On a Hot Summer Day in Tucson

First, just an interesting note. This morning I looked to see who was visiting our blog today: US and Canada of course; but also Brazil, Australia, Philippines, Pakistan, Russia, Czechia, Germany, France, UK, and Ireland -- and it's not even 7:00 am yet.

It's been a very busy year here at The Azure Gate. We're now in our summer months and yet business is still high. During the summer we get more guests from around the world. Last week we had someone from Taiwan (as I mentioned earlier), this week a couple from Qatar, our next arriving guests are from Switzerland; early next month a couple from Germany, then two weeks later returning guests from England.

We've been having record heat here the past week. So not much to report in terms of birding excursions. In fact, ABA Birding News has had very few posts this past week. Part of it is that birds are in hiding during the heat of the day -- and part of it is that birders are in hiding during the heat of the day.

Yet, life goes on here at The Azure Gate. Yesterday morning around 5:30 I walked out our bathroom door to swim and there at my feet was a beautiful Desert Kingsnake. I didn't have my camera with me, so here is an old photo to give you a picture of one:

Desert Kingsnake

After my swim I looked around for him but didn't see him. Then after getting dressed and on my way over to the office I saw what I thought was him crossing the driveway. As I got closer I realized in was a different snake -- a Sonoran Gopher Snake. I grabbed my camera but couldn't get a good photo before he hid in Christmas and Prickly Pear Cactus. Here is a previous photo to show what he looks like:

Sonoran Gopher Snake

As I returned to the office with my camera, I noticed a beautiful Broad Billed Hummingbird sitting in the big Palo Verde Tree outside the office. So I did get that photo:

Broad Billed Hummingbird

Thinking this was a pretty good start to the day I left my camera out where I could get at it quickly if I needed. During the next hour or so I got the following photos:

Black Tailed Jackrabbit

Male Cardinal

Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail

Roadrunner

Not bad for a day where the temperature reached 120 degrees. And I didn't have to go up Mount Lemmon (where it is 30 degrees cooler) to get any of these photos.

Now, an update. That was yesterday. After I wrote this post this morning I made breakfast for Christine and me. Just as we sat down outside to eat our resident Cooper's Hawk came in and sat at one of our bird baths. He was there for about 30 minutes; first resting, then bathing, then resting again. This is a fairly common occurrence which fortunately guests often get to see. In fact it happens frequently enough that I no longer rush to get my camera. I just sit quietly and watch so as not to disturb him.

We do love the wildlife here. (As do our guests from the US and from around the world).

Birding the Tumacacori Mountains, Santa Cruz County, Arizona

A forrest road from Exit 29 on Interstate 19 takes you into the Tumacacori Mountains. This is a very primitive area: no facilities and no signs of human existence other than the "road." This is a 4x4 high clearance road only. I should add with an experienced off road driver as well, i.e. it is not for beginners. The road is mostly rocky. (I have a Jeep Rubicon with very good off-road tires).There are times when going up a hill you will not be able to see the road in front of you, and at the top not be able to see the road below. There will be times you will have to get out of your vehicle to check to see 1) which way the road goes, or 2) if the road is passable. (It could be washed out, full of water, or with a downed tree or boulder in the way.

As such, human traffic is significantly limited. And, as such has a significant amount of wildlife is present. On my trip in I saw black tailed jackrabbits, mountain cottontails, and deer. Javelina are also present though I didn't see any. There were thousands (or more) Butterflies. And, there is a report (unconfirmed) of at least one Black Jaguar living in the area. 

I went into this area looking for a Yellow Billed Cuckoo -- which I found but was unable to photograph. Also seen but not photographed was a Golden Eagle I startled. I did photograph a nesting Warbling Vireo, numerous male and female Northern Cardinals, Black Throated Sparrows, Rufous Crowned Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, Western Kingbirds, Brown Headed Cowbirds, and Varied Buntings. 

Here are a few photos:

Black Tailed Jackrabbit

Mountain Cottontail 

Northern Cardinal Male

Northern Cardinal Female

Warbling Vireo at her Nest

Varied Bunting

When's the best time to come to Tucson?

