AZ Nature In Focus

  Birds can be very fast and they can also be great at hiding.  The Arizona desert experienced a rather cold, by our standards anyway, and breezy few days so I headed out with my camera to find a deserted patch of nature to explore.  Whether it was due to the cool weather or the wind, the birds seemed especially difficult to spot on this particular morning and provided me with a game of sorts and lots of smiles. This guy was hiding in a tree.  He was a rather large bird and the branch didn't seem to hold him as well as he would have liked.  His head swayed back and forth as he fought to keep his balance and each time his head came forward, it was rather like a game of peek-a-boo.  This little "game" didn't last very long as he completely lost his balance in a fluff of feathers and flapping and then circled back to land next to the water.   On I ventured and heard a good deal of noise in some reeds.  The noise ended up coming from sparrows who quickly decided to fly aw

  I will state right away that I am not a very patient person.  This might sound odd from a nature photographer but in the real world, I don't care for waiting in long lines or sitting in slow-moving traffic.  When I hit the hiking trail with my camera or wander into the wilderness however that all changes.  I wasn't always a photographer but the more I began venturing into nature, the more patient I became.  I learned to slow down to not only appreciate the plants and animals that I was seeing but also to find humor in the little things that I would overlook by rushing down the path. Animals don't tend to appreciate fast movements and tend to shy away from loud noise.  This mama bird in the saguaro made her nest not too far from the ground last spring.  I kept a healthy distance away so as not to stress her and she happily took care of her babies allowing me the honor of observation.  At times animals are just on their way from here to there.  In those moments, I feel exci

When most people think about Arizona they think first about either the Grand Canyon or the desert.  Not bad first thoughts as Arizona does feature a rather large desert and the Grand Canyon is one of this state's most popular tourist attractions.  Today I am going to try to debunk a few popular myths and verify some facts about the state that I have chosen to call home.   Arizona postcard from our Zazzle store by southwestcreations It never rains Never is a bit of an overstatement but I will say that it very rarely rains.  In fact, I can't even remember the last time that it rained in Phoenix.  Probably several months ago at least.  Even during the monsoon season which should be our rainiest time, our rain consists of a downpour of rainwater for a short amount of time before the store quickly moves off.  This past year we had a very dry monsoon and just for kicks, I checked our rain for this year so far.  In 2020 up until today's date of November 20th in Phoenix, we

  When most people think of Arizona they tend to think of desert and cactus.  Southwestern cactus bring to mind long needles and plants that can be admired but steered clear of.  While we do have a huge variety of cacti in our state, cacti are not the only plants to use needles, thorns, or spikes to protect themselves.   Barrel Cactus Pillow Available in Our Store by southwestcreations So why does a cactus plant have needles?  The obvious answer is to protect themselves but why do they need so much protection.  Cacti are made up of a huge amount of water.  The mighty saguaro for example can be caused to topple from too much water.  A cactus will soak up water and store it allowing it to get through our long periods of drought.  Animals seek out water and so a quick meal on a cactus pad can provide needed water for animals.  While the needles keep away some animals, there are others that are very adapted to life in the desert.  Javelina for example will munch on a cactus plant

  Most people who love nature have their favorite haunts around their home.  A place to escape for an hour or two close to home perhaps for a relaxing walk or to regain a few moments of peace.  Recent events have strengthened the pull of nature for me so I carved out a few hours one morning last week for a little time with some friends.  I have a few favorite locations around my home.  I tried my local riparian preserve but so many people had the same idea as I did that it was rather full and the paths were packed with people.  Not exactly my idea of gaining peace in nature so I quickly moved on.  There is a man-made lake not far from the preserve and I decided to head there.  To my delight, it was almost deserted and for most of my visit, I found myself alone with the birds. As I talked about in another post, about the winter birds returning and I was pleased to see a few birds that I have not seen all summer.  The egrets were back in force though there are always a few hardy guys th

 I am fortunate enough to live in an area of the United States that is home to plenty of winter birds.  Our very mild winter climate in the deserts of Arizona creates a perfect environment for Canadian geese, shovelers, hummingbirds, and many other birds that leave us at the end of each spring.  I am not a bird expert and don't even know the formal names of many of the birds that I see but I get no less enjoyment from watching them play in their new surroundings. It is currently closing in on the end of October and for those unfamiliar with the Arizona desert climate, that means that we begin to leave 100 degree days behind and the evenings dip into the lower 70's at night.  These cool temperatures signal the return of hummingbirds which are usually the first of the migratory birds to return.  About two weeks ago my daughter and I were taking a walk and she spotted a hummingbird zipping along.  It is difficult to sense when we are still experiencing 115 degree days that some ar

