Well, Hello!

I haven't spent a lot of time around African animals and birds, so my first hand knowledge is pretty sparse. But I have a lot of interest in them and so my book knowledge is pretty broad. I do like giraffes however, more than most animals. They are sort of like camels when you get really close to them, but they would make inconvenient farm or house animals.

Meercats

TV and movie appearances have made these little guys immensely popular. I would imagine that if they invaded someone's cattle ranch or farm, they would probably cease to be so appealing. It is easy to consider foreign pests as cute as long as you don't have to deal with them. We have some pretty cute little creatures here in Arizona, but none of them are international stars except the roadrunners and the coyotes.

Kori Bustard

This is a kori bustard or Ardeotis kori. Native to East and South Africa. Unless you live in Africa, you are probably not going to see this on your local birding tour. It is considered scarce which would explain why I have seen so few of them, also the fact that I haven't been to Africa. This one in in the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Zebra Rock

Every so often, as you drive across the endless expanses of the Colorado Plateau Region, you will see something at looks extremely unusual. Most commonly, the most unusual things are rock formations. But in this case, it was the coloring of the rocks themselves. I have no idea how these unusual rocks were formed, but it cheered me up immensely to see the pattern in the rocks along side the road.

Wagon Trail Marker

This wooden post marks the course of the pioneer wagons as they crossed the vast distances of the Colorado Plateau on their way to cross the Colorado River at Hole-in-the-Rock. The place where they crossed the Colorado River is now under water, but the vast distances can now be traversed with high clearance vehicles on the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail. Can you imagine crossing this country in a wagon?

Sandstone Expanse

Parts of the Colorado Plateau are floored with sandstone and have huge expanses of sand and sandstone with a line of hills in the distance. If you discount the wind and, in this case, the heat, it is very interesting to walk across the rocks. Almost at every step there is another magical world of color and form interspersed with the hardy desert plants that survive in this arid land. I think I have sandstone in my heart.

Talking Rocks

If rocks could talk, these would be the first. As it is, the center rock has a designer contrail for a hat. Also notice the tree on the ridge line. There is a lot to look at in this photo. The more I look at it, the more I like it.

Runs Like a Deere

Deere and Company was founded in 1868 by blacksmith John Deere. The iconic road and farm equipment have been part of my life since I can remember. This is a later model tractor with a front loader and a scrape, probably manufactured about 1970 or so. I have not had much time driving a tractor, but I have had some time riding on one when I was a lot smaller and younger.

A River of Stone

The surprise in this picture is the pillar of rock in the center, attracting your attention away from the oncoming storm and the river of rock running down into the deep of the Grand Canyon. The light changes so suddenly, that you could stand in the same spot and take pictures all day. But with the wind and the coming rain, it was time to move on and return to camp for a night in the rain.

A Puddle in the Road

When you come to a puddle like this, you have to stop and decide how deep it is before you try to cross it. There seem to be a lot of these puddles in my life. I am always stopping for something and trying to figure out if I am going to sink or make it to the other side. In this case, discretion got the better part of valor and we walked around.

Dirt Roads

The roads in Arizona and Utah vary from huge freeways to dirt tracks that are passable only with specialized 4-wheel-drive vehicles. This isn't the worst road I have ever driven, but it is a good idea of what they mean when they say, "Primative Road, 4 Wheel Drive Recommended." I could not have made it up this hill in my 2 wheel drive truck, maybe. But it would have been a close call. Here the problem is the mixture of loose sand and large rocks in the road.

Rocks on the Edge

Not all of the Rim of the Grand Canyon is flat and easy to approach. You could get the impression, if you only visited the developed portions of the Rim, that the Canyon was something you can walk over to easily and look at. In some places, it is rugged and extremely dangerous to approach the edge. It seems that people who go to these places know this and respect the Canyon. Most of the falls into the Canyon seem to come from people in the developed areas.

Looking Up River

The Colorado River, where it runs through the Grand Canyon, runs from an generally northeastern direction towards the west. This view of the Gorge is looking east, upriver. There are very few places where you can actually see the river except in short glimpses from the Rim. This where you can see more of the Colorado River than in many other locations. There is a large amount of serious geological interest in the issues about how the Colorado could have cut the Canyon in the first place, since the stream would have had to run uphill to do so. Every few years, the theory changes.

