Continuing from last time, I explored more trails near Phoenix. The Phoenix Mountains Preserve is a vast natural area, surrounded by the city, but once you step inside, you quickly forget you’re in the middle of an urban area. I walked the Piestewa Peak Trails early in the morning.
A juvenile Black-throated Sparrow with a faint black throat.This one is definitely an adult Black-throated Sparrow.Partially hidden by branches, an Ash-throated Flycatcher.A Cactus Wren with prominent thick eyebrow stripes.Another individual with a captured grasshopper. The Cactus Wren is designated as the state bird of Arizona.Climbing the trail hill, I could see the city of Phoenix in the distance. I stitched together photos taken with a 500mm lens.House Finches also live in the desert.Common Side-blotched Lizard. It’s hard to see in the photo, but there’s a black blotch pattern on its sides.When I noticed some movement on a cactus, it was a Harris’s Antelope Squirrel eating cactus flowers. These squirrels are adapted to desert life.It skillfully holds the flower in both hands while eating. The sound of the image stabilization motor came through loudly. The video also had electronic stabilization, so it wasn’t shot with a tripod.Tiger Whiptail. It was very cautious, so I couldn’t get too close.The blue eye-ring on the White-winged Dove stands out.I noticed another squirrel eating flowers on a different cactus. It may be a valuable water source, but since the number of flowers is limited, they’ll likely run out quickly.A Black-tailed Gnatcatcher flitting restlessly between twigs. It looks like a female, but since there’s a bit of black on the head, it might be a non-breeding male.
Once again, I was hoping to spot a Common Chuckwalla, but no luck this time either.
