Sunny with a chance of birds

All photos © Marty Horowitz, All 6/27/2016 except where noted

Ladder-backed Woodpecker, enjoying some tasty Saguaro fruit. Or standing on some, anyway.

Curve-billed Thrasher, looking regal

Male Broad-billed Hummingbird, taking a break on a Foothill Palo Verde

Photo by Marty Horowitz 7/1/2016

Male Phainopepla, still hanging around

Male Purple Martin, outstanding!

1st of 7th

This is the first post of my seventh year.

With a gentle push from friends, I started blogging about Sabino Canyon six years ago. A lot has changed in those six years, but I like to think that Your Daily Dose of Sabino Canyon has only gotten better. The fantastic photos are the reason this blog even exists, of course, but (again) I like to think I (at least occasionally) add something of value. (I know I've learned a lot.)

I'm grateful for your readership, your kind comments, your wit and wisdom, your sense of humor. I'm exceedingly grateful to all the photographers and guest writers who make doing this a true joy. (I wish I could spend more time on it, actually.) Special thanks goes to Ned Harris, Marty Horowitz, Mark Hengesbaugh, and Fred Heath. (aka HaHoHeHe.)

Eastern Collared Lizard - Photo by Matt Ball, who deserves a smooch

I hope this blog helps you learn about life in Sabino Canyon, brightens your day, and makes you chuckle now and again. As I've written before, I'd rather be independently wealthy than ask perfect friends and perfect strangers for money. But if this blog is worth something to you (a dime a day, perhaps?) and you can afford to make a contribution, please click on the button below to make a secure contribution via PayPal. (You don't need a Paypal account. Click on the button below, fill in the amount, and look for the phrase "Don't have a PayPal account?" If you do have a PayPal account, you can use PayPal.me/AnneGreenAZ)

If you have a problem, please click here to view the post online. The donate button is on the left.

Your contribution helps keep this blog going, and I sincerely appreciate your support!

Jewel

Photo copyright Marty Horowitz 6/26/2016

Behold! Beauty is in the eye - and the scales - of this Desert Spiny Lizard! Another great shot by Marty Horowitz!

Made in the Shade, too

The rain on Sunday, 6/26/2016, brought the Sonoran Desert Toads out in force the next morning. (They're definitely mating here!)

Photos by Marty Horowitz 6/27/2016

Anne says: Don't eat. Or lick. Their skin contains potent toxins. Small animals can be particularly harmed, so keep children and pets away.

Made in the Shade

Too muggy for hugging? These Tiger Whiptail Lizards don't think so.

Photos by Marty Horowitz 6/24/2016

Don't they know they're supposed to mate in the spring? Maybe they're doing lizard yoga. Or preparing for the Lizard Olympics in wrestling.

Owl See You Later...

Photos and Text from Mark Hengesbaugh, June 23, 2016

Juvenile Great Horned Owl, Bear Canyon, Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, June 23, 2016
(All photos are of the same individual.)

Silent, still and nearly invisible, owls seem to materialize like apparitions. It's no wonder that folklore and mythology invest owls with magical properties. For most of human history, owls owned the night, who-whoo-ing, cawing and shrieking in the dark, then silently vanishing by day. From ancient Babylonians to modern Navajos, the owl has been revered as many things, from a messenger of death to a source of wisdom.

Owls are like cats with wings. They're finely tuned hunting machines with oversize pupils in eyes that are surrounded by light-gathering facial disks. An owl's stereoscopic vision is three to four times better at night than human eyesight. Just as importantly, an owl's facial disks collect and direct sound into two large ear openings concealed by feathers on the disk's edge. The ear openings are offset, and one is larger than the other. By comparing the timing and intensity of what they hear, owls pinpoint the location of alert, quiet prey - like a mouse - even if the prey is concealed under vegetation or snow. 

After a night on the prowl, an owl needs to disappear into the background to rest and digest. Their superb camouflage - combined with the stillness of a statue - allow them to remain unnoticed in daylight. Owls will roost on a tree branch near the trunk; the white spots of their plumage blend perfectly with dappled sunlight. Vertical stripes in their breast match the texture and shadow of tree bark.

Thanks, Mark!

A Moon in Full

Photo by Ned Harris 6/22/2016

You just can't beat the views in Sabino Canyon - at any time of year!