Garden Visitors

[Hillizard]

This is probably a Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia furcata). I think these insects have a fondness for citrus leaves... esp. those of my blood orange! However, since it and its brethren are possibly undergoing an insect apocalypse globally right now (Insect apocalypse? Not so fast, at least in North America (theconversation.com) , I decided to spare its life. 😉 The plant it's scaling is a 'Tropicana' Canna.

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Hillizard said:

This is probably a Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia furcata). I think these insects have a fondness for citrus leaves... esp. those of my blood orange! However, since it and its brethren are possibly undergoing an insect apocalypse globally right now (Insect apocalypse? Not so fast, at least in North America (theconversation.com) , I decided to spare its life. 😉 The plant it's scaling is a 'Tropicana' Canna.

May eat some but don't think citrus leaves are exclusive diet-wise..  Seemed like softer leaves, like those on the Canna or Calla Lilies were what they really liked / where i'd always find them hanging out.

One thing is certain though, whether trimming or picking fruit, far better having these crawl ( err, jump ) on ya' than the Sac Spiders, which also seem to love hanging out in Citrus    ..Always the biggest Sac Spiders too.  -Never  -Failed.. 🤬 😭

[Silas_Sancona]

The return of an icon of the Southeastern U.S.???

https://abcnews.go.com/US/ivory-billed-woodpecker-extinct-genetic-engineering-company-aims/story?id=114352833

[amh]

I saw a brown, green anole on one of my Sabal uresanas today. These lizards really like palms and yuccas.

[Silas_Sancona]

Aug - recent:  

While this summer was definitely not a banner year butterfly- wise,  slight uptick in sightings,  -Sulphur and related genus / sp. esp.-  points to it being wet enough  ..somewhere close enough... to encourage the growth of food / aide in dispersal flights of adults this year,  compared to last year. 

In this case, it was a Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae, one of about a handful that passed thru the yard this year.





Was also an uptick in Sleepy Orange, Abaeis nicippe  hanging out as well..  For whatever reason, most Sulphurs ..inc. these.. are tough to approach / quick to flush from their perch.




Always fun trying to play the  " which Hairstreak could it be " game...  These are most likely Grays, Strymon melinus.. though Soapberry Hairstreaks, Phaeostrymon alcestris  does wander down into the valley occasionally, alongside a few others that turn up around here..






This mini B is pretty easy  ..Western Pygmy Blue,  Brephidium exilis,  hanging out in Citharexylum spinosum..










Sweat Bees, ..most likely Angeles Striped ( Agapostemon angelicus ) in this case,  also seem to like Fiddlewood..











 Sympetum  species.





Green - Tailed Towhee, Pipilo chlorurus  year #2 in the yard.. Brought a couple others with him this year as well..








Hummingbirds ( likely Anna's ) visiting Tithonia rotundifolia..   Feeders get filled soon.

[Looking Glass]

A pair of these stop by for a day, once every other year.  Cool looking birds picking through the palm fronds for something.  

 

[Silas_Sancona]

Still warm enough to draw in the Flutter Butts...

" Winter " Queen,  Dannus gilippus





Painted Lady.. Possibly West Coast ( Vanessa annabella ) though all three species are common here.








While working on the Mulberry stump after getting it down,  i inadvertently dug up (  and killed 🤦‍♂️  ) a couple of these..  which were tucked under a root i was cutting through.  I hope there are more in the yard..

Brahminy Blindsnake,  Indotyphlops braminus ...one of at least 3 " Blind " Snake  species that occur in AZ.





First time observation here, bummer it had to be this way seeing them..

[Looking Glass]

2 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

While working on the Mulberry stump after getting it down,  i inadvertently dug up (  and killed 🤦‍♂️  ) a couple of these..  which were tucked under a root i was cutting through.  I hope there are more in the yard..

Brahminy Blindsnake,  Indotyphlops braminus ...one of at least 3 " Blind " Snake  species that occur in AZ.





