On a trip to the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, I had several side trips planned for the week. I wanted to see the pipe organ cactus, the saguaro cactus, javelina, desert pronghorn and big horn, and the bird that made “beep-beep” famous, and hummingbirds. If I accomplished all of this, it would be a very good trip. If I got to see a coati or a ringtail, then it would be an exceptional trip.

The first day was spent at Saguaro National Monument (west unit) looking at the different plant life and birds. I took several images of all sizes of the saguaro cactus in many varieties of light. I shot a few bird images I had never seen before. About dusk, things started to happen. The desert rabbits appeared, the Gambel’s quail started to feed, and lizards were running everywhere.

The next day, I did the Sonoran Desert Museum. It was interesting and I shot a few captive animals. However, the birds and lizards were all along the paths waiting to pose for the camera. This is also a good place to get cactus flowers.

The following day, I drove to Buenos Aires NWR. It was rainy and over cast. Because of the weather, I saw the masked quail, the desert pronghorn, desert tortoise, and the roadrunner, and the black hawk. The roads are most hard dirt and by the time I had driven them, my car was covered in mud (especially driving through the big pot holes). From there I went to Pipe Organ National Monument and drove the loop. Lots of cactus images and desert tortoise and rabbits, and a beaded lizard.

The following day, I went to several of the riparian areas in South eastern Arizona in search of the hummers. Maderia Canyon was very productive, as was San Pedro Canyon. I got images of 12 kinds of Hummers. While I was photographing a violet crown feeding her babies in the nest, something hit me on the shoulder and fell in my lap. It was a bat. I put it on a tree limb and got its picture too.

That night I spent in the famous town of Tombstone. There are lots of historical places and actions to photograph there, but that was not my thing.

However, it was an interesting time.

The following day, I did the mountains around and the Saguaro Park (East unit). I drove the loop road and took lots more of what I had already seen.

I was coming to the end of the loop as the nature center was already in view. I saw a javelina. Then I saw a few more. They were heading toward the nature center. I headed in that direction and got set up before they got there. There were three females, two of them had babies…..about 4 weeks old……and ten in number. Two of the babies came up to me, as they were chasing a lizard, and saw me and ran. Mamma met them half way, and I honestly did not know to run or not.

The whole trip every time I looked in the review mirror I noticed a border patrol vehicle behind me. One my last day in Arizona, I stopped for gas, and a border patrol car pulled up to get gas as well on the opposite pump. I started a conversation with him. When I told him I was a nature photographer, he laughed. When I asked why he told me…..They spotted my muddy car and had me under surveillance for several days. They just knew I was driving the back roads picking up illegals, but they could never catch me. We went in the store and he bought me a drink as we both had a good laugh. They are earning their money. That night I went to the car wash.

The next day I went back to the desert museum. I shot some captive snakes and the desert bighorn.