Desert Tortoise Munching Out

Desert Tortoise Munching Out

I so wanted to sleep in this morning because I didn't get to bed until after 1:30 but Sammy had other plans. He decided it was time to get up about 6:00 but I was too tired I ignored him as much as I could. Half an hour later he decided that I just must get up and wouldn't take no for an answer. Still half asleep I drove half a mile to where we like to explore.  It was already 90 degrees by 6:30 so we didn't stay long. He chased a few rabbits and then I made him get in the car. On the way home I spied this little creature crossing the street. He was covered in dirt so I emptied my water bottle on him and started shooting. He didn't seem to be afraid of me at all. He came within a foot of me without any hesitation. He was definitely in the browsing mood. He seemed to be eating everything that was in front of him including dried coyote poop, dried bone fragments and all the green plants. I'm so glad I got up early this morning.

As I was sitting on the ground taking pictures the neighbors stopped and talked to me awhile. They said that they often see this tortoise crossing the street and browsing in the area.

 I love the desert in the morning; I just wish it didn't come so early.

Lava Butte Road - Beautiful Desert

Lava Butte Road

Scene from Lava Butte Road with Lake Las Vegas in the Background

Star enjoying the view from Lava Butte Road

Looking Down on Lava Butte Road from overlook. You can see Lake Las Vegas looking in the opposite directions at the top of the bluff.

Barrel Cactus growing out of the cracked rock.  

Orange rock along Lava Butte Road

Orange Mountain Along Lava Butte Road

Lava Butte Road follows the power lines for a little ways.  In the backgound you can see Henderson, NV.  If you keep going on this road you come out at Las Vegas wash.  You can turn around and go back the way you came, take Rainbow Garden Road back or drive up to Sahara.

Scene from Lava Butte Road

Lava Butte Road has some of the best scenery in the area and most people do not know about it. It is just north of Lake Las Vegas. Take Lake Mead Drive to North Shore Drive, Past Lake Las Vegas and make a left onto Lake Mead Blvd. Not too far past the National Park entrance you will see a dirt road that goes off into the desert to the left. This road will take you to Lava Butte Road and Rainbow Garden Road. If you want to travel the entire Lava Butte Road, you should take a four wheel drive vehicle and lost of water. The road is pretty good, but in a few places there is high clearance. Do not go in the summer!

When you get down to the wash you can turn around and go back the way you came or drive all the way out to Sahara. Either way is about the same distance. The drive to Sahara is a much better road and much faster.  They have been working on the roads in this area so this might have changed since I have been there.

Pill Bugs! Sow Bugs! Roly Poly Bugs!

Roly Poly Bugs

Pill bugs, sow bugs, or roly polys bugs, no matter what you call them they can be trouble.

I have had a problem with pill bugs in my garden for years. They ate my tomatoes, strawberries, and other vegetables at night before they were even ripe. I read some where that if you get rid of the decaying matter in your garden, you will get rid of the roly poly bugs.  I tried that, but that didn't help at all. I tried a poison, but that didn't help either. I vacuumed them up by the thousands with my shop vac in my grass with no affect.  I even tried doubled-side tape, beer, and cans around my plants, but nothing kept them from eating my plants until I put hay down around all my plants. I found that the roly poly bugs liked the decaying hay so much they ignored my tomatoes and strawberries.  They did still eat some of my young plants but putting cans around them until they got bigger kept them safe.  Try hey!!!!  I still have thousand of pill bugs but they stick to the hey. Not only that this is the first year my tomatoes are actually producing quite a few tomatoes!  I love hey!

Roadrunners

Roadrunner Hunting Grasshoppers

It seems mockingbirds aren't the only birds that hunt grasshoppers. I spotted three roadrunners hunting grasshoppers near the road this morning. A local resident said he has seen these birds hunt quail chicks, spear them with their beaks, and eat them whole.  No wonder the mockingbirds chase them away.
"The Cornell Lab of Ornithology" website says they kill rattlesnakes - that's a plus!  They remind a little of mockingbirds because they lift their tail feathers up at a slant when standing as shown in the picture.

Mockingbirds Defending Their Territory

Mockingbird harassing a Red-tailed Hawk

On my morning walk today I witnessed what National Geographic describes as mockingbirds "defending their nesting and feeding grounds".  Pictured above is a mockingbird trying to scare away a red-tailed hawk. There were actually two mockingbirds, but I could only photograph one. I also saw another set of mockingbirds harassing a roadrunner near a house at the edge of the desert. The roadrunner took off towards the desert.

Where's Your Focus?