Many people come to Southern Arizona in January, February, and March to escape the cold of New England, Minnesota, Alberta etc. These people are affectionately called "Snow Birds" -- mainly because tourism is the number one industry in Tucson. However, April brings wildflowers and cactus blossoms such that the desert becomes more colorful than imaginable. April also announces the arrival of matting season when a pair of Mallard Ducks visit our swimming pool each day. May brings migratory birds; those coming for the summer and those passing through to head further north. July and August bring the monsoons and incredible lightning storms that are a photographers dream. July and August are also peak months for Hummingbirds. Really and truly hummingbirds by the thousands. September brings the migratory bats -- the nectar feeders, Mexican Long Nose and Mexican Long Tongue bats. September and October is the peak of the Butterfly season; hundreds of thousands. November and December is when the larger mammals all start to "herd up." Coatimundi, Coyotes, Javelinas all gather in groups.

But wait. What about June? What happens in June? Well, aside from being the hottest month of the year, the Mesquite Tree pods drop. The Mesquite pods must be like a filet or lobster for the rabbits -- especially the Jackrabbits. And there are thousands of them. For the past few days late in the afternoon there would be 5 or 6 Desert Cottontails AND three Black Tailed Jackrabbits munching away under the big Mesquite Tree next to my office.

While we have many Desert Cottontails every day of the year, the Jackrabbits are less frequent visitors. 

So, today:

Black Tailed Jackrabbit headed for our Mesquite Tree

Black Tailed Jackrabbit eating the Mesquite Pods that have fallen from the tree outside my office.

Black Tailed Jackrabbit  reaching for Mesquite pods still in the tree.

Two Black Tailed Jackrabbits underneath a Mesquite Tree

Saguaro National Park early this morning

Christine and I were up at 4:30 AM and arrived at the Speedway Trailhead to Saguaro National Park at 5:00.  We wanted to hike but not after 11:00 when the temps reach 100 degrees (114 yesterday by 2:00). It's also a good time for finding and photographing wildlife. They aren't around in the middle of a hot summer's day either. 

I wasn't looking for something specific to photograph, so I found lots of things to photograph. First, sunrise:

Sunrise at Saguaro National Park

 Then I looked for an opportunity to photograph the sun as it first appeared over the horizon. This trio of Saguaros provided the perfect setting.

Here Comes the Sun

 Christine loves the variety of Saguaro shapes --- and in particular, those that have died. So, I took this picture at her request:

Saguaro Skeleton

 We often see Black Tailed Jackrabbits and sometimes Antelope Jackrabbits at Saguaro National Park. Of course this time of year when the mesquite pods fall off the mesquite trees we get several at The Azure Gate. I can often get a photo just outside my office.

Black Tailed Jackrabbit

 As we were just finishing up our 3+ mile hike a Coyote crossed our path.

Coyote

 Then, as we were arriving back home, another Coyote. I took several photos, including a couple where he was looking directly at me.  But, this one is the one I liked best:

Coyote at Home

On to Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park has an East Side and a West Side. The East side is larger and has many more trails. The Saguaros are older and have more "arms" (fire on the West Side some 90 years ago). Since the East Side of Saguaro Park is just five - ten minutes from us, it's the one we go to. We had a very early "continental" breakfast the other day, so went out to the park for a hike after breakfast (round 7:00 am). What a delight! We were first met (on the Shantz Trail) by three large Black Tailed Jackrabbits. They delighted us with their antics for a good 10-12 minutes. They were interested in eating the pods from a less common species of Mesquite Tree (red pods). So, they would stand on hind legs to reach the pods. Every once in a while they would wander around -- or, chase each other around.

Black Tailed Jackrabbit getting Mesquite Pods

Here's another one.

One was sitting by a Saguaro which I thought made a good picture.

As I was snapping photos, another one came running right in front of my camera.

This one I just had to add. It shows the difficulty sometimes in Wildlife photography -- same with sports photography --  of getting the moving target in the frame. What a great --- okay --- ALMOST great photo, though.

Black Tailed Jackrabbit

 It is interesting that we don't see coyotes and bobcats as much during the summer. They are still are around, but probably under cover for most of the daylight hours. The result is that the rabbits -- especially the more common and abundant Desert Cottontails, seem to be having a convention here every day. Normally when you walk toward a wild animal -- especially rabbits -- they run away. But here, they seem to have learned that I am not interested in harming them so they just watch me as I walk toward them and go into the office. If I keep going beyond the office (and toward them) then they run. The Jackrabbits are a little more skidish here than at Saguaro National Park. They tend to freeze allowing wonderful photos in Saguaro Park. Here they run. Go figure that. Anyway, a Black Tailed Jackrabbit has been coming around every day in the late afternoon. They like the Mesquite Tree pods that are now falling to the ground.  So, I was able to get some photos.

Black Tailed Jackrabbit

Black Tailed Jackrabbit munching on a Mesquite Tree pod