?

At Last!

 We have a wonderful selection of creatures on our land, some of which are more obliging about being photographed than others. One of the most reclusive are the surprisingly large Rock Squirrels. Usually our only view of them is a long fluffy tail disappearing into the distance. It has taken me three years to get a photo. Last weekend we had some chilly mornings and I looked out of the window to see this individual catching some morning sun perched on the fence. It stayed there just long enough to allow me to run and grab my camera and get off a couple of shots before he scurried off.

A Secure Residence

I had noticed a pair of Thrashers working hard carrying nesting material into a cholla so when they flew off for more building supplies I quickly sneaked in and risked loosing large quantities of flesh to capture a shot of all the hard work. One thing is for sure, if the Thrashers do decide to use this nest, they will be very well protected from potential predators!

Often Overlooked

The gentle Mourning Dove's soothing call seems to be a constant at present and really is there a sweeter sound? I so enjoy having these lovely souls around and at least at this time of year they are not yet being harassed by the migratory White-winged Doves.

Back To Basics

When I first started this blog I would just post an image with a brief description. This meant that in a life that seems determined to thwart my attempts to make time for blogging I could still get it done. Over the months I have gotten into the habit of making longer posts and telling stories which, while fun, takes much longer to get done. This blog was only ever meant to be a pictorial record of happenings on our land so I am going to attempt to get back to basics and hopefully this will mean I will be better about posting more regularly.

 

This was a kitchen drama - my friend Kathie and I were sitting drinking tea and chatting when there was a sickening thud on the kitchen window. We both rushed to see what had happened and discovered that a Sharp-shinned Hawk had driven a hapless Gambel's Quail into the window and then leapt upon the poor stunned creature. Lunch was served and we had a grandstand view.

A Magical Moment

The moment is well past but unfortunately life does tend to put a crimp in my blogging time. In the spirit of 'better late than never' I just had to make sure that the moment of snow in the desert did not pass without a post.

 It was a brief thing. It began snowing on Wednesday, settled a gentle white blanket over the land which was still draped when I jumped out of bed before sunrise on Thursday morning to take these pictures, and an hour after the sun came up it was gone, as if a figment of an over active imagination.

We are used to seeing the mountains behind our land capped with white at this time of year but it is extremely rare for the snow to make it down to us.

It is amazing to see an area that is usually a dry, hot environment, briefly transformed into a winter wonderland.

This is definitely my type of snow, around just long enough to take a few photos and then gone!

These photo memories, along with the ones of the wonderful winter rains we have been having will soothe our heated souls when the desert summer heat takes hold.

Next post I am going back to basics to try and get my blog back on track.