First time observation here, bummer it had to be this way seeing them..

I find these in potted plants from the nursery when I put them in.  Very rarely I’ll run across one when digging in the garden beds.  The first time I saw one, I was afraid it was some sort of toxic worm I never saw before, til I saw that tiny tongue flickering.  These are the weirdest looking little things.  Easily mistaken for a strange black worm. 

[Silas_Sancona]

....Anna's


















'N  Incas....







 

[Silas_Sancona]

One critter you don't  expect encountering on the day of the Winter Solstice..  ..Alive at least..

Likely Stagmomantis limbata ( AZ Mantis ) ..but, it could also be one of several species commonly seen here.

[Silas_Sancona]

So, ..after disappearing for about 24 hours,  while outside about an hour ago,  my Mantis friend appears out of the corner of my eye running toward where i was seated..

She / it  decided to use my arm / torso as a climbing Gym instead of climbing up into the nearby Baja Ruella, glancing over toward where the Sunflowers are located once it had climbed across the top of my back.

Taking the hint and walking over there,  the Mantis eagerly reaches out for.. / hops off  my shoulder and settles on a leaf near the top of one of the stalks after leaping between a few others.


I see ..Aliens....










" ....What a Mantis contemplates, as the sun sets.. " A novel that writes itself, lol 😁

[Silas_Sancona]

First 3 critter sightings of 2025 = 3 omens of fortune..


Wonder if Honeybees taste like  ...honey




Ladybird sighting in the dead of Winter = an uncommon sight





Feeders are up, but i guess Sunflower nectar just tastes better..

[Silas_Sancona]

A perfect winter afternoon for catching up with some of my favorite visitors at an Oasis...


Ring Necked Duck, Aythya collaris













American Avocet, Recurvirostra americana   ** Winter season Plumage **










Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis  Been nearly 2 years since we last played our game of hide and seek.. Glad to see he's still around..






American Bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus  awaiting warmer weather..





...Around the yard garden...

Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos   who rarely isn't hanging out somewhere nearby while i'm out there..








Say's Phobe, Sayornis saya   ..'nother  " Always somewhere nearby "  yard bird..  Happy follows me to either neighbor's yards when i'm working in them too.

[steve99]

Wonga Pidgeon

[Silas_Sancona]

Yhaaa'd Birds..

Day #2 greeting an early season White Winged Dove.



Eurasian Collared Dove for comparison..







Gold Finch, Female  ..Possibly Lawrence's





Say's Phoebe..













Anna's Hummingbirds deciding to take turns rather than fighting over access to one of the feeders..







Gila Woodpecker on a morning hunt..






At a Desert Oasis..

Likely Say's Phoebe < based on it's call > enjoying a sunset snack ( Sallying after bugs flying around where it was perched when observed )









I'll get better pictures but finally had my first encounter with Costa's Hummingbird, Calypte costae   ..Hear them all the time when out there / some other local parks, but being smaller than Anna's, and hiding a little better in the Mesquites / other trees, they aren't always the easiest to spot.










Call is different and very distinct compared to Anna's so if heard, you know they're nearby..

Out near sunset = lighting wasn't ideal and didn't bring the tripod so ..Again, lol ...the goal is better shots to come. 

This particular spot is one of the easier to get to locations in the valley where Broad-Billed Hummingbirds ( Cynanthus latirostris ) have been hanging out regularly over the last 4 or so years..  While i've already notched my first photos of the species down in Patagonia, on the list to photograph closer to home as well.



 

[greysrigging]

This beauty agreed to pose for a coupla pics in my backyard ( Darwin, Australia )

Fuscus swallowtail I think ?

[greysrigging]

^^ And given that it's Vallentine's Day, I shouldn't  be surprised she's found a 'friend' and I think they're having a sleepover in my backyard...😎

[tropicbreeze]

On 2/14/2025 at 5:14 PM, greysrigging said:

This beauty agreed to pose for a coupla pics in my backyard ( Darwin, Australia )

Fuscus swallowtail I think ?



