Butterflies

Although our "Butterfly Season" is essentially over, it has just begun at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. TBC has a Butterfly Magic Festival each year from October 10th to April 30th. Each month a new group of Butterflies from some part of the world: Africa, Asia, the Tropics, the Americas, Australia, etc. are brought to the Gardens.

Plants native and important to those Butterflies also are brought in. All of the butterflies in the Gardens’ exhibit are hatched from eggs and live as caterpillars in butterfly farms in tropical parts of the world. When the caterpillars change into the pupae or resting stage, they are carefully counted, labeled and packed. In the pupae stage of the butterfly life cycle, no food is required so they can survive the two or three day trip to Tucson. Once they arrive at the Gardens they are housed in a climate controlled environment which allows them to emerge naturally from their pupae. (This emerging room is visible through a glass window). They are then transferred to the Greenhouse where they are released to fly free in a beautiful tropical environment. 

It is here where you can walk amongst them. Great care is taken as you enter and as you leave to ensure that none of these "non-native" butterflies escapes into our Southern Arizona world.

This is a photographer's paradise -- especially, if you are just learning or beginning to shoot wildlife photos. These Butterflies certainly aren't hard to find, there are hundreds of them. They will land on your head, shoulders, or a pant leg.  Their colors are often brilliant; they sit still for photos; and they are often on or near beautiful flowers. What more can you ask for?

Here are a few that I have taken over the past few years:

Asian Swallowtail

Blue Clipper

Blue Morpho

Atlas Moth

Arcas Cattleheart Mating

Banded Orange

Sharp Shinned Hawk

I am still trying to get back to normal here, but a quick post. It was three days ago this Sharp Shinned Hawk swooped down into our "oasis" and caught a Mourning Dove and flew up into a nearby mesquite tree.  He let me get close enough for the following photo:

Sharp Shinned Hawk

Where have I been?

The answer is NOT as much fun as it could have been. My computer went down Saturday, November 12th and needed to go back to The Apple Store for repair. Just got back from picking it up. I'll try to get back to my posts tomorrow.

Sweetwater Wetlands - just a couple more photos

Made a quick stop at Sweetwater Wetlands, another place that seldom disappoints. Although not rare or unusual, I did get what I thought were a couple nice photos. One of a Pied Billed Grebe, and the second a Northern Shoveler. (click on the image to enlarge)

Pied Billed Grebe

Northern Shoveler

Daily Visitor

I took a walk around our property today, camera in hand looking for something to photograph. I could not find even a dove or quail.I wondered what was going on? So I came back to my office and sat outside in my "rocking chair," and watched the lack of birds even on the feeders. After a couple of minutes a Sharp Shinned Hawk flew into the Mesquite Tree by the office about 20 feet from me. There I was holding my camera. Wow! I really didn't have to move an inch to get this photo:

Sharp Shinned Hawk

Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge - IV

Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge has three components. The largest is right along the Mexican/US border where the Visitor's Center is. This is the grassland I mentioned in Friday, Saturday, and Monday's posts. It's Pronghorn and Deer country with a wide variety of raptors usually present.

But there are two other sections of BANWR that shouldn't go unnoticed. One is along Arivaca Creek just West of the town of Arivaca. Just east of the town of Arivaca is Arivaca Cienega (also part of BANWR).

These two areas are the better birding spots. Here are a few photos of Arivaca Cienega:

Horned Lark

Vermillion Flycatcher

Dusky Capped Flycatcher

Thick Billed Kingbird

Western Kingbird

Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge - III

On one visit to BANWR, I was greeted by a pair of young Great Horned Owls. The grasslands are home to a lot of small mammals. The result is that it is also home to a lot of raptors. Here are photos of some of the raptors taken over the years:

Great Horned Owlet

Red Tailed Hawk

Swainson's Hawk

Turkey Vulture