Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

The last of my excursions ventured a bit farther away: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. It is about a 3 and 1/2 hour trip one-way. Organ Pipe Cactus are interesting in that it is only found in rocky mountain areas of Southern Arizona and Mexico:

Organ Pipe Cactus

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monutment

 The trip was beautiful as usual. Wildflowers were in bloom, along with the Ocotillo, and Hedgehog Cactus:

Wildflower Blooming

Flowering Ocotillo (with Lesser Goldfinch)

Hedgehog Cactus

 A nice American Kestrel posed, then allowed me to take a photo of his "take-off:"

American Kestrel

American Kestrel

 A Curved Billed Thrasher was looking for a nice place to nest in the Chain Fruit Cholla:

Curved Billed Thrasher

And, of course, the snakes were out and about:

Texas Patch Nosed Snake

Bullsnake

Saguaro National Park

I awoke this morning as I usually do around 4:45. Realizing that I didn't have to make breakfast for anyone I thought I would go to Saguaro National Park just at sunrise. SNP is about five minutes from us. I expected to see some Black Tailed Jackrabbits, and they didn't disappoint. Got some other nice photos as well:

Black Tail Jackrabbits facing off

Black Tail Jackrabbit reaching for Mesquite flowers

Black Tail Jackrabbit staring me down

Black Tail Jackrabbit hiding -- well he thinks he is

Raven eating the flowers of a Saguaro

Swainson's Hawk chicks in nest of Saguaro

Brown Crested Flycatcher

Gambels Quail eating Saguaro Flowers

Curved Bill Thrasher standing on a Saguaro Flower yet to Bloom

Teddy Bear Cholla in the Morning Sun

San Pedro River Revisited

After Ash Canyon I hiked along the San Pedro River and found some nice photos:

Black Crowned Night Heron

Curved Billed Thrashers

Green Tailed Towhee

Pyrrhuloxia - male

Pyrrhuloxia - Males

Song Sparrow

Western Meadowlark