 

Papilio fuscus ssp. canopus, the Kimberley and Top End subspecies. Often called the Canopus Butterfly. Larvae are found on citrus looking like bird droppings. There's a different subspecies on the east coast.

[Silas_Sancona]

A few Spring critters..

Urosaurus ornatus




..Green Throated male..  If you've been around long enough, you'll recall me pointing out that there are various color forms of this common desert Lizard a few times in the past, and how the different colors influence behavior among males of the species...

Fyi.. he isn't dead..  W/ Lizards, more often than not,  after capturing for close up / detailed observation and pictures, gently flipping a lizard on its back while in hand will often cause the lizard less stress while it is being handled.

When turned right side up again, and released, they'll typically scurry off as if nothing happened.

After getting the shots, this kid ran off to the wall  nearby where he assumed his typical " observing the human in the yard " position and proceeded to do a few pushups ..before darting off after another lizard nearby.. No harm, no foul







Callipepla gambelii




Geococcyx californianus   ..Where's Wiley ( the Coyote )






Phainopepla nitens









Either Lithobates berlandieri, or L. yavapaiensis,  our most commonly encountered Leopard Frogs..  Even at this size, differences between these and young American Bullfrogs is quite obvious..



















 

[Silas_Sancona]

Some critters from a visit to a new Oasis on the last day of March..

Cinnamon Teal, Spatula cyanoptera,  One of my favorite ducks, but these tend to be very hard to approach w/ out flushing..  ..So the somewhat decent shots from several hundred feet away will have to do..  Would've been nice if the Drake would've kept his head above the water a little more too.








Sandpipers in the shots could be Spotted,  Actitus macularius,  and / or one of 4 or 5 other sps that occur here regularly..

Another 'Runner, Geoccoyx californianus




🤔....If i stand really still and face ..this way.. the weird looking two legged thing wrapped in bright white looking at me can't see me..




Black Necked Stilt, Himantopus mexicanus.  Another water bird that can be tough to approach w/ out flushing..  Female duck to the right may be another Cinnamon Teal..










..Wiley ( Coyote )  ..and a friend..














 

[Silas_Sancona]

More birds, from other Oases...


Sweetwater Wetlands, Flowing Wells area, Tucson..

Finally, some decent shots of Spatula cyanoptera, Cinnamon Teal..












































Anas crecca, Green -Winged Teal..
















Spatula clypeata, Northern Shoveler..













Not 100%, but Duck above the Wigeon could be Mareca strepera, AKA: Gadwall. First time observation of the species in AZ if so.. Fellow birder pointed out a couple in the same pond to his wife while the 3 of us were talking / taking pictures..





Mareca americana, American Wigeon






Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis  taking a nap in the shade of some Cattails.. From a distance, it looked like a discarded bag of chips caught by the plants. Too bad he wouldn't raise his Sapphire Blue bill.






Randoms...

First shot:  Possible Gadwall ( center top ).  Pied- Billed Grebe  photobomber ( bottom )











>>>>>>>>>>        >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>          >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>




 

[Silas_Sancona]

2 " lifer" birds and more is a pretty good takeaway from a warm and cloudy Sunday morning walk at one of the neighborhood Oases.


Randoms...
















Long - billed Dowitcher,  Limnodromus scolopaceus  ...I think...    First time observing this sp. in AZ.
























Sora, Porzana carolina   Typically reclusive and hard to spot " Reed Walker " that often goes un noticed while weaving in and out of sight among Cattail and Bullrush rafts. Most anyway.  This one was more than happy to take it's time wandering by in search of breakfast, providing plenty of time for decent shots..  Only the 2nd time i've observed one of these rare wading birds. 1st time in AZ..













Either Ridgway's ( Rallus obsoletus ) or Virginia Rail ( Rallus limicola )  Another shy and hard to spot Reed Walker that isn't always so willing to let 2 legged folk observe it.  Regardless of who this is,  first time observing a Rail sp. anywhere.




















