A Matter of Perspective

Hi all!  Just a quick hello to let you all know I'm around but it's quite busy right now. Of course, my work and posts are collecting and waiting for a write up but I don't know how quickly I'll be getting to them.  But in the meantime.....

None of the work today is my own.  These are from Mr. Micheal Ada.  He's a close friend of mine who wanted to try his hand at photography in Saguaro National Park.

He takes some brilliant shots and adds a different "flavor" to the shots I would normally post.  With his permission, he gave me the green light to post his work.

We work as a team often scouting various locations to film.  In the shot below, he captures a Turkey Vulture lifting off from several hieroglyphs.  Epic!!!

I'm loving his new lens because it captures all the detail on the bird's wings.

The Turkey Vulture begins to catch the thermals and rise.

Meanwhile, the Saguaros continue to bloom and the birds take advantage.  Below the female Gila Woodpecker enjoys this easy food source.

I taught Micheal how to pish birds out.  And he did!  I'm so proud of him for doing this!!!  While he's not a birder, he does have a steadier hand than I do with the camera.  Not that I'm jealous, but he captures this Black-tailed Gnatcatcher perfectly!

When I was reviewing the shots, I was stunned at how well these photos of this bird turned out!!!  Really excellent work on his part.

To be honest, it was nice to not have a camera and snap shots.  I occassionally enjoy going without the camera just to call things out and observe with the naked eye. 

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Things are going to get crazy right now.  I have a lot on my plate but I'll post at least once a week next month.  There'll be coverage on the Phoenix Comicon(non-bird:), Guatemala(national parks and birds/animals!), and several personal triumphs over these past weeks on the road searching for elusive critters.  But for today, I'd like to thank Micheal for his contributions at Las Aventuras!  If you're visiting Tucson, bring plenty of sunblock, a hat and of course, water!!!  More coming soon!

Winter's Veil

My father is in town right now and it has been very busy. But as many of you know, Tucson had a huge snow  storm come our way.  In fact, it was the first big one I've ever seen here.  

 Tucson gardeners must wait until March 15th to prune their plants back because of strange weather events like this one.  While it didn't freeze here, the snow did kill some leaves back.

 I was tired of bringing my big camera.  So instead, I used my cell phone to get these shots.  We headed over to Saguaro National Park and drove the 9 mile loop stopping every once and awhile for some lovely views.

 Of course, I blame my Dad for bringing this weather with him from Wisconsin.  But then again, it was nice to have a snow day:)

 People often ask me why Saguaros stop growing at a certain altitude on our mountains.  It's as if there was an invisible line that said, "No Saguaros beyond this point!"  Here's the reason.  Saguaros can handle some snow but they can't endure long freezes.  Now we do get to freezing temps here in the desert during our winter but not long enough to harm this cactus. Long sustained freezes, however, are another story. And that's why Saguaro stop growing after a certain point on our mountains.  Too cold.

 But the snow would come and go on this day of winter magic.

 But remember, don't prune your plants back yet Tucson!  You must wait:)  I know you're dying to do it.  I know I am......but spring is just around the corner and March will be here soon enough.  Which of course means.....wildflower season, hummingbirds, butterflies, the dry heat??!! Well, let's not rush it. Stay warm:)  Until next time.....

In Our Deepest Darkness

If only it were so simple,
to cruise through life smelling roses;
but the obstacles blacken the countryside, 
and we unwittingly crush them beneath our boots.

Dreams sustain us through the madness; 
goals give a finish line to our race.
Yet they change with every turn, around every wall,
and remain elusive throughout the quest.

Mistakes are made, and regrets are our luggage;
we will drag them with us to slow us down.
The victories are flashes of light, sudden and unlasting, which allow us
to glimpse the road ahead before darkness descends.

Love is bitter, yet it is the bread that keeps us.
Over and over it fills us up, only to starve us.
The people whom we love shape our destinies and our strengths,
yet leave us cold and alone in the darkness.

There are others trying to race to the end;
occasionally, we bump into one or two.
The bonds we form help us down the path less lonely
but eventually, we lose each other in the darkness.

Alone is not a bad way to be;
it clears your head and focuses you on the journey.
Cherish the short intervals during the quest you have with others,
but be prepared to walk alone in the darkness.
                                              The Darkness by Christiana

My Private Little Walk

Welcome to the most perfect day to hike.  It's the reason why we all live here.  Last month, the State Park System of Arizona had a no charge entrance day.....and I went!  Today's hike is in Sabino Canyon.

As you can imagine, there were A LOT of people walking around the park.  And if you're doing photography, you don't want people around you.  So I took the path least followed, and you'll be surprised at what I saw!

I finally got a great stock photo of the Desert Mistletoe.  But a curious thing happened.  During my studies on Desert Mistletoe, I remember a bird in the same pic next to this parasitic plant.  In fact this bird is very territorial and will protect a patch of Desert Mistletoe from others of its' kind.  This bird is called the Phainopepla.

Phainopepla

It will stand on a perch overlooking areas.  The more I moved up the dirt trail, the more I noticed the peculiar habit of this bird.  And the more I walked; the more I noticed a different bird for each "sector" of desert land. The darker colors indicate the male while the greyer tones indicate female.  And what's interesting is that both of these living organisms need each other to survive.  The bird eats the berries and the berries move through the bird's digestive tract eventually being deposited onto other trees.  In December, I wrote about the Cecropia tree and how it also has a symbiotic relationship in nature with the sloth and ants that live in the tree.

So I kept moving......and I noticed a slight movement.  I almost missed it.....

.....and discovered that someone was looking at me.  She was beautiful.  Mule deer live in our Tucson desert.  That may be shocking for some:)

But what was shocking for me was that after the doe moved out of the way, a buck stood up in the same area.  Talk about exciting!

I slowly moved around the deer and enjoyed these creatures surrounded by cactus and other plants native to the Sonoran desert.  Had I been on the road, I would have never seen any of this.  Had I been talking, I wouldn't have seen any of this.  Lesson.  You can go your own way:)  It's better.

It was around 74 degrees that day and a much needed break from the cold temps of Wisconsin.  I love National Park Day.  This film shoot was actually done on January 7th of this year.

How do cactus grow like this?  This Saguaro barely has any root surface!

This is also where I snapped my Desert Cardinal Shots.  I didn't put this one in yesterday so I'll put it in today.

Have you ever prayed to the Gods of the Weirwood? (Game of Thrones reference) Well really, it's an Arizona Sycamore:)

I love free State Park Day. Until next time.....

A Foggy Desert

Photos on this post featured by David Grinney. 

Today was a rare day as Tucson experienced a foggy morning.  I was on my way to work.  Of  course I didn't have a camera and wished I didn't have to work.  But thankfully photographer David Grinney snapped these shots and shared them on our local news channel here.  There was a magical quality to his pictures.  Take a look at the fog and the snow on the Catalina mountains.  We've had a record breaking December with rain amounts totally more than one inch!!  Some places have had up to 3 or more inches. It looks like a fantastical world of warlords, dragons, and magic. It definitely feels like the holidays around here.  One more day of work before I'm off for 3 weeks .  I can't wait to have some fun again. More tomorrow.

Sabino Creek

This week has been about celebrating Sabino Canyon and its' natural beauty in Southern Tucson.  Here is a video I put together to finish this blog series.  I always enjoy filming these on location.  Currently, I'm thinking about buying a new video editing program so that I can do more than what I'm able to now.  Little by little.  I got my new camera this past year so the other stuff will have to wait for the moment.  If you come to Tucson, you need to visit Sabino Canyon.  It's a beautiful hike and a great place to take a dip if you get hot.

Here's a weird green shot I got.....strange yet cool.....

More gardening adventures on the way........