Wildlife Photos

My first visitor of the day at my reasonably new job as the Tourism Coordinator for the City of Douglas, AZ. Is this a Clark’s Spiny Lizard?

While the sun bakes the desert this June, I decide to go for a hike with my Sony along for the ride. I was not expecting to see anything so I was surprised to see a dozen Turkey Vultures hanging out by the Edwin Road bridge. This vulture is in the heraltic pose. While the vultures remain mum on their poses, there are three possible reasons they strike the pose. 1. Dry their feathers (not really necessary in this photo). 2. Ameliorate the thermal gradient between themselves and their environment. 3. So the sun can warm them. Wingspan is about 8 feet 9 inches and they weigh about 27 pounds.

I was not expecting to see much on the hike today, but my eyes were deeply scanning the terrain. I did witness a coyote run up the side of the wash. Impressive, but I had missed the critical moment with a photo at the top, the coyote looking in my direction. A minute later, a second coyote ran across the wash, and I was barely prepared as I needed to find the coyote in the frame quickly. With a quick click, I got him just going over the edge.

While on a trial period for Photoshop (beta), this was my first attempt at using the AI feature. Someone had joked about adding a brim hat to our little guy (horned lizard). I did not have a way of easily doing that but after seeing some videos on Photoshop with AI I had an answer.

Our mini dinosaur, the Horny Toad (Horned Lizard).

Elegant Trogon - We just got back from an incredible journey to the Cave Creek area of the Chiricahua Mountains (SE Arizona) and I have not had the opportunity to edit any photos. I did want to post a photo of the Trogon. There will be a blog post and Stories Behind the Images soon. We were unbelievably fortunate to have spent 1.5 hours with this unique and highly colorful bird.

Not the best hiding spot for this jack rabbit.

A short getaway to La Quinta, California brought me very up close to a herd of bighorn sheep (2021).

These are the youngsters of the bobcat mother in the photo below.

Bobcat with a meal for her little ones.

Tarantula Hawk with a Tarantula. Go to my ‘Stories behind the images’ section for a story of what is happening in this photo. It is the most unusual story I have heard that the desert offers.

Bobcat

Desert Tortoise

Rattlesnake

Patience gave me an opportunity for this photo of the Javelina family. I had seen them about 45 minutes earlier as they spent time poking around a home next to the dirt track I was hiking. They slowly made their way toward me, aware of my presence, but not overly concerned. With them heading in a westward direction I knew they would eventually cross the dirt track so I was waiting, with my Sony.

This is the same day/ bobcat as the photo below.

I first caught sight of this bobcat as he strolled through our front yard. A quick camera retrieval and I was out the door to seek and locate him/her a couple houses away. Our photo session would take us across a few more homes until I hit the video record button. The largest dog in the neighborhood would break up our time together. I would see the bobcat, one more time, an hour later, while on my hike. He was balanced on a narrow wall in the next neighborhood, watching.

One of the many interesting and unique creatures that scurry across the desert terrain (or road in this case). Thankfully, this Walking Stick does not happen to be venomous, poisonous, or be the offspring of a mountain lion in its description. A number of the desert dwellers I come across cause fear for many and extra attention on my part.

This fellow has been a frequent sight the last three years. I encounter him within the first quarter mile from the time I hit dirt. My ‘greeting’ to Dave’s trail. I might do a seperate blog on rattlesnakes as they are part of trail running in southern arizona. Largely due to a heavy monsoon season I had 39 R snake sightings last summer. Crazy!

Horny Toad

Brown Bear at The Fortress of the Bear (Sitka, Alaska). I was here with a travel writer, and we had the unique opportunity to feed grapes to our new, rather large friend.

Another amazing encounter with nature on my trail run.

You can’t hide with those ears!

Javelina time on my trail run.

Turkey Vulture in the horaltic pose, increasing the surface area of their bodies so the sun can more easily warm them. Average wingspan is 6 feet.

This Gila Monster was in the same area as a larger Monster seen about three weeks ago. My wildlife biologist friend (Eric) believes they are a couple. They even ‘hid’ under the same bush while we were taking photos/videos.

First time I have seen a Gila Monster with yellow (ish) coloration. The color scheme for the newly born monsters. Their coloring will evolve to a pink or orange with black pattern.

Horny Toad (Horned Lizard)

A rare occurrence when you can stand next to a hummingbird and get a close-up photo. I do not have a good zoom lens on this camera.

The third Gila Monster I have seen in two weeks! This is an animal that spends 90% of its time in its burrow. Must be mating season.

Looks to be a Gila Monster kind of year. This is the 2nd one I have seen (on my trail runs) in a week. That equals the total monster count last season.

Thankfully, the next door neighbor put out his garbage the evening before pick-up. The javelina arrived before the dinner bell rang and it was quite an evening. I believe there were 4 in this rowdy crew.

1st Gila Monster of 2020. Looking forward to many, many more interesting desert animals to be seen on my runs.

Unsure of which type of hawk this is (Red Tail?), but I was fortunate to have this striking hawk only a few feet away. This was the 2nd sighting in the same exact location. Actually, at about head level and the start of ‘Dave’s Trail’.

Saw this Cardinal on one of my trail runs. Rarely see them and even more rare is having the time to snap a photo. They do not usually hang around for one. This was a ‘lucky’ shot as the Cardinal as I barely had time to snap one really quick photo, which happened to be nicely spaced between the Catalina Mountains and the dark clouds.

Saw this little guy (red fox) and five of his siblings on many runs in The Dalles, Oregon. Their home was only one block from my condo.