Himantopus mexicanus, Black Necked Stilt
















Recurvirostra americana, American Avocet..  Been several years since i've seen one at this location..

























Gambel's Quail, Callipepla gambelii   W/ all the constant daily activity, find it odd how skittish the Quail are here yet, in neighborhoods that border open desert they can be found hanging out on back patios like Chickens w/out any concern for the humans present.


















Gila Woodpecker in an iconic pose..















A glimpse of a bird i have chased for years...


Because they tend to hide deep within thick Cattail and Bulrush stands this may be one of the tougher to observe Wetland birds, despite being fairly common locally, and across much of the west..  Best way of locating it is via the weird calls, which don't resemble any Blackbird or Grackle sp i've ever seen or heard ..Resembling something you might hear calling from a swamp deep in the tropics instead..

While just a peek at this reclusive bird, better shots of this kid and his friends is the goal..

Yellow Headed Blackbird, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus





American Coot chicks floating around while mom and dad got into an argument w/ a pair of Common Gallinule nearby..  These two common reed walkers usually get along, or chase each other around but ..i guess it's different when there are fuzzy kiddos around..








 

[Silas_Sancona]

A few " Winged highlights " from Boyce..


Perhaps the best shots of this bird i've taken yet.. Solid black ..with a bluish purple sheen is difficult to capture correctly unless lighting is right.  Red eyes and Mohawk seal the deal on this elegant bird.

Phainopepla nitens, Northernmost member of the mainly tropical Silky Flycatchers ( Family Ptilionatidae ) that dines primarily on berries from Mistletoes that grow on Mesquites..  Closely related to the Palm Chats of Hispainola and Waxwings.

Name translates from Greek to " Shining Robe " 

A royal, desert dweller indeed.





















Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis...  Yep,  plenty of these " eastern " birds in the desert, though they aren't as common of a " yard bird " here.





Of the " Cardinal- like " birds here to check off the list, only one  ...whose name is harder to pronounce than Phainopepla...   remains to be checked off. 

[Silas_Sancona]

Aside from plants and birds,  Boyce Thompson is a well known hot spot of Herpetological diversity as well..

Sitting just above the desert floor, but below the middle- elevation areas of the Superstitions, reptiles both major eco-regions can be seen in the area around the Arboretum and Picket Post Mtn.

Species whose ranges barely extend west of the NM border / White Mtns east of Globe, or north from farther south in S.E. AZ have been documented here as well.

Aside from everything else, checked off 5 of the " common " Lizards one may see on a walk around the gardens, icl. one of two that defy " bland and desert-y looking "

Obvious thought is Urosaurus ornatus  but, i haven't closed the book on this encounter being something less common..






Common Side- Blotched Lizard, Uta stansburiana..





Peeking out from a nook on a cliff face about 18ft up, and 300ft away from the Side Blotched fella below.

...I see you,  special little Dino..  Can't hide from me..

[Silas_Sancona]

Western Whiptail, Aspidoscelis tigris    thinking he wouldn't be seen if he crouched down into a depression along a trail filled with leaves..





Desert Spiny Lizard, Sceloporus magister.  Juveniles of various ages..

[greysrigging]

Serenaded at breakfast time by Australia's premier song bird, the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo
( will you noisy b******s go away !! )

 

[Silas_Sancona]

Special Dino specimen #2... Hey, guy, Could you turn to face a different direction for a few shots, sir....







Back to the yard / hood for a moment....

 

Peach -faced Lovebird..



























For whatever reason, while they'd make quick appearances in a treetop in a neighbor's yard directly across the alley, the neighborhood Parrot crew avoided a 11' x 22' patch of Sunflower seed dispensary goodness all winter...

Only to make their return when the " Late Bloomers " ...Seed that sprouted after the " Winter Suns " had gone..   ...Weirdos, lol..



