Category Archive

A gila woodpecker returning to the next, near Tucson, Arizona.

This is the second spring in a row that a pair of gila woodpeckers nested in this hole near our camp.  That is a treat, as they usually dig a new nesting hole each year.  We also have a pair of nesting gilded flickers also near or camp – it is fun to hear the babies screeching for attention every time the adult flies to the nest.

We are excited to be flying back to Alaska in the morning, but are going to miss all the wildlife that had become such a big part of our life in Arizona.  I have had people ask about how the animals are doing.  I can report, both gray foxes were still around and came by most evenings around sunset.  The two little baby javelina are still alive – I saw them recently during the middle of the night, and they are almost as big as the adults.  And finally, the quail family sill had all 8 little babies, although they were getting bigger.  We left a water drip for them while we are gone – it will be interesting to see how everyone is doing when we return in the Fall.

Wildflower blooms on a saguaro cactus, near Tucson, Arizona.

There have been blooming saguaros for a couple of weeks already – seems early this year, no surprise given how much warmer than average it has been around here.

Gray Fox.

Our visitor last night – love the gray fox!

Quail family.

It was a nice surprise to see a family of quail yesterday!  I have seen baby quail before, but usually in May.  Given the unseasonable heat, things seem early this year.

Two gray-fox in the game cam.

If you read my last post about the gray-fox, you will understand why the first thing I did late last night was pull the game camera to inspect the images.  I knew it probably wouldn’t be conclusive because only a couple of times all winter have I seen both fox at the same time in the frame.  So,  I figured I really wouldn’t know if I’m just seeing the same one over and over, or two.  But, to my excitement and relief, both foxes appeared in a single frame a couple of nights ago, so I know conclusively they are both still alive!  So cool.

A lot of animals visited the water hole during the short time we were gone including return visits by the coyote, a number of visits by a great horned owl, numerous skunks, even a raptor which I haven’t take the time to ID – o, and lots of javelina!

Safe to say, this is the worse photo I have ever posted here, but still a good one to me!  🙂

Gray Fox.

I don’t know what happened last night, but it sure sounded horrible.

Around 2:00 a.m. I woke to a terrible crying / waling sound.  Thought maybe the local gray fox pair had caught a cotton-tail rabbit, except it just continued.  I looked outside, and on a rock ledge about 20 feet away I could see the source of the crying – one of the local foxes that we see from time to time, and appears multiple times each night on the game cam near the water hole.  On the ground just below the fox was a second fox.  A short distance away were two more sets of eye glows, but I was never able to identify these two.  Thought they might be two more foxes.

They eventually made there way down the wash and away, but the fox continued to cry loudly.

Was eager to check the game cam this morning.  The foxes were on it early in the evening, but never returned – they often grab another drink of water in the early morning but not today.  However, along with our regular visitors – hooded and stripped skunks and javelina – for the first time there was a coyote at around 10:00 pm.  I sure hope coyotes didn’t attack our fox!

This morning I couldn’t find any sign of anything.  Three vultures circled overhead in the canyon, but moved on without dropping in on anything.

I’ll be anxious to check the camera to see if the foxes are still appearing.  Unfortunately, I won’t be able to check until Wednesday as we return to Alaska today to re-certify our wilderness first aid training.  I’ll keep you posted when we return.