Just thought I would share some nuggets I read recently regarding the behaviors of black-tailed jackrabbits and also coyotes. I love when field guides have cool and interesting behavior observations. But you don’t often get that, and so I like to spend time rummaging around in the reference section of my local library. Continue reading Notes on hares and coyotes you may not find in most field guides
For a few seconds, it stared into my eyes as if it knew and loved me. Maybe even adoration. Or so I fancied. Its eyes were wide and seemed welcoming. My cat used to look at me like that when she was alive. She’d give me that stare before jumping down from her tree house to greet me.
But this creature was canine, and it could probably do me some damage, if it really wanted to, and if its species wasn’t so skittish of humans.
This particular one was perched atop a mulch pile bordering a thicket of bunchgrass, mesquite and catclaw acacia, near a periphery of scrubland.
Seconds after the encounter, it climbed down from its lookout and trotted away, its bushy tail characteristically between its legs.
Prior to my excursion on Feb. 18, I had never seen or heard a coyote in the wild. Continue reading The morning I met a coyote
We’re seeing the beginnings of spring in Southern Nevada. Green bursts on cottonwood trees. Creosote sprouting its fluffy, white fruit.
On a recent morning, I rose from sleep to a long litany of whoo-HOO-whoooo-whoooo-whoooo’s from a mourning dove. Such a soothing sound, and it reminds me of what an ancient woodwind instrument might have sounded like.
Forecasts of mid-60s by day ( but then plummeting into the upper-30s at night!) Typical desert cadence. Continue reading That time of year in this part of Nevada
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
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
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.
With all that yellow, the sun couldn’t help but look buttery. Dare I use the word “dapple” here to describe how the light scattered its rays about and filtered through the leaves and branches? Continue reading The scene where the story has a made a wonderful turn
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
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