Killdeer ( Charadrius vociferus )   hanging out in a grassy retention basin steps away from a very busy intersection full of noisy vehicles..  Considering their presence in school fields, neighborhood parks, ..or spots like where this kid was hanging out aren't rare or isolated incidents here, they might be one of the most urban -adapted of the Plovers..

Can hear / spot one flying over the house at least once a week..















......Back to the hunt, for the perfect, special Dino....

[Silas_Sancona]

So what is it about this particular lizard that makes it particularly special?

Well,  ..it comes down to that prevalent,  blanket notion that because the desert is dry, everything that lives within one must be brown, and / or  as dull looking as the ...desert...

While it is true that many critters here will wear colors that will blend into their surroundings,  the " everything that lives there must be dull and boring - looking "  belief is far from the truth, esp. within a desert which is tethered directly to the tropics.


When it comes to reptiles, Lizards in particular,  if you're perceptive enough, you'll find many species native to AZ are quite colorful ..enough so that seeing one of the really " tricked out " species might make you wonder how such a " tropical  looking " critter could live in a not always so green location..


While both Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards ( Mexico ) can be pretty colorful, " sharpest dressed lizard " category goes to various species within 3 groups of scaly, modern Dinosaurs,  Geckoes,  Leopard and Collared Lizards,  and the Phrynosomatids... Try saying that a few times, lol..

That group includes both Sceloporine - type Lizards ( = Spiny, Tree and Bush lizard species ) and the Phrynosomatines  / Tribe Callisaurini ( = Fringe - toed, True Earless ( Genus Holbrookia ) and two genus who look quite similar, and were once lumped in with Holbrookia,  Zebra Tails,  and the Greater Earless Lizard.


Odd as it might sound, that family of Lizards also includes the kinda dull, kind of " horny " ..but strangely " cute " < ...Yea, i said it..  > Horned Lizards,   ..but that's for a different day..

While they look similar,  you will not find Zebra tails where you find G.E.'s ( G.E. = Greater Earless ) ..Each occupies a specific elevation range / habitat preference, here in AZ esp.  Zebra tails are a AZ/ CA/ Baja and Western Mexico  exclusive as well.

While getting better shots of Zebra tails is a goal,  only quality shots of one other local " Special Dino " tops my goal of finally getting good shots of G.E's..

Seeing a male G.E. dressed to the 9's during breeding season isn't easily forgotten, esp. when you're close enough to get a good look at all those colors he's showing off..  Scaly equivalent of a Parrot?  ..perhaps..   Only one other lizard that can be encountered here is a better dresser. 

The species is so widely known for it's vivid coloration that some people give the species it's own special nick-name  ...." The Lizard with a Pink Shirt,  and Green Pants "  ....Very " 1980s in Miami " perhaps?

Of the 3 subspecies,  species name given to the  Southwestern / Chihuahuan sub species  ( scitulus ) literally translates to " Pretty " or Handsome " ..Is the subspecies that occurs here in AZ.

While i've captured -decent- shots of the species on past visits here, and nearby,  been aiming for renewed opportunities to " up my game "..

With a lizard that is always a bit skittish around people, even at the Arboretum where there are always lots of 2 -leggeds roaming around, timing is key ...pursuing them when they are active ...but maybe not at peak level activity on a given day..

It helps too when you cross paths w/ a few which are less fearful of people.. ..tolerant to a certain extant at least..  They'll still bolt if you get too close.

Regardless, took a bit longer than i'd anticipated, but, a goal that can be checked off ...thanks to two " Special Dinos " who decided to cooperate  ..until they didn't..


Greater Earless Lizard, Cophosaurus texanus  ...or more correctly, C. texanus ssp. scitulus (  Chihuahuan / Southwestern Greater Earless Lizard.. )  ..A very tropical looking dino who prefers hot and dry rocky places..


Special Dino #3 ..Relaxed, for a few minutes at least...










#4... After contemplating escape, Someone decided that they'd rather hang out and show off..  Thankfully..


