Scratcher of heads, rubber of bellies
A sleeping chuckwalla is happy to be stuck between a rock and a hard place on a warm spring afternoon. It was a beautiful crevice, deep enough to provide protection from the hawks and owls living nearby with hungry mouths to feed. It’s a bit humbling to see for someone who has trouble sleeping even curled up and comfy in bed.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: May 28, 2024
I was doing some macro photography of prickly pear paddles when I noticed a buck in the desert scrub behind me. It slowly approached as it grazed, then crossed the trail and continued further south. After I finished the shots he was still in sight and clearly comfortable with me so I sidled down the trail with my telephoto setup, finding a location where I could surround the fine fellow with the desert plants for context. I love watching animals preen, especially those without hands, he was using his teeth though he did have some nice built-in back-scratchers at his disposal. I had trouble getting the focus to lock and most shots were blurry, it was the kick in the pants I needed to order the A6700.
📷: Sony A6600 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: November 16, 2023
We came across this roadrunner with a dead zebra-tailed lizard in its mouth and hung back so as not to scare it off its meal. Instead of eating it though it repeatedly made long calls, I assume a courtship ritual and Bear and I were both rather flattered. Eventually it crossed over and started again from a more distant perch, at which point I felt we could continue on without disturbing it.
The desert is full of surprises.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: April 20, 2024
“Not a Junkyard Dog”
This old tank covered in graffiti is my favorite reminder this once was not preserved parkland. I think Bear was watching some hikers over on the Whiskey Bottle Trail, he’s generally not one for looking in the camera and that’s OK. Most of the park is lush with plants and animals and doesn’t resemble the entrance to a junkyard but I do enjoy photographing the tank whenever we’re in the area.
📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 16-50 DX
🗓️: January 6, 2024
A close-up of a dried-out flower stalk and leaf skirt of a soaptree yucca.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony-Zeiss 24mm f/1.8
🗓️: January 24, 2024
A rock squirrel shows off its expansive home.
📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: April 13, 2024
After the female Gila woodpecker flew up to the nest, the male poked his head out and got ready to leave.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: February 14, 2024
Last weekend as I drove Bear home from our hike I saw smoke in the distant foothills. At home I could see through my long lens that the firefighters had it under control, yet another fire started by new home construction. Usually they’e put out pretty quickly but last year one got out of control and burned a swath of the desert.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: May 11, 2024
After Bear and I saw a Gila monster this year I couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be until I saw another as it was only my 4th in 6 years. The answer, it turns out, was 25 minutes, which is how long it took for us to continue up the trail and find this beauty. Two in one day!
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: April 14, 2024
Perhaps this winter I should top the Christmas tree with a phainopepla ornament, they certainly make a lovely tree topper. Desert mistletoe berries are a favored food but I’ll pass on replicating the debris field of detritus beneath them, fresh clumps are a giveaway of a preferred perch.
📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: February 14, 2024
Boolie 