Monday, May 5, 2014

April, 2014 Desert Sightings

Fun in the desert continued in April.  While there are things we have seen in the past that we didn’t find this year – tortoise, gila monster – we did see new and sometimes unusual things.

Patch nose snake

 
We have seen these rather large bugs flying around.  I finally found that they are of the Blister Beetle family. 

On one occasion we saw these two on a small flower.

The next time we saw one carrying something which he put down.  He crawled away and after a few feet, he started digging a hole.

He then went to bring his ‘prey’ home.  I had no idea it was a grasshopper until I looked at the photo.

A ride near Bouse took us to Preacher’s Pass and the view from there.

It is always a thrill to see sheep, especially rams!



We never tired of seeing Saguaro blooms!

We revisited the baby hawks.  I call them chicks but the correct term is eyass (EYE-ess).  We walked in hoping not to disturb mama, but she wasn’t even home!

We came across a few memorials in the desert this year. 
We found a 2nd hawk nest.  This one had two parents flying above (only one in the photo) – they let us know they weren’t happy.
 


Two years ago we saw a single Desert Iguana.  This year we saw several!

This lizard entertained us as he dug – perhaps for insects?  Those are Palo Verde blossoms that have fallen.

Even the Saguaros which have not-so-stately arms bud.

The buds had a sticky substance.  We later found blooms on the ground and they had no scent.

A Palo Verde tree in bloom.

The Harrisburg Cemetery south of Salome.


Desert Willow blooms – we had not seen these before and found them in only one place.

Baby quail

Zebra tail lizard

Another memorial.  I looked up this man’s obituary and found he was from South Dakota.


A third visit to the young hawks the day before we left for the summer.  Mama was away but came home before we left.




Another memorial.

 



What will next year in the desert bring?!?

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