Tuweep Metropolitan Area

Tuweep is the name for the primitive area on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon that is only accessible by those willing to negotiate difficult roadways. The area where you can look down into the Canyon is usually called Toroweap. This is what the National Park Service has to say about the whole area:

A visit to Tuweep, a road accessible primitive area, can be very rewarding; however, access is challenging and demands skill at negotiating difficult roadways. 

The National Park Service preserves the area for its uncrowded, rustic, and remote experience. This experience is dominated by nature and solitude. The number of visitors is limited at peak times of the year. Improvements are minimal and services are non-existent. There is no water, gas, lodging, or food. There is NO telephone or cell coverage at Tuweep/Toroweap.

An Interesting Rock

As I am driving along a dirt road out on the Colorado Plateau north of the Grand Canyon, I tend to stop suddenly when I see something of interest. I suppose you could classify this rock as an arch, but that would be a stretch. It is definitely not going to attract tourists.

A Far Away Cliff

The last rays of the sun hit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Taken from the North Rim it looks as though the cliffs are small in comparison to the distances of the Grand Canyon. In reality the cliffs are hundreds of feet high. This same distortion of distances in the Canyon led early explorers to try and find a way across the huge gulf.

On the Edge

The exposure on the cliffs of the Grand Canyon is immense. If you fell, you would not just fall a few feet, but would fall many hundreds of feet into the much deeper canyon. The views are remarkable, but not all of them are for the faint of heart or afraid of heights.

Close up of Angel's Window

Some time ago, I posted a photo of Angel's Window on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon showing the surrounding area. The "Window" in the other photo is hardly visible. In this photo, you can clearly see the window and if you look closely you can see the railing on the top of the cliff and someone standing there with their arms in the air. We walked out onto the rock and it is interesting to see how far down the bottom of the Canyon really is.

Cliff Palace

The Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park is a remarkably preserved cliff dwelling. It is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It was occupied between 1190 AD to 1260 AD. Only a part of the huge building is visible in this photo taken from across the canyon. The trip to visit the cliff dwelling is interesting involving climbing a number of ladders and a steep trail.

Bright Angel Canyon

Bright Angel Canyon is surrounded by the brilliantly colored Redwall Limestone. There are few more dramatic sights in the world than looking down over 5000 feet into the depths of the Grand Canyon. It is confusing, but the Bright Angel Canyon and Bright Angel Creek run into the Colorado River from north to south. The trail that follows the Canyon is the North Kaibab Trail. The Bright Angel Trail is on the South Rim not in Bright Angel Canyon. The North Kaibab Trail descends 14 miles where it joins the South Kaibab Trail. Surprisingly, the Trail is extremely steep as it comes off the Rim but most of the milage is on almost level terrain.

Taking Advantage of the Terrain

You have to look closely to see the cliff dwelling in this image. The building blends in so well with its surroundings that you can hardly make it out. I think modern day architects could take a lesson from the ancient inhabitants of our land to see what can be done in harmony with the rocks and cliffs.

Not a Ruin

This is not an Indian ruin. According to the National Park Service, the term "Indian Ruin" is now politically unacceptable. This is now either a cliff dwelling or the abandoned home of the Ancestral Puebloans. I didn't realize I was offending the Ancestral Pueloans all these years by calling their homes Indian ruins. I guess there goes another perfectly good word.

Sonoran Bumblebee

This is a Sonoran Bumblebee or Bombus sonorus. Queen Bumblebees are the largest native bees in the United States. This species is placed in the subgenus Thoracobombus and was named in 1837 by Thomas Say. It is one of our most common and widespread bumblebees. For a lot more information see Celebrating Wildflowers of the U.S. Forest Service.

A Quiet Conversation

I always wonder if the plants can talk to each other. I would guess that there isn't much to talk about and the conversations probably lag. But in some cases I am forced to think that they have quiet chats about the weather, their surroundings and how they are feeling that day. Sometimes, if I listen really carefully and stay still for a long time, I can almost hear them.

Spines

Cactus spines are often cited as a protection to the plants. In cactus, the spines occur in clusters in the axil of microscopic leaves called glochids. It is clear that many plants have spines but why do some desert plants have spines and others do not? If the development of spines confers an evolutionary advantage, why don't all desert plants have spines?

Red Gum Tree Shapes

The River Red Gum tree or Eucalyptus camaldulensis is native to Australia. Very early in the development of the Arizona desert, eucalyptus trees were planted in large numbers. But they have now gone out of favor because of their size and the tendency to break off limbs in storms. They are also considered to be untidy but current landscapers and hardly ever used in new plantings. Slowly, the older trees are starting to disappear.