I finished work early yesterday so I decided to sit out in the garden and relax for awhile. I'm not the type of person to sit for more than a few minutes so I got my camera and spent an hour taking pictures instead. Photography has been one of my passions since college. I am always amazed at what I find when I take out my camera and focus on just a few feet around me. Photography has a way of helping you see things in a whole new way. It always lefts my spirits.

Taking pictures can be a lot like living life. If you just point your camera and shoot without focusing on what is important, you won't get a very exciting picture. You won't have a point of interest, just a boring picture.  If you take the time to really look around and find what is important and make it a focal point your picture will be successful.

It's the same with life. If you just run around without a purpose or focus, your life will just pass you by. Before you know it, it will be over and you will wonder what you really accomplished. But if you take the time to focus on the important things, help people around you, and appreciate the small things, life is so much better, like a beautiful picture.

Blue Cornflower Ready to Bloom

Bird of Paradise Getting Read to Bloom

Bee on Lavender Flower

Artichokes in Bloom

Artichokes in Bloom View 2

Artichoke and Artichoke leaf

Where's Your Focus!

Creosote Bush

Anyone who lives in the desert is familiar with this flowering bush. Its' most notable feature is the little silvery seed balls that form after the flowers have died. They are especially beautiful in the early morning and evening when the sun is shining through the millions of little hairs on the balls making them glow. I was surprised today to see some new flowers on the bushes because I thought they were done blooming for the summer. The recent rain must have encouraged the plants to bloom again.

The ants love the furry seed pods. It is interesting to watch them carrying them to their underground homes once they have fallen to the ground. Their homes are surrounded by a large soft mound of the unuseable parts. Stepping on the refuge is like stepping on soft moss in the woods. Creosote is the smell of rain here. Many people say they love the smell, but I think it is very pungent and miss the sweet smell after the rain in the midwest.

Red-tailed Hawk Carrying Rabbit's Legs

Hawks can often be seen hunting near the edge of the desert. They hunt rabbits, birds, and lizards. Here you can see a hawk with rabbit feet in its talons.  I have also seen the birds eating other birds. The mockingbirds get very upset whenever they are around, flying in circles around the intruding hawk trying to get it to leave the area.

The Arboretum at Flagstaff

The Flagstaff Arboretum is one of my favorite places to go in Flagstaff. I visited at the end of May this year and plan to go back in July just to see the different flowers in bloom. May isn't the best time to go, but it was till amazing. Following are some pictures I took from my May visit.

Blue Penstemon

Blue Bell

Comfrey Leaves

My Favorite - Sorry I don't know what it is called.

Pink Tulips


I just got back from visiting the Arboretum at Flagstaff for the second time this year. The flowers were amazing.  July is definitely a great time to visit.

Gartersnake

Dead Gartersnake

Star (my Westie) found a dead gartersnake this morning. When she finds something she isn't sure about she takes a quick sniff and then jerks her head back.  If it had been a live rattlesnake, she wouldn't have been quick enough though. A rattlesnake scratched Sammy on the nose with its fang when he was using this technique. Both my dogs have had contact with rattlesnakes. Sammy got the scratch on his nose, and Star was bitten on the lip. The snake was too cold to inject any venom so she was lucky. I got them rattlesnake vaccines this year. The vaccine is supposed to keep the dogs from reacting to the venom as fast so you have time to get them to the vet for anti-venom.  I'm hoping I don't have to find out.

This gatersnake has a beautiful grey and lighter grey checker board pattern. I looked it up on the web and I think it is a Thamnophis marcianus marcianus.  It's about 8 1/2" long.  Steven Bol Garter Snakes website says this snake grows to about 80 cm. That is 31 inches long, almost a yard. It would freak me out if I saw one that big while walking in the desert especially since this area has lots of rattlesnakes. Steven states that this snake is found in the Southwest US and Mexico in or near a water source. This one was probably a 1/4 mile from any water source, and only water from irrigation.  It had a fatal wound about half-way down it's body on its belly.  It was really cool because it died with it's mouth open looking like it was ready to strike whatever killed it. I wonder if a rattlesnake tried to kill it?  This is the first snake other than rattlesnakes I have seen in this area.

Black Bears and Other Animals at Bearizona

Bearizona! We were driving home from Ouray, Colorado when we saw a huge sign advertising Bearizona Wildlife Park near Williams, Arizona. Since we love all things wild, we couldn't resist stopping to find out what it was all about.  I must say I was completely surprised by the size and quality of this facility especially since I have never heard of it.