Wasn't in the mood to do any push ups to show off that belly though..





































..In a week or so, it's back out into the desert in pursuit of the the ultimate, local  " super dapper desert dresser. " .. and maybe any Zebra tails i cross paths with while on the hunt.. 


In the mean time,  someone else decided he had show off his flashy, spring wardrobe today during an unexpected encounter while on a walk in a neighborhood park...

[Silas_Sancona]

Unexpected Monday afternoon conversation with a neighborhood dapper desert dresser..


I've mentioned how here in AZ, we have a fairly common Lizard who could also be considered a sort of " yard pet " in some areas..  Yard pet  in the sense that individuals accustomed to the presence of humans will often scurry out from nearby brush up onto a chosen spot on a backyard patio if they think the two- leggeds will have a snack to offer..

They can also become " tame " enough that they will accept insects right out of a hand, or literally scratch at a back door to let the humans know it is snack time..


In this case, i was tracking two other lizards that had retreated into the nearby bulrush as i approached when a very eager " little " dino came sprinting toward me from under some Creosote roughly 55ft away from where i was standing..

I figured he'd probably flee as quickly as he had sprinted over but he had other ideas regarding our encounter..  mainly slowly wandering over to ..then ascending a Mesquite directly in front of me.  After doing a couple quick push ups, he decided just relax and hang out and observe what i was doing as i got some good shots of his spring duds.

He ...definitely male  ..and one of the largest of the species i've encountered..   then slowly made his way back down the tree he'd been sitting in and up another next to it and repeated earlier behavior   ...before returning to the ground 20 minutes later where he casually snacked on some ants,  roamed over to another spot where he sat facing me for a few more minutes ....which allowed me to get the final shots...   then, about the time i thought " it's probably time to go " he ran back to the exact spot he'd come out from when our conversation had concluded..

I've captured shots of these scaly beasts plenty of times, but never had one literally come running just to have it's pictures taken.. Guess i need to start carrying some dried mealworms just in case, as a way to show my respect and thanks for such an encounter.

Anyway..  A very relaxed ..and big ( ~13" Nose to tail tip ) Special, ...and well dressed... Desert Dino.

 Desert Spiny Lizard, Sceloporus magister


























































 

[Tomas]

This made my day today 

[Silas_Sancona]

" Alien Season " has begun...





Anthophora californica  searching for some good digs ...Literally. 

FYI, Like them'  Tomatoes and Peppers?  These are the bees that pollinate them. Honeybees don't,  here at least..








Telebasis salva  pairs  laying eggs..

[greysrigging]

Well hello there mate...

You seem to have taken up residence in the ceiling of the downstairs rumpas room....
Spotted tree Monitor Varanus scalaris
 

[greysrigging]

Noisy b******s in my backyard every morning.... lol

 

[tropicbreeze]

This fellow is only about a metre long, which is about as long as they get on average. Unlike it's close but 'dearly departed' relative Varanus priscus, which got to about 7 metres long. The last of those passed through the Pearly Gates about 50,000 years ago. I'm sure in their day, with their size, they would have been more inclined to have you on their dinner table rather than at their dinner table.

These Water Goannas, Varanus mertensi, are regular visitors during the wet season. They hang around my dam and swamp but in the dry season as the water disappears they revert to being land based carnivores and go off wandering. They have a flattened tail adapted to swimming, showing their long evolutionary involvement with water.

[greysrigging]

This bloke ( or blokette ) is quite shy and it's hard to get a decent pic...

[JohnAndSancho]

I didn't have my phone on me, but I was walking Sancho along the edge of the woods and his tail and snooter start going crazy - there's a little box turtle! After Sancho did his business and I fed him, I put on some gloves and grabbed the phone - I was gonna be nice and carry him back down to the creek (1 mile or so), but he was gone already. I guess he went to go fight Shredder or something. 

[greysrigging]

Northern ( blue winged ) Kookaburra at my son's place today....