A great egret near a lake at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 1/15/23.
A desert cottontail bolted when it saw me approaching yesterday in a scrubland section at my go-to park as of late: Floyd Lamb. I guess this behavior surprised me, because at Clark County Wetlands Park, the cottontails are more generous than that: they will let you stand there and stare for a bit, as long as you keep your distance (maybe about 15-20 feet).
I think the one at Floyd Lamb was more skittish due to the exposed area where it roamed, vs. at the wetlands, where there’s so much vegetation in most places, making for good hiding in a pinch, eg, the willow or reed thickets. Continue reading A day where you really had to look and see what there was
A verdin in a honey mesquite tree at Desert Breeze Park on 11/21/22.
The mesquite trees are down for the season at my local park. It was jarring yesterday to see that they’re barren now. As can be seen by the photo here with the verdin, which I took in late November when I was last there, they were still primarily displaying green.
After doing some quick research on this, I discovered that mesquite leaves can remain on the tree until as late as March during mild winters. That’s according to the Arizona Cooperative Extension.
A Bewick’s wren searches for insects at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, Dec. 18, 2022.
I think there might be a bounty of insect eggs on the forest floor in a remote spot at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs. I was at the park Sunday morning and spotted what looked as if someone snapped a pearl necklace and the pearls dispersed in the bed of dead leaves, twigs and branches. Maybe it’s the reproductive work of beetles? I’ll take a photo next time and post it here.
Passing by one of the lakes, a squabble broke out among ducks. Always comical to watch these otherwise serene creatures up in arms. There was a sudden din of quacks, and then one duck lunged at another, creating a splash. There were about 5 or 6 of ’em, having it out in this one tiny section of the water, even though the rest of the lake was empty. I saw mallards and American coots involved in the skirmish. Continue reading Possible beetle eggs and a duck rumpus
A desert cottontail at the Clark County Wetlands Park.
Spotted a desert cottontail recently trying to make itself invisible at the Clark County Wetlands Park. Not difficult for it to do, as this creature’s fur matches the landscape perfectly. But its onyx eyes were the giveaway — shiny and expectant.
This was typical behavior, considering my presence. “Sometimes they will freeze when danger lurks and scrunch down to blend into their surroundings,” states the Nevada Department of Wildlife website, “or they slowly try to sneak away to safety.” Which is exactly what this cottontail did: it took off into the brush after less than a minute. I know when I’m not wanted! Continue reading Rabbit Tricks: Pulling the disappearing act
Changing leaves were a highlight at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 12/4/22.
It wasn’t so windy that it prompted thoughts of returning home, but enough to stir up some drama, and the drama was all about the cascade of leaves — the hue of griddle cakes, most of ’em, amassing on the ground in glorious piles after tumbling from high up on Fremont cottonwood trees — older ones, their heights exceeding two-story town homes. The trees also cast their shimmery reflections across the lakes and adorned the ground with what looked like coins and gems from a shipwreck’s treasure chest.
When I work from home, I take a break and go for a walk around my apartment complex to see what there is and to get some air and sun. This morning, the grackles were in rare form. As you may know, a mere few can create a din — like drunks fresh out of a bar on a Saturday night during the wee hours. If you’ve ever heard their screeching and observed their dive-bombing, you know what I’m getting at.
Overall, we don’t get anything fancy here at the property in terms of feathered visitors. We do see American robins at times, like the few I spotted a couple of months ago, With their debonair appearance and beautiful calls and songs. Lately we’ve seen more mourning doves, which are ordinary, it’s true, but definitely classier than rock pigeons. Mourning doves are low-key and have more refined eating habits, not to mention their lovely 5-syllable calls. Continue reading Ordinary birds that can class up the place when they visit
Fourwing saltbush — a shrub found in sandy or gravely soils, or deposit soils (w/ high pH or salt levels, due to rapid evaporation), such as at the Desert National Wildlife Refuge or Clark County Wetlands Park.
I’ve become somewhat obsessed with learning about what I’m looking at when it comes to the desert outdoors. I think it’s the diversity and uniqueness that pique my interest. I mean, that’s the reason (I think) why I started observing and studying birds and their behaviors about six years ago and have since developed a level of expertise. And now there’s this relatively recent offshoot of wanting to delve into other aspects of the natural landscape.
Maybe I’m in a place in life where I have a need to discover more meaning and make more sense of things. Perhaps this is a spillover from trying to figure myself out, which I still haven’t done! Sure, I’m part of the human species. But among species, you have your hybrids, and those can be quite puzzling. But they also make life more interesting and magical.
Anyway, when I hike or go to nature preserves, I invariably carry a camera and zoom. Whereas previously, a pair of binoculars would do just fine. And like I said, my curiosity about what I’m seeing now extends beyond birds. Questions that pop up in my mind in whack-a-mole fashion as I walk through, say, somewhere in the Spring Mountains, include things like: What is that plant? That wildflower? What type of shrub is this? What about that sedimentary rock, or this dry soil? Continue reading My need to name things that I come across in the desert
If you’re a Sunset Park newbie, just follow the sound of honking ducks to locate the pond. It’s only about 100 yards from the main entrance on Sunset Road.
When it was my first time there, I noted that the pond smelled like the ocean. It was cool and damp by the ledge, as if seaside. In the distance, I even spotted a man fly fishing. Continue reading The vibe near the pond at Sunset Park
