Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2019/08/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Great images Doug. I agree about the Idiot Tourists who ignore warning signs, and common sense. Cheers, Gene On Thu, Aug 15, 2019 at 9:11 AM Tina Manley via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> wrote: > Amazing! All of them. > > Tina > > On Wed, Aug 14, 2019 at 11:34 PM Doug Herr via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> > wrote: > > > I've recently returned from a vacation with family (an oxymoron?) in > > Arizona. > > > > My older granddaughter wanted to see the Grand Canyon and since I hadn't > > been there since I was a wee lad it was our first destination. The south > > rim is over-run with visitors, many of whom are breathtakingly ignorant. > > Signs and verbal warnings about the dangers of falling into the canyon > and > > of feeding the cute squirrels who may be carrying bubonic plague are > > routinely ignored. "There's a reason Condors were re-introduced here, > it's > > to clean up after the people who've fallen off the cliffs." > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/cathartidae/gymnogyps/cacond01.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/corvidae/corvus/corave06.html > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/mammals/sciuridae/spermophilus/rosqui00.html > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/mammals/sciuridae/spermophilus/rosqui01.html > > > > Having said this, the Grand Canyon fully deserves its name; it's > > spectacular even in the harsh light of high noon. In the limited time we > > had, my older grandson and I were only able to hike a small portion of > the > > Bright Angel trail and what this did for me was whet my appetite for > more. > > During our time in the plateau of northern Arizona the annual monsoons > > returned and stayed with us for the remainder of our visit. Torrential > > thunderstorms bringing flash floods followed by spectacular evenings were > > some of the highlights of the trip, at least for myself. I can't speak > for > > the rest of the family. > > After the Grand Canyon we went toward Tucson and points south, to visit > > the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and a few small towns with legendary > tales > > in their pasts. This is the Sonora Desert: hot and dry until the monsoons > > hit, with something less than a bazillion species of cactus along with > > agaves, Ochotillo, Mesquite and Palo Verde trees and a surprising > diversity > > of wildlife superbly adapted to life in the desert: for example, the > > Sonoran Desert Toad which burrows into the soil at the end of the monsoon > > season and waits dormant for months until thunderstorms awaken it and it > > digs its way out. Don't lick the toad, it skin secretes a hallucinogenic > > toxin that can kill small dogs. > > > > The desert can be beautiful if you meet it on its own terms. If you fight > > the desert, if you curse its heat and thorns, you will lose the battle. > My > > lifelong habit of being a 'morning person' was an advantage; several of > my > > best hikes were in the gentle warmth of the pre-dawn hours, and this > > juncture between night and day is where nocturnal and diurnal critters > > meet. My favorite wildlife encounter was on one of these pre-breakfast > > walks. I had stopped to search for the source of a bird's song and while > > waiting quietly a Javalina sauntered out of the brush and trotted within > > 20' to munch on a cactus (genus Opuntia if I'm not mistaken). One slight > > move and the little pig bolted back into the brush, never to be seen > again. > > > > Evenings in the Sonoran Desert were darned near magical as the day's last > > light lit the lingering thunderstorms which by this hour had tapered off > to > > a light drizzle and occasional distant lightning flash. > > > > I ought to mention that it's best to pay attention to that little 'check > > engine' light. It might be expensive but fixing it means you'll get home > > safely. BTW I can recommend Highway 92 Service Center in Bisbee Arizona. > > This is a story for another time. > > > > One day was reserved for hummingbirds, first at the Paton Center for > > Hummingbirds in Patagonia Arizona > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/cynanthus/bbhumm00.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/cynanthus/bbhumm01.html > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/archilochus/bchumm23.html > > > > and later in the day in the hummingbird aviary at the Arizona Sonora > > Desert Museum > > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/selasphorus/bthumm00.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/cynanthus/bbhumm02.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/cynanthus/bbhumm03.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/cynanthus/bbhumm04.html > > > > Our campsite was also a good location for critter photos > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/mammals/leporidae/sylvilagus/decott06.html > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/mammals/leporidae/sylvilagus/decott07.html > > > > using the technique of hanging around long enough to become part of the > > background scenery, these Cactus Wrens were quite cooperative > > > > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/troglodytidae/campylorhynchus/ctwren02.html > > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/troglodytidae/campylorhynchus/ctwren06.html > > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/troglodytidae/campylorhynchus/ctwren07.html > > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/troglodytidae/campylorhynchus/ctwren08.html > > > > with a surprise visit from a Curve-billed Thrasher > > > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/mimidae/toxostoma/cbthra03.html > > > > all photos: Sony a7rIII, Sony FE 100-400 GM. All comments are welcome. > > > > > > Doug Herr > > Birdman of Sacramento > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com > > http://doug-herr.fineartamerica.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > -- > Tina Manley > www.tinamanley.com > http://www.pbase.com/tinamanley > < > http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography/3B49552F-90A0-4D0A-A11D-2175C937AA91/Tina+Manley.html > > > *https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/649596.html > <https://www.alamy.com/portfolio/649596.html>* > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >