Author: boolie
A Little Surprise
The desert offered up a little winter surprise this morning when I met this Costa’s hummingbird on the hike back, it’s a new species for me. They are one of our smallest birds, weighing about 0.1 ounces. It had already been a lovely morning, this little fellow was the icing on the cake.
Merry Christmas
I call this rock formation the Guardian of the Desert, I love how it smiles while looking out over the desert valley. It reminds me of the moai on Easter Island, though this statue was not carved by human hands. I spent this Christmas morning on the trails but the picture is from a month ago, taken at first light on a lovely morning in the Sonoran Desert.
Light Finds the Needle
As rain passes to the north, sunlight breaks through the clouds to shine upon Weaver’s Needle.
Purple Mountain Majesties
The sun rises to the left of Weaver’s Needle, casting long shadows across the mountains. It was a delightful morning on the Marcus Landslide Trail, I had gone for one particular shot at sunrise but couldn’t resist this quick shot of the distant mountains. The phainopepla were out in abundance along with other birds, just a lovely morning in the desert.
Goodnight Moon
With the day safely in the hands of the sun, the moon prepares to dip below the hills of the Sonoran Desert.
The Fall Reward
One of the birds I hoped to see after we moved to Arizona was the phainopepla (pronounced fay-no-PEP-la) but after not seeing one for months I thought it was unlikely. In October I got some distant looks at a black bird with white under its wings and after hitting my field guides realized I had finally seen one of these silky flycatchers. It took a bit longer to see them up close but in late November I got a long look at this female early one morning on the Marcus Landslide Trail. Yesterday I got a long look at a male, they were thick as thieves around the desert, but this morning it was cold and windy and I didn’t see a one. According to one of my guide books they should be common from now until early spring so I’m looking forward to our next meeting.
Sam Sleeps in Sun and Shadow
Delight in Birds and Bees
I was delighted to find ash-throated flycatchers in the desert, a new species for me. They were delighted to find bees attracted to saguaros blooming in the spring and summer.
I Finally Found a Mushroom I Like
While I believe mushrooms belong in the Mount Rushmore of Disgusting Foods along with green beans, quinoa, and brown rice, this mushroom I like! Weathered granite formations like Mushroom Rock are created by erosion, the granite pebbles that break away spread across the surface of the desert (my shins had an unpleasant introduction to these pebbles early on after we moved here when I slipped just a little on a hike).
