Cousins

Today was a red bird day, first the beautiful Pyrrhuloxia stopped by to brighten my morning,


I just love his striking colouration.


And then, not to be outdone, his flamboyant cousin dropped by for a visit too.

A Notice to the Wildlife

If you wear your skeleton on the outside and see the world through a matrix,


If your babies live and breath in water and you need external temperatures to warm your body,


If your scales have evolved into beautiful feathers and you have mastered the skies,


If your gender can be influenced by the temperature your eggs are incubated at and you have the ability to grow some of your extremities back,


If you carry your young inside your own body and then when they finally emerge you feed them rich, nourishing milk that you produce,


You are all welcome into my yard!* I am honored to share this space with you and I will do my utmost not to interfere in your existence. Please forgive me if I am a nosy neighbour because I love watching you all going about your day to day lives and photographing you.

*The only exception is humans!!!

Don't Make Him Angry!

I have posted before about the tiny tyrant that lives at the south west corner of my house. He is very fierce and chases all comers from his domain be they bird, make-believe or human.


One morning as I was passing 'His Lordship' was looking particularly angry.


Glaring up through the branches in a very focused manner


Then I realised why - someone had the AUDACITY to drink from his nectar feeder! Really!!!? What is the world coming to?


After several more very hard stares and a whole string of what I have to believe were hummingbird expletives, the little Verdin realised the error of it's ways and left the area.


Normal service has been resumed.

Nature Notes hosted by Michelle at Rambling Woods.

Partners on High

This beautiful pair of Kestrels are regular inhabitants of our yard. They are fiercely territorial of all other raptors that enter their air space irrespective of how much bigger than them they are.


I love the markings on the back of the head that makes a potential predator think that the kestrel is looking at them, even when it is actually looking the other way. Spoils any potential thoughts of ambush!


Despite their diminutive size I never tire of watching them soaring and wheeling in the clear blue sky.


Before they swoop in to land atop a power pole or saguaro to keep an eye out over their domain.

There is Magic in the Air!

Sunrise and sunset are my two favourite times of the day although I am not always very good about getting up to see the sunrise :)


Sunset however I can manage! And this one seemed to be particularly spellbinding. Add to it, four Great-horned Owls calling back and forth across my yard and I wouldn't have been at all surprised to see Harry Potter strolling up my driveway!


And just when I thought things couldn't get anymore magical I noticed the moon. The slenderest of crescents lying on its back.


Nature Notes hosted by Michelle at Rambling Woods.

There is Someone Living in My Agave!

Who's cheeky little nose is that peeping out?


This little baby came out for a snack on the agave leaf


Before snuggling down for a little snooze


Sweet dreams little guy.

Nature Notes hosted by Michelle at Rambling Woods.

Thorns and Fruits

Finding food in the desert is a prickly business and because the food is hard won the plants arm themselves with an array of spikes and thorns to ensure they are not over browsed.


The mistletoe berries are a bonanza for numerous bird species and insects.


The Cholla fruit must taste really good to brave these ferocious spines.




The setting sun creates the illusion that it softens the spines - don't be deceived!



Nature Notes hosted by Michelle at Rambling Woods.

Mr & Mrs

Just in time for Valentines Day...........
Black as jet, the male Phainopepla gleams in the early morning sun.


The female has a much softer grey hue.
When not obligingly posing for photos, both of them are happily feasting on the mistletoe which is fruiting right now.

The Eyes in the Sky

Although I loath the telegraph poles that skirt our yard, the numerous raptors love using them as a vantage point as they scout for a meal.

So Gentle

Is there anything more beautiful than a shy, gentle doe?


Walking quietly and cautiously through the vegetation, ever vigilant.

Huge Spirit, Tiny Body.

I love this little male Broad-billed Hummingbird. He is the tyrant of the corner of our house.


He chases off all other birds from 'his' feeders


and whenever we walk past he chatters his disapproval at us too (as if we were planning to steal his nectar!)


This magnificent little character is a huge presence in spite of his diminutive stature.

Nature Notes hosted by Michelle at Rambling Woods.

Catching the Reclusive One

He hides in the thickest thorn bushes.


He turns his back on me


But just occasionally I catch this classic beauty out in the open and manage to grab a couple of photos.

Was it something I Said?

This is one of those classic moments when you have to wonder what is being said!