Bearizona Wildlife Park - This park is located in Williams, Arizona about three hours from Henderson, NV, or 3 1/2 hours from Las Vegas. The attendant said it has been open about five years, but the facility looks brand new.  It is well kept with broad walkways, a snack shop, and two gift shops, and large, natural animal enclosures. There is a walking area with a baby bear area that contains four baby bears, a large juvenile bear area, bobcat enclosure, river otters, badgers, javelina, a peacock that roams freely, porcupines, foxes, a birds of prey show, and numerous farm animals.  There is also a separate drive-through area with wolves, bison, and older bears, Big Horn sheep and Dall sheep. You can drive trough the area in your own car of take the bus. We didn't have time to do the drive through so I can't comment on that part of the park.

Baby Bear at Bearizona

The baby bears were definitely that most popular attraction in the walk-through area.  The four little black bears kept up there antics even though some of them looked like they might fall over with exhaustion at any moment.

Baby Black Bears playing at Bearizona Wildlife Park

The four black bear cubs kept visitors' attention with their continuous play fighting: jumping on each other, knocking each other over, and play attacking. They seemed to be completely oblivious to the viewers only six feet away.

Baby Black Bear at Bearizona Wildlife Park in Williams, Arizona

One of four black bear cubs at Bearizona Wildlife Park. This little bear seemed very tired and about to fall over from exhaustion.

One of two badgers at Bearizona Wildlife Park. 

The two badgers were interesting to watch because they didn't really seem to get along very well. They were quit aggressive towards each other often growling and wrestling with each other.

Owl at Bearizona Wildlife Park

The birds of prey show is one of the highlights of the walk-through area at Bearizona. Children and adults alike get a kick out of the birds flying back and forth so low that you can feel them as they pass. 

Friendly Goat at Bearizona Wildlife Park
 Children love petting the friendly goats at the park, and the goats seem to enjoy it too.

Porcupine at Bearizona Wildlife Park

River Otter at Bearizona Wildlife Park

The playful otters seemed to be having a great time at the park. They also seemed to like the visitors and would often pop up near the glass enclosure and surprise the guests.

Easter Lily cactus

I

Bee collecting pollen from the large Easter lily cactus flower

Closeup of Easter Lily Cactus Flower

Grey Shrike - Butcher Bird

 Grey Shrike - Butcher Bird

I was excited to see this bird again this morning.  I saw one for the first time a few weeks ago when taking the dogs for a walk in the desert near my house.  I was surprised that it didn't fly off right away with the dogs running all around, and had plenty time to study its marking. I didn't have my camera with me at the time, and probably wouldn't have gotten a very good picture anyways because it was getting dark, but I went right home and looked it up. I think it is a Loggerhead shrike. According to what I read shrikes are known as butcher birds because they hunt somewhat like hawks. They wait on perches and swoop down on birds, lizards, and other small animals. Because they don't have talons like hawks, they skewer their catch on cactus spines and thorns or stuffs them between rocks to eat them.

Las Vegas Wash - Soft Shell Turtle

Soft Shell Turtle - Las Vegas Wash

Coyotes

Coyote are quite prevalent in the desert next to housing developments. They prey on domesticated cats and dogs. We have lost two cats. Sometimes early in the morning before dawn you can hear them howling.  They can easily jump six-feet fences and attack dogs in their own yards.

Coyote watching my dogs and me as we walk in the desert.

Ethal M's Cactus Garden

Ethel M Chocolates is a great place to spend a few hours. It is a very popular place with tourists.  The parking lot always seems to have at least one or two tours buses. The extensive cactus garden (one of the world's largest collection) is amazing in the spring when the majority of cactus are in bloom, and during Christmas when the cacti and trees are lit by Christmas lights. But even if you can't make it at optimum times, it is still well worth spending time here.

The self-guided factory tour is a walk down a glassed hallway where you can see the working making candy if you are lucky enough to arrive at the right time. Wall plaques describe the history of the place and the candy making process. The tour ends at a candy store where you can sample one of their delicious creations.

Cactus Flowers - Ethel M's Cactus Garden - The garden contain a staggering sample of cacti from all over the world.  If you are interested, you can read the little signs that tell you about each species.

Lantana spilling over a pot - Ethel M's Cactus Garden. These flowers bloom all summer long so if you don't make it in the spring, you will still see some flowering plants and trees.

Cactus Flower - Ethal M's Cactus Garden - This is one of the later blooming cacti. I didn't make it until May. You will see more cacti in bloom if you go during the months of March and April.

Male Grackle - Ethel M's Cactus Garden - The grackle were very entertaining as they took advantage of the flowing water pot. If you look closely and listen to the birds, you will probably find some nesting in the tree and larger cacti.

Female Grackle - Ethel M's Cactus Gardn

 Christmas Lights - Ethel M's Cactus Garden

Christmas Lights - Ethel M's Cactus Garden