Petrified Wood

Petrified wood is common on the Colorado Plateau. I know of many locations where I can stop along side the road and find pieces of petrified wood in few minutes of searching. I have had large logs around my house and yard all my life. These beautiful rocks come about as a result of minerals replacing the structure of wood over geologic time frames. The most beautiful specimens contain quartz minerals such as jasper. Large areas of the Colorado Plateau are now protected in National Monuments and Parks, where it is against the law to remove any kind of rocks or minerals.

Matching Colors

Color matching is an art. But here art meets reality. I can't think of a more appealing combination of colors than the wings of this Queen Butterfly or Danaus gilippus thersippus. There are always those who argue that nature is random, but this kind of color combination argues to the contrary.

Chinese Pistachio

This is Chinese Pistachio or Pistacia chinensis in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. I has brilliant red leaves in the Fall (whatever that is?).  This tree is used as a street tree in many locations around the United States. It is rare here in the desert Southwest, likely because it needs water. In China, the oil from the seeds is used for biodiesel production. The wood is used for production of furniture and yields a yellow dye. See Wikipedia: Pistacia chinensis.

Alone

Sometimes we feel that we are on the stage all alone. Even with this single flower, this feeling of being alone in an illusion. We are never really alone. I am sure if this flower could speak, it would think it was the only flower in world, but it was actually in the middle of a huge garden of flowers and trees and cactus. I never feel alone in the desert.

When it is dry it is called a Creek

Arizona has it own distinct method of naming rivers and creeks. When they are dry, they are rivers and creeks. When they have water, they are a flood. There are very few rivers or creeks that have water all year round. This is the dry bed of the Queen Creek. The Queen Creek runs out of the mountains north of Superior, Arizona and then out into the desert, running through the town of Queen Creek, until it joins the Gila River near Florence.

Cottontail

You might notice that this rabbit is almost exactly the same color and the desert rocks and grasses. If they sit still, they are hard to spot. But when they move, you can see them plainly. This cottontail rabbit is fairly large as cottentails go. This is probably the Desert Cottontail or Sylvilagus audubonii. It is found throughout the desert Southwest from Montana south to Mexico. I found this rabbit on the side of the Queen Creek wash.

Contrast

If you were traveling in the eastern part of the United States, one tree would not be noteworthy, unless it were very large or otherwise distinctive. In the desert, a cottonwood tree is like a vision of green in a background of brown and gray. I was particularly impressed with the light on the bright green leaves of this cottonwood tree growing in a dry wash called the Queen Creek.

Fishhook Barrel Cactus

The fishhook barrel cactus or Ferocactus wislizenii is fairly common throughout the desert parts of the Southwestern United States including Arizona. The flowers are either yellow or bright red. It is also a common landscape plant in the desert. An individual cactus can live for around 100 years and can grow up to ten feet tall. We have one of these growing in our front yard in Mesa. Most of the plants lean towards the southwest, due to the amount of sun from that direction. Although, I think it is easier just to look at the position of the sun if you are lost and need directions in the desert.

You can see the spines

Backlit subjects, especially cactus, give an entirely new perspective. In this case, you can really see how many spines there are on this particular cactus plant. What you lose in the detail of the cactus plants, you over compensate for with the detail in the spines.

Sisters

There are a lot of twin buttes that I could use as an example, but I decided that these two reminded me of sisters; not much alike but basically similar. Both of them have faces if you look carefully. The one on the right is tall and thin. The one on the left is shorter and not so thin as her sister.

Mexican Bird of Paradise

There are several large flowers that are common to the Salt River Valley that are called Mexican Bird of Paradise or Caesalpinia pulcherrima. This is one plant with a plethora of common names including: Poinciana, Peacock Flower, Red Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Poinciana, Pride of Barbados, and flamboyan-de-jardin. The Mexican Bird of Paradise (called the Red Bird of Paradise) is the national flower of Barbados. We have a huge colorful bush of these flowers growing every summer in our backyard.

Low Hanging Fruit

These prickly pear fruits are a tasty treat. But there are some cautions. If you look closely, you will see that they have rather a lot of long spines sticking out. What you cannot see in a photograph, without a microscope, is that there are small spines called glochids surround each larger spine. It is relatively easy to remove all of the spines, all you have to do is have a fire with a flame and pass the fruit through the flame. The spines will then all burn off and the fruit can be carefully eaten. You do not want to get glochids in your skin. They are like tiny pieces of glass and are really bothersome and somewhat painful.

