Coming of Age

The Saguaro has to be between 50 and 75 years old before it develops its first limb. We have one at the end of our driveway that appears to have just reached this landmark. When walking past it last week I happened to notice this tiny bobble on the south side of it. In another twenty or thirty years it should have a big impressive limb. No instant gratification where Saguaros are concerned!

Somebody's Watching..............

You know that feeling, when you are doing something and you suddenly get the feeling that someone is watching you? I was washing dishes at the kitchen sink and I suddenly got that sensation. I looked up and there were a pair of very fierce eyes staring in at me. No wonder I never get jobs finished in the kitchen!!

Put On Your Boots.

The Saguaro is a familiar part of the Arizona wilderness, it is also a wonderfully secure home for numerous species. But what do those nesting cavities really look like? It is a long time before the Saguaro reveals this secret, when they die they can remain standing for many years. Eventually when the skeleton is revealed the lining of the cavity also appears. These are known as Saguaro Boots, it is the cactus way of protecting itself. When creatures make holes in the cactus, the Saguaro produces a lining in the cavity. Over time it hardens so when the Saguaro dies and the soft material withers away, the boot is left (or right!)

Ruffs and Ruffles

As you probably guessed, it was a very windy morning when I took this photo of a Cactus Wren getting ruffled as he kept watch.

Vertical Perfection

Because you can never have too many photos of the magnificent Saguaros.

The Guardian

There is no mistaking this dramatic silhouette. As the sun settles, the nightwatch begins the late shift.

Armoured

Everything has to defend itself, especially in the desert. I love looking at the cactus spines they are very photogenic, they hurt like crazy though!

He's Back!

Well actually this photo was taken at the same time as the other one but I just couldn't resist posting another. The little Screech Owl spent the whole day soaking up the sun in the Saguaro cavity and as the sun started to sink he finally opened his beautiful yellow eyes.

Saguaro Shadows

Time for the Saguaro to have it's close-up. I just loved the shadows cast by the spines.

My Best Christmas Present

There are numerous bird species that use cavities in the mighty Saguaro cactii, I always look at the holes, just in case I see anything peeping out. There are hundreds of Saguaros, each has dozens of holes in them so it stands to reason that over the years I have looked as a lot of holes in cactii! At last my perseverance has been rewarded. I was sitting up by the pool on Christmas Eve and I glanced up at the cactus which is used by the Purple Martins in the summer.................look who was looking back at me!

Lovely Lichen

I spend so much time watching the more gregarious entities around our land that it is easy to overlook the more subtle treasures which are often right in front of me. I love to just sit quietly in one spot and see what I notice, I am never disappointed.

The Best of 2013

Better late than never, here is my traditional 'Best of'' post for 2013. As usual I was completely incapable of selecting one critter for each category but I guess that just means we saw lots of cool stuff throughout the year which can't be a bad thing.

So first off, the wonderful plants that surround us. During April and May the desert bursts into bloom in an entirely flamboyant way. Each sub-species of Prickly Pear produces a different colour.

 

In August it is the turn of the Barrel Cactus to stun



And as if the blooms weren't beautiful enough, the fruit are not too shabby either.



In the Invertebrate section, an old favourite puts in another appearance, we seemed to have so many tarantulas this year, we love having them around.



From a slightly higher elevation, this outrageous Caterpillar made quite a dramatic appearance. It will eventually turn into a Hubbards Small Silkmoth but this is most definitely it's 'big moment,'



There was one particular amphibian who demanded to be acknowledged this year. The diminutive Red-spotted Toad has a HUGE voice and this individual set up shop by our pool this summer and made his presence known every night, very loudly. So it only seems fair that he should represent the amphibian group.



A group that I don't usually include but, lets face it, is hard to ignore, I will call 'scenery.' And my goodness, is it dramatic!



If you have a moonrise, it seems only logical that a sunset should be part of the deal too.



We have had some lovely mammals around this year. The Rock Squirrels decided to overcome their usual shyness and move into our back patio area to raise there babies.



And it is always a huge treat when a Bobcat drops by to say hello.



We have had a great reptile year with all kinds of firsts, not least of which was this magnificent Western Diamondback that curled up peacefully beside our house one evening



I had a long chat with this next reptilian visitor. How could I not when presented with such an expressive face? Another very relaxed encounter which allowed me to take numerous photos...



Of course, by far the largest group of photos belongs to our avian friends. I just couldn't decide which were my favourites. Well lets face it, they all are!
For imagery this Cardinal really got himself set up perfectly.

But not to be outdone, his close relative, the Pyrrhuloxia used the same technique to ensure inclusion in the year end review.



For sheer entertainment it is hard to beat the goofy Roadrunner with its crazy antics. This one sat in a tree next to me, chattering and scolding me while I took its picture.



This Great-horned Owl however seemed rather less engaged in his photo session!

Our resident Coopers Hawk, never fails to provide a little drama at the unfortunate expense of numerous quail and doves.



But the loss of life is balanced by the creation of new life and it was a delight to watch a pair of Thrashers raise this pair of chicks in a Cholla Cactus.



But before I finish the bird section, I couldn't possibly move on without including 'the boss.' Twigman continues to rule the land with a steely glare and a fearsome chatter. Ignore him at your peril!!



And so on to a new year. Lets hope it is filled with 'all creatures great and small.'
Happy New Year everyone.

Alternative Santa

This handsome fellow was captured outside our dining room window by my wildlife camera, I thought he looked very festive wearing his warm red winter suit.

Christmas Beauty

I can't help but feel festive when I look outside the kitchen window and see this handsome fellow looking picture perfect.

Well fed.

The nights are chilly now and when you have a tiny body and a high metabolism it is vital to feed quickly upon waking from the night of torpor. I am kept busy making sure all the hummingbird feeders are kept full at this time of year.

Winter Visitor Part Two

The great thing about wildlife cameras is they work in total darkness without a flash, so again, a totally natural image. Just passing through.

Winter Visitor

I have some wildlife cameras around our property. A lot of the time they capture images of quail and doves but occasionally something else puts in an appearance. I like using these cameras because the images are totally natural, the animals demeanour is not influenced by a proximity to a photographer. Check out this handsome fellow.

Keep Off!

We have tried to keep our yard as natural as possible, allowing all the naturally occurring species to come and go as they please. This does lead to some trial and error when we want to plant new things though. Does it have enough weaponry to protect itself from hungry passers-by? Or will it have mysteriously disappeared the next time we look? Needless to say, nothing has tried to make a snack out of this fearsome little cactus!

Perfect Blue

Chilly mornings and clear blue skies, what could be better? This little House Finch was perched atop the big old saguaro in our backyard to welcome the new day. How do they manage to balance on all those spines I wonder!

Keeping Warm

It is getting to that time of year again when the nights get cold and all the creatures need to eat more to keep warm. Of course the Cottontails are back at the quail block gnawing away every morning when I wake up. I think this one should consider a new career as a sculptor though don't you?