Fauna of The Azure Gate Bed and Breakfast: Arizona Grey Squirrel

The most common squirrels of The Azure Gate are Harris Antelope Ground Squirrel and the Round Tailed Ground Squirrels. Yet, on occasion a tree squirrel, like the Arizona Grey Squirrel comes around. Here's one taking a close look at me:

Arizona Grey Squirrel

Driving the Back Road from Flagstaff to Tucson - Part IV Boyce Thompson Arboretum

When driving the back road from Flagstaff (or Phoenix) to Tucson, a stop at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum is a must. I mean, what's the point in taking a back road if you are not going to stop there. There is a wonderful trail through desert and riparian areas that always produces photo ops: animals, birds, cactus, and other plants. This trip was no different -- although it was 105 degrees. As I look at my photos I realize that I obviously stay pretty focused on animals and birds. There were -- and usually are -- many cactus varieties and other flowering plants that I could have photographed. Maybe next time I'll get a better balance with plants. Here are some of the photos:

Arizona Gray Squirrels Fighting

Greater Earless Lizard

Female Phainopepla (silky flycatcher)

Black Phoebe

Male Cardinal

One of many flowers that caught my attention

Squirrels?

What's up next? I thought maybe squirrels for a couple of days. The Abert's Squirrel, also known as the "tassel-eared" tree squirrel is confined to the Ponderosa Pine forests on Colorado Plateau and the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico; its range extends south in the Sierra Madre Occidental to Chihuahua and Durango in Mexico. Abert's Squirrel also extends a short distance into Wyoming where ponderosa pine  is present. Abert's squirrels transplanted to the Graham and Catalina mountains of Southern Arizona have established stable populations. It feeds exclusively on the various parts of Ponderosa Pine trees:

Abert's Squirrel

photo taken in the San Francisco Peaks north of Flagstaff

The Arizona Grey Squirrel found only in Arizona is found in deciduous and mixed forests of Arizona and New Mexico:

Arizona Grey Squirrel

photo taken in the Tucson Mountains

The Harris Antelope Ground Squirrel is a subspecies of Antelope Squirrels that is restricted to the Sonoran desert or scrub areas. It adapts to the hot desert sun by keeping its tail bent up over its back as an umbrella. It can also withstand body temperatures up to 104 degrees:

Harris Antelope Ground Squirrel

photo taken at The Azure Gate, Tucson

Then we get the Round Tail Ground Squirrel of the Southwestern deserts of Arizona and New Mexico. Like other "ground squirrels" it dig holes in the ground in which to escape predators -- or people. Usually these holes are under Prickly Pear Cactus, Creosote Bushes, or Mesquite Trees. These holes also serve as "dens" for the winter months and the hottest parts of summer days. They eat just about any vegetation, including berries, as well as any insects they can find. This one climbed a Creosote Bush to get at the berries:

Round Tail Ground Squirrel

photo take at The Azure Gate, Tucson