Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2019/08/14

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Subject: [Leica] what I did on my summer vacation
From: cartersxrd at gmail.com (CartersXRd)
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2019 00:14:09 -0400
References: <714487618.7785.1565840094632@wamui-fatboy.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

Great vacation!!

thanks for taking us along

ric


> On 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
> 
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