Striped Skunk: One of Nature's Most Beautiful

Next up on my series of "5" Star Photos is one of my favorite animals to photograph: Skunks!

Yes, these little guys are one of nature's most beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. They have very businesslike personalities. They are interested primarily in eating and their search for food is methodical. As long as you don't get too close -- or otherwise frighten them, you can spend as much time as you want photographing them. This photo was taken in the Galiuro Mountains of Southeast Arizona.

Striped Skunk

Spotted Owl: The Prize of Miller Canyon

Getting back to my alphabetical series on my "5" Star Photos I have another Spotted Owl photo. This one too, was taken in Miller Canyon of the Huachuca Mountains in Southern Arizona. Miller Canyon is a very reliable "spot" to find a Spotted Owl. A pair of them has lived and nested in the canyon for years. Owners of the property where the trailhead begins (Tom Beatty) keeps track of the Owls on a daily basis. The Owls move from about 1/2 mile up the mountain to about 1 1/2 miles up the mountain. 

In the case below, I had passed it on my way up the trail, but as is often the case, returning on the same trail gives a totally different angle and often success.

Spotted Owl

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

Crested Caracara

On my way out to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, as usual I look for Crested Caracara. The area between Robles Junction, the Kitt Peak turnoff, Sells, and Quijotoa is one of the two most reliable spots to find the Crested Caracara. (the other is Santa Cruz Flats). I was not disappointed this trip either. Got a fun photo of the Crested Caracara with a squawking Raven just outside Sells:

Crested Caracara and Raven

Wood Duck at Christopher Columbus Park

The quick stop at Christopher Columbus Lake in Tucson, proved unusually successful. There were the usual picnickers and fisher people, they was a huge group of remote controlled flying machines. My first impression was would there be any wildlife or did they seek something more peaceful and remote. 

The short answer is that I found what I was looking for within 5 seconds of beginning my search. The small pond west of the lake had a beautiful Wood Duck. As soon as he saw me he started moving toward me. I suspect that he was hoping to be fed. 

So, a couple of photos later, I was out of there.

Here are the photos:

Wood Duck

Wood Duck

Wildlife at Fort Lowell Park, Tucson

Fort Lowell Park in Tucson is one of those Municipal Parks that attracts birds both common and uncommon. While I prefer wilderness areas, these Muni's deserve a look every now and then. Last year a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker hang out there for several months. And, while my quick trip the other day didn't uncover anything rare or unusual, it did provide some photos:

Double Crested Cormorant

European Starling

Great Tailed Grackle

American Wigeon - male

American Wigeon - female

Red Eared Slider

Birding Tanque Verde Wash

Well, I have some catching up to do. I visited several of the local birding spots: Tanque Verde Wash, Fort Lowell Park, Sweetwater Wetlands, and Christopher Columbus Park.  Then, yesterday drove to   Organ Pipe National Monument.

So, starting with Tanque Verde wash -- and in no particular order:

Male Lesser Goldfinch

Vermillion Flycatcher

 There was a large flock, 50 or more Cedar Waxwings flying among the very tops of the Cottonwood Trees. There are about 10 in this photo:

Cedar Waxwing

This Sharp Shinned Hawk let me taken a large number of photos. Then I left him right where he was sitting. (After saying "Thank You.")

Sharp Shinned Hawk

Huttons Vireo