Hawk on!

Photo by Ned Harris 3/13/12

Adult Cooper's Hawk. What a beauty!

Neither a dog, nor a weed

Photo by Ned Harris, 3/7/2012

The yellow flower is called Dogweed (Thymophylla pentachaeta) and is in - you guessed it - the Sunflower Family (Asteraceae). If you look closely in the lower right, you'll see other some tiny white flowers with a dark center. These are one of the many Euphorbia species in the Spurge Family (Euphorbiaceae). That's as far as I'll go, though, until I get more training. You'll also see some Cryptanta (those furry looking white flowers in the lower left and right). There are a number of those species as well. In the Borage Family (Boraginaceae).
You may have noticed that the links to the flowers often have different common and/or scientific names. One of the pluses of common names is that they are easier to remember (and pronounce); but one downside is that there are often several common names for the same plant; and another that two different plants can share the same common name. Sigh. I'm doing my best to make sure that the link goes to the plant I'm posting about, though, by looking at the scientific names. Many scientific names were corrected at a recent botany conference, and Joan Tedford's list (which I use) has the latest. Bottom line: the scientific names I post are the most current.

Bloomin' Willow!

Photo by Ned Harris, 3/7/2012

Goodding Willow (Salix gooddingi).

Fringed fruit on a curved stalk

Photo by Fred Fisher 3/2/2012

It's not too late to check out the seed capsules on these Lace Pod Mustards (Thysanocarpus curvipes)!

For Davy Jones

Photo by Fred Fisher 3/2/2012

Yellow Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus).

Don't fiddle with the flowers

Photo by Marty Horowitz

If you learn only one flower this season, this should be the one! Just like other living things, plants of the same species can be somewhat different sizes and colors. Fiddlenecks (Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia) are not going to be 10 ft tall and purple; but they may be a few inches to 1 ft, yellow to orange. And they may be in various stages of curliness at the top. Go out and take a look.
But PLEASE don't pick flowers (or any thing - living or not) in Sabino Canyon. I stopped someone (well into adulthood) today from taking a veritable bouquet. (The first excuse: "I just want to plant these in my garden.") If you see someone with a plant, an animal, or a saguaro rib, please stop them from taking it out of the canyon; even if it's "too late" (as in the case today. True, the damage to those flowers was done, but dozens of people would have seen her taking them out of the canyon and would have thought: "How lovely! I'll pick some, too). You don't have to be in uniform to protect your public lands.

Bee on Chicory

Photo by Ned Harris 2/27/2012

The carnation-like white flowers you are seeing in Sabino Canyon are (most likely) Desert Chicory Rafinesquia neomexicana. You're on your own for the bee ID.