While the winter season in Southern Arizona is a quiet time for Javelina sightings, this year has been exceptional. All seen during my runs through the desert, I have seen many of these interesting animals. This was one of the three that I saw a few days ago. He was walking toward me to check out the human in Reeboks.

Bobcat touring the neighborhood.

While photographing a desert tortoise, this plump rattlesnake was enjoying a large meal.

Coyote wandering the neighborhood in Arizona.

A 3rd visit with the newly moved in Bobcat. Cool that he is dozing while I am a handful of feet away.

Another shot from the most recent sighting of the neighborhood bobcat.

An amazing encounter with a young bobcat last night. He/she was stalking a jack rabbit. Focused on the possible meal, there was little interest in the human trail runner.

Tarantula and a spectacular sky seen on my run last night.

Gila Monster seen on my run through the desert.

Anyone missing from the cruise ship tour group? This was taken at The Fortress of The Bear (Sitka, Alaska) where I was able to spend a decent amount of time watching the bears (I was the Director of Visitor Services for Sitka).

Porcupine near the Snake River in Idaho during our work on the Boise Backcountry Adventures trail book.

Pronghorn Antelope in La Veta, Colorado. La Veta is probably my favorite spot on the map in Colorado. Many, many journey’s in this area as the Race Across America passes through and the cabin I am currently staying in is nearby.

Many attempts at catching a good photo of a cardinal, usually out in the desert. Not seen very often in our area and they are usually on the move makes for poor photos. Success as one landed out my desk window. I keep a camera next to me for the ever evolving appearances across my vision of the front yard/neighborhood.

Another Tarantula heading off into the sunset

Javelina seen on my run.

I have seen this owl on or near this hillside 4 or 5 times recently, on my trail runs. I have been able to get closer to him/her on each occasion.

Was not expecting to see a tagged deer on my trail run a few days ago. Guessing it is a GPS tracker and there is a numbered tag on the ear. There was a second deer that was also tagged. He stood in a perfect spot to highlight the beautiful Catalina Mountains (Catalina, Arizona)

Horny Toad (Horned Lizard) seen on my run today.

Badger in the Mojave Desert (California). See related photo in ‘Stories Behind the Photos’.

One of the six young red foxes that I see almost every evening on my run (for a few months) in The Dalles, Oregon.

There is a den of foxes on my running route in The Dalles, Oregon. At least five young ones. I believe they are Red Foxes.

Bunnies are abundant in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Very abundant! They were prominent on the University of Victoria campus. They have transported many of them to a bunny sanctuary in Texas due to the numbers and their closeness to the highway system.

This photo is from Scott Harris during a No Limits kayak expedition in Sitka, Alaska. I was capturing video at this point. We were in our kayaks watching this young brown bear for many minutes. Video is in my film “Alaskan Waters” (film section).

Sea Lion - Sitka, Alaska - see the story behind this photo under ‘Stories Behind the Photos’ section

Near Fairbanks, Oregon.

Bobcat - in the neighborhood - Catalina, Arizona

Great Blue Heron - Eastern Oregon (Photo #2)

Porcupine near Dallesport, Washington

Great Blue Heron - Eastern Oregon (photo #1)

A lot of turkeys, making some noise, near Wasco, Oregon

Seen on my run in Sorosis Park (The Dalles, Oregon). I did not have a camera with a good zoom (that’s how close I was!)

This sea lion has traveled (or hitched a ride) 190 river miles up the Columbia River (The Dalles, Oregon)

Desert Tortoise seen on my run. First one I have seen in 2018. Should see a number of them in the next month+.

Desert Tortoise

Bobcat - In the neighborhood - Catalina, Arizona

Javelina - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

California Condor - Horseshoe Bend - Page, Arizona

Bobcat - In the neighborhood - Catalina, Arizona

Tarantula - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Buffalo - free to roam since the fence in this ghost town had many holes in it - Colorado

Bighorn Sheep - Taos, New Mexico

Wild Horses - New Mexio/Colorado border

Coatimundi - Turkey Creek Canyon, Arizona

Rattlesnake - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

The Roaming Buffalo - Colorado

Horny Toad - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Javelina - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Bobcat - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Bison - Colorado

Coyote - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Bobcat - In the neighborhood - Catalina, Arizona

Rattlesnake - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Desert Tortoise - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Rattlesnake - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Bobcat - In the neighborhood - Catalina, Arizona

Roadrunner - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Not exactly ‘wildlife’ but seeing a cow eating cactus (with Spines) is rather novel and worth getting the camera out - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Me and the roaming buffalo - Colorado - Photo by Eric Peffer Photography

Bobcats - In the neighborhood - Catalina, Arizona

Giant Desert Centipede - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Slipping this into the wildlife page as it is one of my favorites - During the Race Across America (bicycle) - Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Coati - Turkey Creek Canyon - Arizona

Tarantula - Seen on my run - Catalina, Arizona

Bighorn Sheep - Taos, New Mexico

Black Rattlesnake - near Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness - Klondyke, Arizona

Antelope - near Quemado, New Mexico

Buffalo - Colorado

Elk (herd of 150+) - Near Fort Garland, Colorado

Bighorn Sheep - Taos, New Mexico

Bobcat - In the neighborhood - Catalina, Arizona

Redtail Hawk - near Red Wing, Colorado

Coati - Turkey Creek Canyon - Arizona

Turkey - near Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness - Klondyke, Arizona

In the semi-wildlife file, the nearest bull is stuck in the cattle guard. We came across him while on a 4WD over the Kelly Grade (intense!) and winding down another 4WD road until we came across this scene. We did go back up till we reached another route and cell service to call the BLM. We did receive a call later on to inform us that the bull was rescued.