Deck the halls with galls

Photo by Ned Harris, 11/23/11

Two quizzes in a row is a bit galling, I realize. What's this shrub? Bonus for a reasonable 'guess' about how the gall was formed. Answers in tomorrow's post.
Leaves from yesterday's post are (top photo) Arizona Sycamore (Platanus wrightii) and Arizona (Black) Walnut (Juglans major).

Bonus book recommendation (for that bad pun above). My cousin-in-law recently gave me a book with the provocative title Wicked Plants: The weed that killed Lincoln's mother and other botanical atrocities by Amy Stewart. Who knew there were so many plants that are toxic, poisonous, and downright deadly?! I'm enjoying it immensely. (Some say I'm enjoying it a bit too much.) If you have even a passing interest in plants, get this book. The etchings (by Briony Morrow-Cribbs) are lovely, and many of our desert plants make an appearance, too.

Leaves

Photos by Ned Harris, 11/23/11 

It's time for another quiz! Hooray. Both are Arizona trees. Answer in tomorrow's post.

Canyon Curiosity 4

Photo by Ned Harris, 11/10/11

This very permanent trail marker is not on (or very near) the Esperero Trail. You'll see it, though, if you go on one of Bruce's Gneiss Walks. Thursdays, 8.30-11.30am. Meet in front of the visitor center.

Merlin's beard! He's a Merlin!

All photos by Ned Harris, 11/26/11

Ned's favorite bird. Now you know :-)

You'll want to click on this one...

...and this one. 

Wow! Aren't these amazing?! This small falcon is a winter visitor in Sabino Canyon; a 'snow bird', if you will. But you can call this adult male 'Merlin'.

The Queen's fruit

Photo by Fred Heath

This was a find at BioBlitz species inventories led by Jean and Mark and by Fred at Saguaro National Park East. There are Queens of the Night  (aka Night-blooming Cereus Peniocereus greggii) in Sabino Canyon, but it's a real treat to see a fruit.

Bluebirds of Happiness

Photo by Mark Hengesbaugh, 11/21/11

Jean and Mark were visited by these Western Bluebirds (of Happiness) on the Bear Canyon Trail.

More sage advice

It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.

Ellen and I highly recommend the new book, The Magic of Reality: How we know what's really true by Richard Dawkins and illustrated by Dave McKean. (Kids of all ages will recognize the illustrations from some of their favorite Harry Potter movies.)

The ant lion makes an appearance; as do dogs, dolphins, and the Doppler shift. It's all in the explanation; rainbows, plate tectonics, seasons, atomic theory, DNA. Wow. If all this can (finally and/or again) be made clear to me, it can be made clear to the average 8-year-old. 
And a bonus video that Carl Sagan (who said the above) would have loved.