Sleeping Beauty

I know I am in a minority but I was delighted to find this scaly neighbour curled up next to the house a couple of evenings ago. Once I had convinced my husband that it was a snake and not a rock we walked quietly up to it and took photos. We stood near the snake for between 10 and 15 minutes, trying different camera settings and light levels, talking quietly to each other and moving around to get different angles. During the entire process the snake showed absolutely no aggression at all, no rattling, no strike position, just a relaxed, peaceful snake and it wasn't because it was cold - far from it. Lesson to take away, if these snakes are treated respectfully, they intend us no harm. And my goodness, they are spectacularly beautiful.

Portrait

Not an easy subject to photograph as they are constantly on the move but I do love trying to track down the goofy Roadrunner. They are gradually getting used to the crazy lady with the camera and realizing that I mean them no harm. I must admit every time I observe these birds they remind me of the missing link! They have something very prehistoric about them.

The Beauty In The Beast

The fearsome Chollas are best given a very wide berth, especially the uncannily clingy, Jumping Cholla but they are capable some very eye-catching flowers. Just don't stick your nose near them to check their scent!

So Tiny.

Nature is a brutal mistress so I never cease to wonder how on earth the tiny precocial Gambell's Quail chicks manage to survive. Especially when my resident Road Runners are hot on their trail. Of course, many of them don't survive which is why the female quails are capable of producing multiple broods throughout the summer. Good luck little guys, its a big scary world out here!

It's Behind You!

Hard to see it in this picture but there is a wall of rain falling behind this Pyrrhuloxia, it never actually got to us but it smelt wonderful! Such is the nature of the monsoons, one road is flooded and the next one bone dry.

I'm Sorry, Are We Boring You?

I regularly grumble about the power lines that run along the edge of our property, after all who wants to look at those ugly poles. But I do have to admit that the birds of prey do like to use them as viewing platforms or sleeping platforms. I had a magical view of a Great Horned Owl who was very obliging about letting me photograph him in broad daylight even though I woke him up from his siesta - briefly!

Singing In The Rain.

Tucson is known for the outrageous number of sunny days it has annually and I am not ever going to complain about that but I will admit I do love the novelty of the monsoon season. Sitting watching storms rolling over the mountains never grows old. The desert looks so entirely different under an iron grey sky.