  The grackle is one of the larger birds that I see frequenting my backyard.  They do not tend to go to the feeder thankfully as I imagine that they would make quite a mess.  They will, however, peck in the grass and on occasion eat the jujube fruit dropped by the sparrows.  As I explained in an earlier post , the sparrows seem playful and happy in their fruit feast.  The grackles however become very territorial and if they find a fruit that they claim as their own, they will continue picking it up and flying here and there until they feel they are safe from thieves and then very quickly eat.   I will admit that the grackle was one of my most disliked birds in Arizona until my daughter began pointing out all the interesting things about this bird.  My dislike stemmed from a large ficus tree that we had in the backyard of a former home.  The grackles would nest in the tree in the evening and would make so much noise that I would need to close the door while having dinner just to hold a

  Life Among the Saguaro Cactus Last week, I shared my enthusiasm for the mighty saguaro cactus that towers over the Arizona desert.  As I was organizing photos I came across several that reminded me of the varied life that not only survives but thrives among the cactus needles.  During the early spring and well into the hot summer, a wide variety of birds can be seen making their nest in the many holes of the cactus.  The Gila woodpecker will peck away at the flesh and carve out an ample opening for their nest and then year after year a variety of birds claim these cavities as their temporary home.   These entrances are typically high in the air and are well guarded by the parent.  As you can see in the photo above, as the birds come in and out the needles can be worn away and the area directly around the entrance may be void of those prickly needles. At times, a rather large area of a saguaro has been carved away and doves tend to prefer these areas for their home.  They are protect

 Saguaro Cactus Towering Desert Giant Did you know that the saguaro cactus grows only in certain parts of Arizona, Mexico, and California?  I became instantly enthused with the saguaro cactus when I moved to Arizona 16 years ago.  In fact, my enthusiasm has become something of a household joke as my family is so accustomed to seeing saguaro cacti in our daily lives.  Neighbors have the towering saguaro standing like sentinels in the front yards though in reality, the cactus was likely there long before the home was built. Protected Desert Plant Saguaro cacti can live a very long time.  Over 150 years old is not at all uncommon and the arms you see growing out from the cactus usually don't start to appear until the cactus is 75-100 years old.  Like all cactus plants, they grow very slowly and are not easily replaced when one is lost.  They are actually a protected plant species in Arizona.  When a new road is being put in or a housing development starts wandering into what once was

Uses For Jujubes - Red Dates  Last week, I talked about the hungry sparrows feasting among my jujube trees.  Apparently many have not heard of a jujube or red date before and are curious what to do with them besides just eating them from the tree.  Just to recap in case you have not read my previous post, when mostly yellowish in color they taste a little like a dry apple.  They get sweeter as they turn a reddish color and as they turn completely red and start to wrinkle slightly, they are closer to a raisin or a date.   No matter how you eat them, don't forget that there is a pit in the center.  I find that cutting them close to the pit around each side is the easiest way to rid the fruit of the pit. The Varied Uses of Jujubes The light green to yellow jujubes are easily shredded and used any time apples are called for.  I have used them in breads, muffins, and mixed with pear or apples for a fruit crisp when shredded right from the tree.   I have mixed them in pancake batter in

Sparrows Foodies of the Bird World      Like many of you, I am spending more time around the house and in my backyard.  During the summer doves, pigeons, and sparrows make up the majority of birds that I see in my yard.  The small house sparrows however are the foodies in my yard.  They will peck away at the grass when there is nothing else.  They will happily help themselves to seeds from the feeder when it is full and when the fruit of my jujube trees ripen, they feast.      For anyone who has not heard of jujubes or red dates, they are a small fruit with a pit similar to a cherry or peach pit.  When they are a light green color, they taste a little like a dry apple.  They develop a reddish hue as they continue to ripen and taste like a sweeter apple.  As they turn the deeper red color they are more similar to a raisin in taste.  My most preferred is the green to slightly red jujube as raisins are not really my thing but don't expect a juicy bite of fruit no matter their level o