Category Archive

A pyrrhuloxia, also known as the desert cardinal, on a snow covered cholla this morning. What a treat to receive half an inch of snow in the Sonoran Desert! Desert Photo Retreat near Tucson, Arizona.

A female cardinal from a recent evening at the lower photo blind, Desert Photo Retreat near Tucson, Arizona.

Gilded flicker. We have always had a couple of pairs of gilded flicker nesting in saguaros on the property, but this year they are much more inclined to come into the photo blind / feeder area which is great for photography. In the past, it would be a quick in and out, and a bit tougher to capture an image.

For the first time this season I spent some time in the evening photo blind with my camera at the Desert Photo Retreat I love that background! Every year we get more and more birds – sure is fun! Black-throated sparrow.

Bobcat! This was from a few minutes ago. He hung around for a number of hours, mostly sleeping, but sometimes hunting. He was oblivious to my presence, I had to make a little squeak noise to get him to look at me for this photo, otherwise he ignored me and I could come a go at will. This is the third day in a row he has been here. Such a treat!

A red-tailed hawk has used the power pole next to our rv as a perch from time to time over the years. This year, for whatever reason, it is on the power pole nearly every morning. In the past if I walked over to our vehicle parked under the pole, it would fly. This year I have even started and moved the vehicle without effect him. This morning he flew to this nearby saguaro making for a nice perch. He has become my morning buddy.

What is even more interesting is the lack of effect he has on the other birds. Here he is perched right over one of my main feeders and the bird activity is unaffected. There are even quail running around on the ground. He must not be able to catch birds, and they must know it. Now if a sharp-shinned hawk showed up, it is lights out! All the birds are motionless or have flushed.