Pipevine Swallowtail

My best guess is that this beautiful creature is a Pipevine Swallowtail or Battus p. philenor. It is drinking from a lantana flower. We have huge lantana bushes in our front yard that need to be trimmed back all the time, but this butterfly was at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

Sunflower Visitor

If you watch butterflies for a while, you realize that they are pretty picky about which flowers they visit. It was about 95 degrees outside and in the early morning when I spotted this one on a sunflower. This is likely a Queen Butterfly or Danaus gilippus thersippus. This is an appropriate name.

Ready to take sip

Butterflies are an endless joy to watch but these very active ones were difficult to photograph. I took a lot of images out of focus before I caught this one just at the right time. Identifying butterflies is quite a challenge and it is harder when they don't stand still like the pictures in the guides. It is a Pipevine Swallowtail unless I am wrong.

Morning light on Picketpost

Picketpost Mountain gets its name from the soldiers stationed in a military camp at the base of the mountain commanded by General George Stoneman in 1870. The soldiers nicknamed the mountain “Picket Post” due to its usage as a sentinel point to guard their camp from attacks. This military camp eventually grew into the present day town of Superior. See Wikipedia: Picketpost Mountain.

Stopping for a quick drink

I must have shot ten or fifteen images before capturing one with four birds at the same hummingbird feeder. It was a very hot day in the late summer and they all needed a quick drink. I could have stayed all day and taken photos but it was getting hot and it was time to move on.

Agave

This is one of the most beautiful examples of the agave I have seen. I love the curvature of the leaves and the fantastic growth. Agaves are perennial monocots. The rosette of leaves dies after flowering once. This particular plant is most likely an agave desmetiana.

In his lair

You have to look carefully, but you can see the large spider on this web right in the middle. Over to the left of the photo, you can also see the hole where she will run and hide if the web is disturbed in any way. It is not hard to spot the webs, but finding one occupied with the spider was a special treat.

Prickly Pear Fruit

Traditionally, our family has gone out on Labor Day to pick prickly pear fruit to make jelly and syrup. The fruit is purple to deep red when ripe and can be eaten raw with care to avoid the spines. We use a steam juicer to reduce the fruit to a deep red juice that can then be bottled with pectin to make a jelly. They are delicious and have although the process of making the jelly is hot and sweaty since it is still extremely hot in the desert on Labor Day, we have enjoyed the fruit over the years.

The Old Man

This type of cactus is commonly called an Old Man Cactus because of the white furry modified spines. There are a number of species and varieties that fall into this category and most of them are from Guanajuato and Hildalgo States in Mexico. the scientific name is Cephalocereus senillis.  We have a very large specimen growing in our front yard.

Reaching for the Sky

One of the 67 solidified geyser vents in the Kodachrome Basin State Park near Escalante, Utah. This is one of the most remote areas of the United States, with few paved roads and many inaccessible canyons. The State Park is located in a flat, sandy valley surrounded by the magnificent rock formations. It is an almost perfect place to camp and enjoy the beauty of the rocks and canyons.

A Slender Spire

This slender spire of conglomerate is a very unusual formation located in the Kodachrome Basin State Park in south-central Utah. Named in 1949 by members of a National Geographic Association expedition for its spectacular colored rocks and spires. There are no more unusual formations in all of the wonderful rocks of the Colorado Plateau. There are 67 large pipes, such as this one, that scientist believe were made from solidified geyser vents that filled with rubble. It is a marvelous place to camp, hike and explore.

The Mighty Cliffs of Zion

Zion National Park is a magnificent show of the layers of sandstone making up the vast Colorado Plateau. The Navajo sandstone cliffs in the background are believed to be the tallest sandstone cliffs in the world. The bottom-most layer visible in this picture is the Moenkopi Formation that composes the rocky slopes The lower red cliffs are the Moenave Formation, deposited in streams and ponds. There is a narrow Kayenta Formation just below the vast smooth cliffs of the Navajo sandstone. The National Park Service describes the forces that made Zion as it looks today as follows:

Zion was a relatively flat basin near sea level 240 million years ago. As sands, gravels, and muds eroded from surrounding mountains, streams carried these materials into the basin and deposited them in layers. The sheer weight of these accumulated layers caused the basin to sink, so that the top surface always remained near sea level. As the land rose and fell and as the climate changed, the depositional environment fluctuated from shallow seas to coastal plains to a desert of massive windblown sand. This process of sedimentation continued until over 10,000 feet of material accumulated.