What's that yellow flower?

Photo by Ned Harris, 11/2/11

This question is usually answered (by me, anyway) with the letters DYC (Damn Yellow Composite). Alison, my mentor in the naturalist program, gave me that face-saving tip. There are, indeed, a lot of yellow flowers in the Asteraceae Family (still known also as the Compositae Family), commonly known as the aster, daisy, or sunflower family. Feel free, therefore, to answer yellow flower questions with DYA, DYD, DYS; or use all for Damn Yellow CADS.

Fortunately, though, I've learned a flower or two in the past year and can identify this particular cad as a Bur Marigold (Bidens aurea). The photo I used to verify this comes from "the best wildflower book ever" (that's a direct quote from my Honey-Matt), namely: MountainWildflowers of Southern Arizona by Frank S. Rose, from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press (pg. 17). The cover is unassuming; the content is outstanding. (Joan Tedford served as Mr. Rose's botanical advisor.) Get one today!

Sabino Saguaros

Always click photos for larger view. I mean it!

All photos by Ned Harris, 11/5/11

I suppose you're wondering why I called you here today...

I told you that was too much hair gel...

Tooting their own horn

Photo by Ned Harris, 10/31/11

I don't recall seeing Hummingbird Trumpets (Epilobium canum ssp latifolium) last fall (but I didn't see a lot of things last fall.) These are out in the riparian area above the dam. Toot toot!

Gila Monster Mummy

Photo by Ned Harris, 11/2/11

Thanks to Jean 'Eagle Eye' Hengesbaugh for noticing this poor monster. Eaten long ago and entirely desiccated, the remains nevertheless captured our interest. And that of many and various passersby.

One won; one zero

Prairie Falcon 1, other bird 0

All photos by Ned Harris, 11/1/11

Don't fill up on feathers...

...or feet!

Fare was fair. 

Farewell!

Who you callin' Dogface?

Photo by Ned Harris, 10/31/11

This little beauty is called a Southern Dogface Butterfly. Better than being called a Snout Nose, I suppose.

Snake trail

Photo by Ned Harris, 9/4/11

Another 'oldie' that I finally cropped. (Feet and ankles, okay; entire backsides, not so much.) On a photo shoot for a project Ned, Carol T, and I are working on, Carol noticed this snake trail off the Esperero Trail. It went on about two times longer than this photo shows, winding through the bursage, burro brush, and even cholla. Not something you see everyday!