San Pedro Wildlife Conservation Area - Birder's Delight

The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (NCA) is about 57,000 acres along the San Pedro River between the international border and St. David, Arizona.  The primary purpose for the special designation (by Congress) is to protect and enhance the desert riparian ecosystem, a rare remnant of what was once an extensive network of similar riparian systems throughout the American Southwest. It is home to 84 species of mammals, 14 species of fish, 41 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 100 species of breeding birds. It also provides invaluable habitat for 250 species of migrant and wintering birds and contains archaeological sites representing the remains of human occupation from 13,000 years ago. The photos are of three of the birds that breed there.  The first is a juvenile Summer Tanager, which will turn bright red as an adult. The second photo is the Brown Crested Flycatcher. And, the last which is familiar to Southern Arizonians, the Vermillion Flycatcher.

Birds of Patagonia Creek Preserve

The literature says over 290 species of birds have been recorded at Patagonia Creek Preserve. That makes it a prime spot for birders. Here are three of the birds I have photographed there: Great Blue Heron, Western Kingbird, and Sumer Tanager. Run by The Nature Conservancy, Patagonia Creek Preserve has trails along the creek. Generally it is cool so it is a refreshing summer spot. Every time we go there is something to see. Well worth the hour drive.

When You Can't Find What You Are Looking For

When you go to a zoo, you can usually find what you are looking for; a bear for example. In the wilderness, that is another story. "When you go looking for something specific, your chances of finding it are not very good. Because of all the things in the world, you're only looking for one of them. When you go looking for anything at all, your chances of finding it are very good. Because of all the things in the world, you're sure to find some of them." (One of my favorite movie quotes - Zero Effect). So, when I go off on a "photo trip" if I can't find animals or birds, I look at wildflowers, plants, and trees. I think what is it that makes this special? Unique? Can I capture that in a photo? When I think that way, I can usually find something to photograph and often pleased with the result as the above four photos from Patagonia Creek Preserve offered me.

More Javelinas Today.

Even as I was writing the blog for today about Patagonia Creek Preserve, our neighbor called and ask me to bring my camera. Some Javelinas had made a home under several mesquite trees. A female had just given birth to two young piglets. You can see how tiny the piglets were from the first photo. In the second photo the javelina piglet is still wet. There were six adults, the two newborn, a youngster maybe a month or so old (the third photo) and a "teenager."  They made "beds" by digging in the dirt until it was soft and devoid of rocks, leaves, or other debris. After a while they "settled-in" so I left them to sleep. It was a nice break from work.

Patagonia Creek Preserve: Broad Billed Hummingbird

Continuing at Patagonia Creek Preserve. As a wildlife photographer sometimes you don't know how good a photograph is until you see on the screen -- or, photo paper. It is easier with digital. You can take multiple shots. My Canon 5D Mark II will shoot 7 frames per second. My film camera (Canon EOS 1V HD) could shoot 10 frames per second, however, if you have 36 exposure film that's less than four seconds of shooting. So, needless to say I never shot that fast. But what a fast camera will do is provide you with instantaneous response. When photographing birds in flight for example, you might think you have a great photo, only to find out that a wing was covering his head or eye at the exact moment the shutter released. With a fast camera you can take three or four shots and one of them is likely to be good. But, again, how good you don't know quite yet. This photo of a Broad Billed Hummingbird in flight is one of my favorites.

Patagonia Creek Preserve: Coues Deer

Patagonia Creek Preserve is run by the Nature Conservancy and sits along a five mile stretch of the Patagonia Sonoita Creek. It is a little over an hour's drive southeast of us. Among its many inhabitants is the Coues White Tail Deer. Between 30 and 40 subspecies of White Tail Deer have been identified, although not all agree there are that many. The Coues Deer (contrary to common practice) is not pronounces "coos" but "cows" named after Elliott Coues an ornithologist of the mid 19th century. The Coues is small than our other white tail deer and its range is limited to Southern Arizona, Southern New Mexico, and Northern Mexico. Patagonia Creek Preserve is where I saw my first Javelina in the wild. Coatimundi are occasionally spotted their as well. However, it is mainly noted for its birds: nesting Grey Hawks, Vermillion Flycatchers, Brown Crested Flycatchers, Summer and Hepatic Tanagers, nesting Great Horned Owls, Black and Says Phoebes, and a host of other flycatchers and woodpeckers. Unless something else notable happens, I'll spend the next couple of days with photos taken at the Patagonia Creek Preserve.

Feral Horses

I have come across Feral Horses a few times in my photo journeys. The first time I remember I was looking for Pronghorn at Hart Mountain in Southeastern Oregon along the Nevada Border. Hart Mountain is rolling mountainous terrain without much vegetation so you can see for miles. HM  is not on the way to anywhere, so if you see any people at all they are they for the same reason you are. But, out of the half dozen or so times I've been I only seen someone else once. I was driving on one of the 4x4 roads and came across -- maybe ten or twelve Feral Horses at a distance of at least 1/2 mile. But when they saw me they took off running in the opposite direction. Because it was so open I watched these beautiful animals running at full speed for another 1/2 mile until they were out of sight. This was an eerie, yet special happening. I had never seen horses run away. I realized that wild animals, whether bear, coyotes, wolves, ---- or horses are not interested in people and don't want to be around them. I took a photo (although not very good) and over the years must have trashed it. It is still a fond memory, though. The photo above is of Feral Horses I came upon in Alberta Canada. There is a 100 mile stretch north of Hinton called Wildhorse Provincial Park, where, yes, wild horses exist.  I had been searching for them for about five hours when I came across these two fighting. I took a couple of photos and took off. It was back in the film days and I wanted to conserve my film. In retrospect: "Oh, how I wished I had stayed -- even to simply watch them." A mistake I hope I learned from. I was so focused on finding wildlife to photograph, I forgot to enjoy the wildlife when I found it. Besides, with digital now, there is no excuse for passing up a photo op.