Whiskered Screech Owl

Continuing with my alphabetical series of my "5" Star Photos we come to the Whiskered Screech Owl. It's range is primarily Mexico and Central America, yet occasionally wanders into the Madrean Sky Island of Southeast Arizona. This photo was taken in Madera Canyon:

Whiskered Screech Owl

Birding Juan Bautista de Anza Trail

"Now, a few words on looking for things. When you go looking for something specific, your chances of finding it are very bad. 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." Daryl Zero, the Zero Effect

Yesterday, I arrived early at Montosa Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains in hopes of finding the Black Capped Gnatcatchers. Very, very quiet, though. No Black Capped Gnatcatchers. So I headed further south to the Juan Bautista de Anza Trail just south of Santa Gertrudis Lane. There I was hoping to find either or both the Louisiana and Northern Waterthrushes. Although I saw many Lark Sparrows, a few Lucy's and Wilson's Warblers, I didn't find the specific birds I was looking for. 

So what was I to do? I didn't want to come home empty handed so I found a couple of non-bird photos that turned out quite nicely:

Western Tanager

Up next, the Western Tanager which is found throughout Western North America. They breed here in Arizona, usually in coniferous forests. Being close to Mount Lemmon, they stop by at our place occasionally. They stay in the trees foraging for insects and occasionally fruit.

Western Tanager

Western Tanager

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

From wildflowers to rattlesnakes. The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake's range is from Arkansas to California and into Mexico. Typically it grows to about 4 feet, less than half the size of a bull snake. Yet, obviously a bit more dangerous. 

If you believe what you see and hear at the movies, they are everywhere in the desert and you have to kill them before they kill you. We just watched a delightful movie (Fools Rush In) where the male lead goes with his hispanic wife's brothers into the desert where he finds himself surrounded by a dozen rattlesnakes. Maybe there is a place/situation like that but I've been hiking and photographing in the Arizona desert for 12 years and never seen more than one rattler at a time. And, never ever had to kill one.

We have them living on our property although rarely see them -- maybe four times a year. For the most part they stay underground. Nonetheless, I always marvel at their beauty and significance when I see them.

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Western Coral Bean

Another wildflower hits the "5" Star mark. The Western Coral Bean is found only in Southeast Arizona in the US, but throughout Mexico in canyons, rocky hillsides, pinyon-juniper forests in semi-desert environments.  It flowers from March to May, and provides a wonderful color contrast to the desert.

Western Bluebird

Continuing my alphabetical series on my "5" Star Photos we come to the Western Bluebird. The Western and Mountain Bluebird ranges are nearly identical (the Western halve of North America). But the Western Bluebird has a bright orange breast (duller in the female) while the Mountain Blue is pretty much all blue. The photo of the male came from Mount Lemmon, Arizona while the photo of the female was taken near Joshua Tree National Monument in California.

Western Bluebird Male

Western Bluebird Female

Water Lily

It seems like quite a while ago that I was doing a series on my "5" Star Photos. But we are nearing the end -- on "w's" anyway. So I will try to get the series completed within the next couple of weeks. Today, not a bear, not a caribou, not an elegant trogon or a tri-colored heron, but a simple water lily. 

Sometimes simple is good:

Water Lily