Blog

Looking for the Light

Our cat Trixie stands atop the cat tree, looking out the window, on April 7, 2022. Original: _Z720241.NEF

Trixie the day after Sam died. She was so tightly bonded to him I knew his death would be hard on her, as it was with Scout when Templeton died and with Sam when Scout died.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-70 f/4
🗓️: April 7, 2022

The Woodpecker Hotel

A Harris's hawk perches on a large saguaro pocked with woodpecker nests on the Latigo Trail in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 15, 2024. Original: _ZFC1322.NEF

The Woodpecker Hotel is one of my favorite saguaros, quite the survivor to get this old and this big. I wonder how many animals owe their lives in part to the giant, from what must be hundreds of woodpeckers who were born in its arms to countless creatures who fed on its flowers and fruit. I hadn’t planned on photographing it on this occasion as Bear and I headed back to the car but I couldn’t resist when I saw the hawk perched on top.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 16-50 DX
🗓️: February 15, 2024

I Slept But Very Little

A Canada goose rests in the grass with four goslings nestled in its wings at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington on May 10, 2009. Original: _MG_4000.CR2

The brochure for Ridgefield NWR had a quote from the Lewis & Clark Journal on their visit to the area that always made me smile:

I slept but very little last night for the noise kept up during the whole of the night by the swans, geese…brant (and) ducks on a small sand island…they were immensley numerous and their noise horrid.
Capt. William Clark
Lower Columbia River
November 5, 1805

As someone who both has trouble sleeping and made a similar cross-country journey when my wife and I drove to Oregon years ago, I feel qualified to comment and say the expedition should have brought a white noise machine, or at least downloaded one to their phone. Classic rookie mistake!

If they had stayed to enjoy summer in the Pacific Northwest they would have slept soundly as the big flocks of waterfowl migrate out, leaving a smaller group of residents like this Canada goose with four goslings nestled in its wings.

📷: Canon 20D | Canon 500mm f/4 | Canon 1.4X
🗓️: May 10, 2009

mlem

A female Anna's hummingbird perches on a bougainvillea branch in our backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 12, 2019. Original: _DSC2176.ARW

A long thin beak necessitates a long thin tongue. We had a ton of bougainvillea when we moved in years ago but had it ripped out as it was a nightmare to maintain. The local wildlife misses it as our backyard is rather sparse now but this is not entirely a bad thing with Bear around. I do miss gardening from our time in Portland but I don’t have the bandwidth for it here. Something to look forward to in retirement though I’ll need some lessons as I have no idea how to grow things in an area where everything stabs you.

📷: Sony A6500 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: May 12, 2019

The Quiet Coil

A western diamondback rattlesnake sits coiled-up in the rain in Scottsdale, Arizona on August 4, 2024. Original: _A675763.ARW

The other evening as I enjoyed the gentle rain I noticed a quiet coil in the green space below. We’re on a slope so it’s a bit awkward trying to balance the telephoto while standing on the fence, this was the only picture that came out but I’ll take it as a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us. It’s so calming to watch a rattlesnake enjoying the rare bounty that falls from above, I’ve only had the opportunity once before.

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: August 4, 2024

Christmas Presence

A woman in a red jacket walks on the trails in McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, Arizona on December 25, 2021. Original: _ZFC1111.NEF

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is to get up early and go out for a hike, you have the park mostly to yourself until families are done opening presents and the trails get busy. On this Christmas a few years ago I saw a kindred spirit as I looked back to the mountain behind me.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: December 25, 2021

Jean-Luc

A male Arizona blond tarantula sits beside the entrance to his nest in our backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona on July 20, 2024. Original: _A675663.ARW

I named the two female tarantulas in the backyard Janeway and Seven so my initial thought was to name our new arrival Picard. However if he’s of age and ready to mate and Janeway invites him over … perhaps naming him Red Shirt would be more appropriate.

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: July 20, 2024

Up From the Depths He Arose

The legs of a male Arizona blond tarantula stick out of his hole in our backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona on July 20, 2024. Original: _A675660.ARW

It looks like one of our backyard tarantulas has gone missing and a male has taken over her home. He doesn’t seal off the opening to the nest every morning the way she did, I miss that. Amusingly though when he comes out after sunset he just sticks his legs out for a while before emerging completely, perhaps testing to see if the coast is clear while he can still beat a hasty retreat.

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: July 20, 2024