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Posts from the ‘Fauna’ Category

Sep 12

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Zoo

I had a very disappointing visit to the Phoenix Zoo this morning….photographically, that is. It’s been many years since I’ve been and many of the exhibits have changed making them no longer photography friendly. The animals probably love their new enclosures but there are many more barriers putting them farther away and worse is that many exhibits are now behind heavily fingerprinted and scratched plexiglass. I should say, though, that the majority of the visitors were families with young children who had no absolutely no complaints!

Sep 11

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Tracks

I found these tracks after our last big rain and thought they looked like Raccoon but since we’ve never seen one in all the years we’ve lived up here, I wasn’t sure. I checked the Arizona Game and Fish website and it does look like they might have been made by a Raccoon. They say they are typically in riparian areas or where there is an abundant source of water. There is a large wash with a spring in between our neighborhood and the Preserve but maybe they like the swimming pools in the neighborhood more 🙂

Sep 9

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Mule Deer Surprise

This morning I headed to the North Access of the Preserve in search of a photo for my blog. There is one section near the Toms Thumb Trail where we regularly see multiple deer but this was my first baby! The photo would have been sharper if I hadn’t been shaking while I was trying to get their picture 🙂

Sep 7

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Who’s The Packrat Here?!

We discovered a Packrat (White Throated Woodrat to be precise) in my so-called “storage” area in the backyard last year. CLICK HERE for a little movie I captured while trying to get her/him to leave.

Sep 5

Jackrabbit

I learned something new about Jackrabbits today but I would have know long ago if I’d just looked it up! I knew it is a Hare and that their back legs and ears are longer than our Cottontails but what I didn’t know is their babies are born above ground fully furred and eyes open ready to fend for themselves! That’s reminiscent of baby Gambel’s Quail who, at the size of a small cotton-ball, are ready to run for their lives at birth. Amazing. Also like Quail, Jackrabbits nests are slight depressions on the ground. Wow..I’m going to be looking very hard for cute little baby Jacks next Spring 🙂

Jackrabbit photographed in North Access area of McDowell Sonoran Preseve

Aug 30

Cat on a Hot Rock

It has been really hot but Cleo and Cloe love it! It doesn’t make sense to me since they have fur coats but they like to lay out in their enclosure or on the warm concrete floor in the garage all day. At night, they are forced to endure air conditioning 🙂

Aug 22

Skipper on Bee Balm

I don’t have an identification for this little guy yet but I do know it is a Skipper. It’s the only one I noticed while exploring up at Schultz Pass and he was gone in a flash so I’m happy to have at least one shot. Canon 180mm Macro lens. ISO 400, 1/1000 sec, f/10. Probably my favorite lens.

Aug 20

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Crab Spider on Datura

creature this morning. This time a (barely visible) Crab Spider on a Datura bloom. I captured him hand held with a Canon 24-105mm lens at 105mm. To achieve closer focus, I attached a 500D close-up lens. It doesn’t equate to a true macro lens but works well as an alternative to switching lenses.

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