Tucson, Senoran, Desert, Museum, Coral, Bean, Mock, Vervain, Fairy, Duster, Palo, Verde, Teddy, Bear, Cholla, Candelabra, Strawberry, Hedgehog, Hecho |
Hello Friends and Family, |
Link to this year's index by clicking here. |
Sonoran Desert Museum, Part 3 |
One of the amazing observations about nature is that even though the Sonoran Desert is fairly drab with only a bit of green against a tan palette, there are a few exceptions. Here is a Southwestern Coral Bean with long tubular flowers that glow a brilliant red. Hummingbirds love them. All parts of this plant are poisonous, but the red beans are by far the most highly toxic. Beware! |
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The Northern Mockingbird, while not as colorful as many songbirds, outclasses most with its persistent and varied “singing.” It usually sits conspicuously on high vegetation, fences, eaves or telephone wires, or runs and hops along the ground. Found alone or in pairs throughout the year, mockingbirds aggressively chase off intruders on their territory. My friend and his wife enjoy their daily serenades from the Mockingbirds and, especially, the airshows when they compete for territory. They will even attack a cat successfully! Truly an amazing bird! |
Some people hate them because they drop so many tiny leaves and flowers — quite a mess to clean up. |
Like its cousin the jumping cholla, the stems detach easily, so one must watch where they are going so they don't get a cholla ball attached to their skin. The spines are barbed, and hold on tightly. Desert pack rats, such as the Desert Wood rat, gather these balls around their burrows, creating a defense against predators. |
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Unfortunately, the photographer's worst nightmare struck right at this point — my camera began to malfunction. It could not open the iris to gather more light in shaded areas. Therefore all the subsequent photos in this series were taken in bright light. It is now fixed and my wallet is $326 lighter. |
Last for today is another beautiful Sonoran Desert landscape. Enjoy. |
To be continued... |
Life is good. |
Aloha, B. David |
P. S., All photos and text © B. David Cathell Photography, Inc. — www.bdavidcathell.com |