Tag Archives: dragonfly

rock knob

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One of Wikipedia’s definitions for the word “knob” is “a prominent rounded hill”. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve‘s Rock Knob probably looks more rounded from the air but either way, it is one of our favorite places to explore because it’s only minutes from our house. Here’s a shot from yesterday.

Rock Knob in The McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Tom’s Thumb, East End and Rock Knob in the Preserve are the latest to open up and plans are underway to make these areas even more accessible to the public. It’s my understanding that construction on a new trailhead/parking area and more trails will begin this year. Exact location hasn’t been revealed. Click here for a great trail map of the Preserve. Look to the upper right for Rock Knob (PDF).

These areas are filled with huge free standing granite boulders and is where I’ve found most of my “faces” but there are so many photo ops there. The views are spectacular and the desert is especially lush so it’s great for birders and Lepidopterists.

Here are two photo ops I spotted yesterday while waiting for Chris to decend.

Phainopepla
phainopepla

Dragonfly (unidentified)
dragonfly

some like it hot

Dragonflies love the heat so you’ll see lots of them in the middle of summer.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum is a great place to see them so we went this morning.

Blue Dasher
Blue Dasher

Just before the Dragonfly walk, we went on an extremely interesting Ant Walk.
Here’s a shot of Harvester Ants (Pogonomyrmex maricopa) doing what they do best.

Harvesting Mesquite Pods
Harvesting Mesquite Pods

Both shots were taken with my Canon SX10 IS. (Too hot to carry an SLR and big lens).

yard art

Still playing with my Lensbaby, here’s a shot of one of my yard’s dragonflies. I spotted these in Madrid, NM last fall and I’m a sucker for yard art made from recycled items. Every yard deserves something tacky 🙂

dragonfly and aloe
dragonfly and aloe

This was also shot is harsh light conditions. To make the dragonfly stand out, I converted the image to black and white and kept a little color. If you’re thinking of acquiring a Lensbaby (Jim), I highly recommend that you try the various models before you buy…specifically the G3 and the newest model, the Composer. I own them both but I much prefer the way the G3 works. Of course, that could be because I love the original. The Composer is great too, though, so if your budget can handle it, get them both! Canvas your friends for LB owners and try before you buy!