After a rough and hot summer, my tires needed changing. And so they were changed so that we could begin our hike up to Miller Canyon.
The road was rocky and bumpy from the monsoon rains. I was held back for several weeks as I didn't want to risk blowing a tire out on the road without cell phone or OnStar help. I do know how to change tires but the unevenly graded road would make it difficult if that event happened.
And so our epic hike would begin up the Miller Canyon in search of the mighty Spotted Owls. It was eery quiet but incredibly beautiful. The Beatty's have a wonderful property and I appreciate the fact that they allow birders to explore the hummingbirds, owls and all the other fun wildlife. 5 dollars is needed per person to help with the hummingbird juice.
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| Painted Lady Butterfly |
The hike was rugged. The bugs were bad during this time. The stream was running. And the wildflowers were in full force. Absolutely magical.
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| Checkered White Butterfly |
We ascended the creek bed in search of the owls. It was incredibly awesome as we stumbled over rocks. By the time we found the solitary owl in the dark and quiet woods, we were exhausted from the heat.
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| Checkerspot Butterfly-Miller Canyon |
Thank goodness for Pat. The owl was so still that it was difficult to find....until the calm swiveled head turned towards me. "Chris! Chris!" whispered Pat loudly. And then I fell on the boulder below and watched the bird for many moments. What a beautiful owl! And he was very close to us.
Along the way, we saw some incredible butterflies, hummingbirds, and strange sounding birds:)
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| House Finch |
It was green green green. Miller, like the other canyons of the Huachucas, is incredibly different from the rest. In fact, some canyons host certain kinds of birds and animals that can't be found anywhere else in Southern Arizona. That's how unique each ecosystem is for each of the canyons!
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| Helmeted Guinea Fowl |
We watched rain fall down upon the grasslands surrounding the military city of Sierra Vista. From above, the city actually looks beautiful:)
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| Funeral Dusky Wing Butterfly |
Our journey to the top was wonderful. The hike was great and so were the finds. I had many "lifers" here which made it a great day overall:) More journeys into Southern Arizona coming. And they are incredible! It has been an extremely exciting time of finds. This owl sums up the joy and excitement I get from the journey both in travel, wildlife trekking, and gardening. That's when I decided to change my headlining picture for Las Aventuras. Stay tuned for so much more:)
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| Spotted Owl, Miller Canyon |
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