Category Archives: Desert Dwellers

Three on the wing

While out front yesterday evening  I managed to capture these three flitting from their perches on some dried-out tumbleweeds and branches.

Desert Creatures: Out of hibernation

It has gotten consistently warm enough that the desert lizards are coming out of hibernation.    I found this handsome male Yellow-Backed Spiny Lizard bopping around out front yesterday evening. Here he is sunning himself on a rock under the Russian Olives we use as a windbreak.

He is a BIG boy.

He got tired of the crazy lady with the camera and scooted into the Aussie tree.. Still, he wasn’t too skittish and I was able to get pretty close. I love the turquoise on his throat and abdomen. I am also fascinated by lizard mouths.

Cottontail

There’s no point in showing you this photo in color…rabbit and surroundings are the same. Taken on our property. (See, I don’t need to drive 60 miles to shoot wildlife!) And no, they’re not that afraid of us. Or the dogs. Sigh.

Day 186 – Standoff

I caught Maya and a jackrabbit staring each other down through the front door this morning. I shot about a dozen photos, alternating focus between Maya and the jackrabbit. I finally settled on this one.  I love that they are both looking right at each other and that their ears seem to mirror each other’s.

Day 182 – Great Basin Whiptail

I spied this creature out in the undeveloped portion of our 5 acre lot.  He was about six inches long, though he should have been longer. You can see that his tail is growing back, so it isn’t as long as it can be (up to two body lengths, according to this site).