Gray Fox near Tucson, Arizona.

A gray fox last night at the Desert Photo Retreat.  By the way we still have some great dates available this season if you are looking to photograph out here.

I finally have the gear I need for night photography and camera trap photography – I’m looking forward to doing much more.  It is amazing how much wildlife is here at night.

This the favorite perch for our gray fox pair (along with the hood of our car) for scouting out our camp, the water drip and bird feeders.  I know this is its favorite because it has left me some nice gifts (scat) as it marks its territory like gray foxes like to do on top of rocks.

This was a 3 flash setup.  However, this was the only frame I captured where the rim light flash behind the rock didn’t fire.  Just as well as I had that flash a little too bright.  I was hoping he would have been just 10 minutes earlier as we had a wonderful sunset.

Lunar eclipse, near Tucson, Arizona.

The recent super, blue eclipse moon from the Desert Photo Retreat.

Bobcat last night at the Desert Photo Retreat, near Tucson, Arizona.

Although we see our local pair on gray fox make the rounds and check out the bird feeders every evening – I have been generally surprised at the lack of other wildlife at night.  I hoped, and suspected this had to do in large part with my game camera that now actually has javelina teeth holes in one of the sensors.

So last night I put out two brand new game cameras.  Wow, there is a lot that goes on out here at night!  The camera at the water hole captured the gray fox pair at 4 different times during the night.  Plus, this bobcat who made himself at home.  A great-horned owl stopped in for a bath.  Plus, skunks, javelina even a small mouse.

I pointed the second camera at some hummingbird feeders and it showed a steady stream of bats coming in for a quick drink!

I will soon begin setting up remote triggers and flashes to capture more professional images of this activity – excited about all the possibilities!

Gray fox at play.

Looks like when I’m away the fox will play!  I made a quick trip to Alaska and back to check on our house.  While I was gone, I left a game camera at the waterhole.  It was fun to see the activity up there.  A single adult fox shows up regularly, but it isn’t very often I see both adults at the same time.  This same night both adults came down to camp and sat on a rock not far from Janine and the campfire – sorry I missed that moment!

A Phainopepla.

Phainopepla are regulars at the Desert Photo Retreat, but can be difficult to photograph since they don’t go to feeders.  I was able to photograph this guy yesterday as he has gotten very comfortable with my presence.

The finished lower blind.

I completed construction of the second blind last week, and now with blinds positioned for morning and evening we are ready for prime time!  In fact, we had guests here the past two nights and have about 15 nights already booked for this season.  The most recent guests said staying here “was magical”.

I have worked hard over the last two seasons building blinds, fixing waterlines – the list is long and not interesting, but now I’m excited to be shifting gears and getting back to photography and workshops at the Desert Photo Retreat!

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Curve Billed Thrasher

A curve-billed thrasher from the new morning blind.