Furry Finds

Elk from the Grand Canyon

It's not always about the birds, plants or landscapes.  Sometimes it's about the furry critters great and small that we find on the trails.  Here are just several from the various photo shoots around Arizona and Colorado.  Spying on birds has led me to these wonderful mammals by accident.  Many times they are unaware that I am near.  Birds will fly around people, but mammals hide. Most of these shots were taken in the absence of humankind. Do you have a special encounter?  And if so, which critter was it? And where did it happen?  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!  Chris

Gray Squirrel at Ramsey Canyon

Rock Squirrel at Box Canyon

Coyote near the Santa Cruz River, Tucson

Javelina in Patagonia, AZ

Antelope Ground Squirrel at Saguaro National Park, Rincon Unit

Bobcats in the shade.  Tucson, AZ

Bighorn Sheep at the Desert Museum, AZ

Mountain Lion at the Desert Museum, AZ

Ocelot at the Desert Museum, AZ

Mule Deer in Yarnell, AZ

Hooded Skunk on the Proctor Trail, Madera Canyon, AZ

Coati, Madera Canyon

Red Fox at Bear Creek Nature Center, Colorado Springs

Sonoran Pronghorn, Empire Ranch near Sonoita

Jackrabbit at Saguaro National Park

Mexican Fox Squirrel, Portal, AZ

Coues White-tailed Deer near Ramsey Canyon

Feral Cat, El Presidio Gardens, Tucson

Feral Cats checking out the bird feeders at El Presidio

The Radagast Factor

Antelope Ground Squirrel

Learning to "speak" bird and animal takes time. In this final two part series, I finish up my notes and observations about "talking to the animals".  While on a trek to Saguaro National park, I was hoping to find the elusive Crissal Thrasher.  Still a no show for me!  Maybe I have a new Nemesis bird!  While trying to call  out a Thrasher, I attracted this above Antelope Squirrel.  And for several moments we were chatting back and forth together.  He got super close to me and I forgot about where I was.  Kathie was with me on this outing and snapped me back to reality because the Thrasher was staring at me.  Oh how that must have appeared!  She had thought I was looking at a bird and it turns out, I was hanging out with a ground squirrel.
Maybe these are the steps into "crazy":)

Curve-billed Thrasher

Here's the Thrasher staring at me.  Don't judge me!:)

Sunset at Catalina State Park

I'm having too much fun out in the wild.  I never go home empty handed.  This post today includes two of our wonderful parks from around Tucson.  One is Saguaro(with Kathie) and the second set of pics come from Catalina State Park. All in search of the Crissal Thrasher! I should mention that the best time to find Thrashers is early in the morning or at sunset.  Now you can find them anytime really, but they make nice appearances at these times.  I feed one Thrasher here at El Presidio.  In fact, in Arizona, you can find Bendire's, Curve-billed, Crissal, Sage and Le Conte's Thrashers.  I have yet to find the last 3. And there are two others outside of our state that I still need to find.

On our trek through Saguaro, this Cactus Wren perched perfectly above the sign.  I had to take the pic:)

But the title of the post?

Sunset at Saguaro National Park-East

Well if you read "The Hobbit" or saw the movie, you might recall a certain brown wizard known as Radagast who was the protector of all things wild.  He was put on Middle Earth to protect the forest and the critters.  Many times he had difficulty understanding the outside world and couldn't relate to mankind, dwarves or elves.  He was considered by his peers as the odd wizard.  However Gandolf respected him.  Saruman not so much.

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

I don't think there is anything crazy about connecting with nature.  Whether someone is a tree hugger or a birder, it's one of the best ways to forget the negative outside world.  Commune with nature!

Townsend's Solitaire

And if you go alone, you may hear the "quiet" presence of life around you. Stop.  Look up.  Look down.  Look all around. And you may just find a Townsend's Solitaire staring back at you.

Here's a clip of Radagast helping Gandalf, Bilbo and the Dwarves out. 

The Desert Speaks

Sometimes the bigger picture is just as amazing as the little one.  Sunset in Saguaro National Park is really wonderful.  If you come to Tucson, make sure you stop here or Gates Pass(or both!) for that wonderful Arizona sky.

It's hard at first to imagine that a desert is full of life because of the overwhelming "brown" color.  Most park visitors from out of state and new to the desert miss the little critters in hiding.  Can you spot the tiny Antelope Ground Squirrel in the pic above?  And for my plant friends, do you remember what those cactus-y twig things are called behind the rocks?  Clue.  Start with an "o" and end with an "o":)  Answer at bottom of the post.

Canyon Towhee

Look closely in and around the vegetation.  There is something always hiding nearby.  But remember not to go digging too much or you may find more than you bargained for:)

Saguaro cactus come in all shapes and sizes.  The above one is dead probably due to a lightning strike during monsoon.  And while they may be dead, they make great perches for hawks and other birds.

And if you listen carefully, you'll hear the desert speak.

Answer: Ocotillo   More tomorrow....

To The Pointy End

Barrel Cactus with red spines.

Taking a break from birds(kind of:), I thought I'd take you to Picacho Peak.  Today's focus?  Pointy ends:)   We paid the 5 bucks to enter the park hoping to film some wildflower action but after a cold rain storm, we discovered that most of the flowers were fried from the frost.  Change of plan. 

Dead Cholla Cactus

So instead I focused my energy on the shots from around the landscape.  These pictures, I believe, capture the pointy and edgy landscape that can do some damage if you're not watching where you walk.

The trail here is not really a birder hike as it is a hiker's hike.  You'll have some great views from around the area....and it is all very beautiful. But some may find this a boring trek.  It's all in the eye of the beholder.  However, I have a good eye and did spot some life in the brown landscape.

Antelope Ground Squirrel

I recommend doing this hike during the cooler months as summer is too hot.  However still remember to bring water all times of the year.

It's amazing how much effort it took to take pictures:)  It was a challenge.  Find something interesting within the theme and force yourself to find those shots. My friend loved all of it and she was going to town with lots of pictures.  She was learning how to use her new camera and was practicing the auto and manual features of the camera.  I searched for angles and the right sunlight conditions to capture a "moment".

So while the Ocotillo didn't have leaves on the stems, they did begin to flower.  Hummers love these blossoms.  Look at how long the tubular flowers are and you'll understand why:)

I also found a manmade art piece along the trail and thought it was interesting.

As for the pic below.....I couldn't decide how to edit it.  I cropped the shot 3 times!

Brown Crested Flycatcher

So I pulled the camera back to give you an overall view from the peak.  It's really quite beautiful but wear a hat and protect your skin with sunblock.  Skin cancer is huge in Arizona because we have so much harsh lighting here.

My favorite shot is below.  It is a dead Saguaro cactus, but the colors remind me of some island art I've seen on my travels.

And as with all things, like this ground squirrel below, it was time to bounce and so we did.  It was a fun hike playing around with cameras, telling jokes, and finding shots along the trail.  I would classify this hike as moderate and give yourself 3-4 hours to do the trail.  More tomorrow.....