Osterhase

My Honey-Matt and I went hiking at Saguaro East on Easter (4/16/2017) and encountered this Antelope Jackrabbit, about 2 feet tall, who was kind enough to stay still for photos. The Jackrabbit is really a hare, of course, and the title "Osterhase" (German = Easter hare) seems fitting.

photo by Matt Ball 4/16/2017

More hares from this blog in 2015 here.

Creek Glyphs

Photos by Matt Ball, 4/15/2017

And more on this topic from 2014.

More than a blotch

Photo by Marty Horowitz 4/7/2017

The orange color indicates that she's got fertilized eggs ready to be laid. Click on this photo for a larger view of the mite pocket on this Common Side-blotched Lizard. And click on the link for this post from 2015 on this topic.

And here's a bonus re-run of lizards from 2015.

Re-run fun: Roadrunner edition

This great post (if I do say so myself) from April 2014.

Damsels and Dragons

All photos copyright Marty Horowitz

4/7/2017

Spine-tipped Dancer

3/30/2017

Gray Sanddragon

4/7/2017

Arroyo Bluet

4/7/2017

Flame Skimmer

And a re-run of a rare dragon from 2015.

Fred's Find, too

Photos and story by Fred Heath, 4/17/2017

Fred writes:

The other day while walking along Sabino Creek on the east side just above the dam, I was surprised to find a Yellow Columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha). Although this can be a common flower up higher in the Catalina Mts. a little later in the season, I didn’t expect to find a plant in Sabino. I did check our annotated list and, sure enough, it was there, so someone has recorded it before. I’m fairly certain I’ve never come across this elegant flower in Sabino before.

Anne says: 

Ned and I saw Yellow Columbine in this same spot in May 2013. 

Harris from Harris

Photo by Our Favorite Ned Harris 4/18/2017

Ned photographed this Harris's Hawk about 5 minutes from his home. Click for larger. And fly over to his flickr site for more amazing flyers.