Arizona – Page 81

Rock Squirrel

A rock squirrel lives up to its name as it crawls along a crevice in the massive rock formation known as Tom’s Thumb in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. It had been at the base of the formation but crawled way up into the crevice when hikers with a dog approached. This is not a new species for me, we saw one during our visit to New Mexico a decade ago, but it is nice to be reunited. I owe a lot to that trip, not only because we had a great time but because it got me thinking about moving to the Southwest when looking for a job. I’ll eventually make it over to New Mexico but for now I’m focusing on trails near our home in Scottsdale.

Hello Gila

One of the birds I was hoping to see once we moved to Arizona was the Gila woodpecker. It only took a couple of weeks, and my second time hiking, to find one, courtesy of the Gateway Loop Trail at McDowell Sonoran Preserve. My first Gila was a ways off but after finishing the loop I found this female atop a saguaro on the Bajada Nature Trail. I’ve since seen one in our backyard but wasn’t able to get a picture. The Gila is one of 14 new species for me since we moved here a few weeks ago (11 birds, 1 mammal, and 2 lizards).

Prickly Perch

A curve-billed thrasher perches atop a saguaro at the Bajada Nature Trail in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This was the second thrasher I saw that morning, a new species for me.

The Way of the Sun

Now That’s a Magnificent Nose

Strenuous Beyond This Point

A quick self-portrait at Pinnacle Peak Park.

Between a Rock and Hot Place

A lovely palo verde grows beside the large rocks of a boulder field at Pinnacle Peak Park, I am constantly amazed at the places life can flourish. The Sonoran Desert is so lovely bathed in the soft morning light.

Dawn in the Desert

Worshipers of the Sun

Old saguaros, arms raised to greet the rising sun.

Stretched in All Directions

As soon as I arrived in Arizona for my interview in February I was struck by the green trees I saw as I drove around town. The palo verde is the state tree of Arizona, the green in the bark contains chlorophyll so they can use both bark and leaves for photosynthesis. I came across this one shortly before sunrise when I visited Pinnacle Peak Park in Scottsdale. We have accomplished a lot in the past six weeks but there is still a lot to do, I feel a bit like this tree, sprawling in all directions, a bit worse for the wear, but still standing, still growing.