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Posts tagged ‘payson’

Jun 20

butterfly meetup

We went back to Payson and the Colonel Devin Trail yesterday but the winds were even stronger than last week so I didn’t come home with many photos. A great hike, though, and I did manage to get a photo for today. These Spring Azures are getting moisture from the ground. Think about the size of those grains of sand and you get an idea of how small these butterflies are!

Jun 15

high elevation flowers

Living in Arizona, we have the luxury of being in a different climate in just an hour or two so it’s very easy to escape the heat. Payson is at about 5000 feet and is only one and a half hours away. With a little hiking, you’re up over 6500 feet. Besides enjoying the cool air, Flora and Fauna are different at elevation so it’s a real treat. Today’s post is of three higher elevation flowers. 1. Yellow Salsify 2. Deer’s Ears aka Elkweed and 3. Pussytoes. There were many other flowers but I was focused on Butterflies that day.

Jun 14

critters

Here are a couple of critters we spotted along the trail while looking for butterflies. The first is a Robber Fly….a vicious creature! He needs a new name because what he actually does is spear his victims with his proboscis (including butterflies), inject a toxin that liquefies them and then slurps out their inside. Ewww!!! It sure is easy to see where horror movie makers get their monster ideas. The second critter is a Short-Horned Lizard. He’s also an insect eater but he just sticks out his tongue and grabs them. Same ending for the insect but more acceptable don’t you think? 🙂

Jun 13

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Red Spotted Purple

This Red Spotted Purple butterfly was one of only seven I captured yesterday on the Colonel Devin Trail in Payson (Canon 300mm, ISO 1000, f/5.6 @1/800th sec). It was much cooler than expected, storm clouds and very windy. Butterflies don’t like that kind of weather but it was still a great day thanks to our master spotter, Marceline from CAZBA!

Jun 12

Hairstreak

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This tiny butterfly is a Hairstreak I captured last year in Payson, AZ (digitally, of course). CLICK HERE for a gallery of shots from that trip. We’re going back this weekend and I hope to get as many as last time! Tech: 100-400, ISO 400, f/9.5, 1/3000th sec.