desert – Page 12

The Escape Hatch

A Harris’s hawk pops open the escape hatch at the top of mature saguaros.

📷: Sony A6500 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: February 20, 2022

The Gathering Storm

A thunderstorm brews to the east of Witch Hazel, far enough away I had plenty of time to get off the trails before the storm arrived.

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

During my time off I’ve loved taking Bear to trails I normally avoid as they are crowded on the weekends, stepping aside to let people past is the most common way he steps on something painful. Here we’re taking a water break at the junction of the Axle Grease and Rock Tank trails, it was a Tuesday so we only encountered a few people. I’m not sure he cares but I enjoy seeing him discover new places.

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

Mixed Feelings

I have photographed owls here with a variety of focal lengths over the past year, in December I lugged out my biggest telephoto for a close view. As the sun sank behind a mountain, my favorite moment as usual was when the last bit of soft light fell on the sleepy hunter. It was so lovely and peaceful but I had mixed feelings as locals have created two paths that look like they lead directly beneath the boulders. In a Phoenix park there’s a successful nest in a saguaro right next to an official trail, so perhaps these owls will also tolerate the human intrusion, just wish they didn’t have to.

📷: Sony A6700 | Canon 500mm | Canon 1.4X
🗓️: December 27, 2023

On Top of the World

A couple of weeks ago as Bear and I had Balanced Rock to ourselves I was forcefully struck at how I was happier than I had been in a very long time. Not that there hadn’t been plenty of happy times in the years prior but that after several months of leave my mind had finally unwound and let me stay and revel in each little moment. Surprisingly rather than the euphoria slipping away with the realization my leave was about to come to a crashing halt, it stayed with me as we hiked back out through this stunning land.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 16-50 DX
🗓️: January 26, 2024

Sprawling Arms

A phainopepla and a house finch take refuge in the sprawling arms of an old ocotillo, which also nestle a young-ish saguaro as its older aunts and uncles look on from afar.

📷: Sony A6600 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: October 26, 2023

Terror of the Saguaro

A green lynx spider sets to devouring the insides of a leaf-footed cactus bug. It never left a small region high in one of our saguaros, it would spin a thread and attach it to a spine, giving it freedom to leap after prey without fear of falling. I watched its reign of terror over the course of several months, it had no qualms about going after insects larger than itself, until one day I found its lifeless body swaying in the breeze, hanging from a large spine.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 105mm macro
🗓️: March 18, 2022

Trail Rescue

This is the fire department’s ATV that passed Bear and I yesterday, if we had one of these our hikes would go a lot faster! I promise we’d only use it for good, like running over people who don’t pick up their dog’s poop or handing out Dr. Pepper and donuts to hikers who’ve overextended themselves. My thanks to the pros and volunteers who help out with trail rescues.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 16-50mm DX
🗓️: January 14, 2024

Air Evacuation

As Bear and I hiked to Balanced Rock via the easier wide path (to be kinder to his paws) we were passed by the Scottsdale Fire Department on their way to a trail rescue. On the way back we took the narrower rocky paths to stay out of their way if they needed to evacuate someone, but they must have called for air support as when we were far along this helicopter came past and hovered near the rescue site. Hope they’re OK.