Mastodawn

Oh boy! Tiger whiptail is back! Whiptail is back!

It immediately remembered me. Or at least remembered that the whistling hairless ape has free food. It ran right up to me when I whistled for it.

Now, anyone who spends time out here in the desert knows that it's hard to get within 20 feet of a whiptail. They are very fast and very skittish. This one, on the other hand, when I first met it, was climbing all over me after tossing it four or five mealworms.

I want to try making friends with other whiptails to see if that level of food-friendliness is a species-level characteristic or if I just met a friendly one.

Latin name: Aspidoscelis tigris

#LizardReport #Lizard #Lizards #SonoranDesert #herps #Herpetology.

Paula Borchardt 2d ago

Earlier this year we had over 30 Queen Butterflies eclose in our yard! 😍 Here’s my Perpetual Journal art chronicling this excitement! I also posted 3 Butterfly success stories with photos on my blog https://paulaborchardt.substack.com/p/lots-and-lots-of-queen-butterflies

#SciArt #art #illustration #watercolor #painting #sketchbook #NatureJournal #NatureJournaling #PerpetualJournal #blog #Tucson #SonoranDesert #biodiversity #environment #ecosystem #ecology #nature #insect #arthropod #entomology #bug #bugs #bugstodon #butterfly

Paula Borchardt 4d ago

Here’s the 8th page of my new art project, an Illustrated Journal—my art & notes celebrating the little things in everyday life, like watching the ISS, counting chrysalises & seeing Raccoon tracks! See more on my blog post https://paulaborchardt.substack.com/p/lots-and-lots-of-chrysalises

#SciArt #art #illustration #watercolor #blog #Tucson #SonoranDesert #nature #outdoors #NatureJournal #NatureJournaling #environment #ecology #flower #wildflower #BloomScrolling #poppy #bug #bugs #bugstodon #butterfly #pupa #chrysalis #ISS #Raccoon

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My camera shoots fascists 4d ago

Here's the set up, with lesser long-nosed bats flying at normal speed. If you zoom in, you can see the camera's back screen above the left tripod. The video light is on the right tripod.
#bats #WildlifePhotography #SonoranDesert

LibbyLibbyLibby 5d ago

A view of Tumacácori mission through a window. Built in the Padre Kino era (1691 to be precise) abandoned to dissolve, then converted to a national monument by Teddy Roosevelt in 1908, and partially restored to protect it from further decay.

Allegedly, you can see Padre Kino’s bones in a well/shrine in Magdalena, Mexico, just a couple of hours south. Allegedly.

#windowwednesday
#sonorandesert

My camera shoots fascists Apr 10

Wow, this is extremely early for the Sonoran Desert toads to be out. I think it's a combination of the early season warmth we've been having and the fact that I was watering the pomegranate tree and forgot to turn the water off, so it probably soaked the ground enough that the toad thought it was the monsoon rains happening.

#herps #Toad #Amphibian #SonoranDesert #NoLickToad

Paula Borchardt Apr 8

2/2: Many of our Spring wildflowers started blooming in January & February this year, including this Lupine I illustrated in my Perpetual Journal. Read more on my blog https://paulaborchardt.substack.com/p/mid-winter-flowers

#SciArt #art #illustration #watercolor #painting #sketchbook #NatureJournal #NatureJournaling #PerpetualJournal #blog #Tucson #SonoranDesert #NativePlants #biodiversity #environment #ecosystem #ecology #nature #outdoors #ClimateChange #climate #flower #wildflower #Lupine #BloomScrolling #Spring

Paula Borchardt Apr 8

1/2: Many of our Spring wildflowers started blooming in January & February this year, including this Mexican Poppy I illustrated in my Perpetual Journal. Read more on my blog https://paulaborchardt.substack.com/p/mid-winter-flowers

LibbyLibbyLibby Apr 8

Every [ocotillo] has its thorns…

Last night’s hike. I needed that.

#hiking
#sonorandesert

Ms. Jen Apr 5

Happy Easter!

A week ago Saturday, we went on a drive out Shea Road along the wash outside of Parker, Arizona to go searching for big blooming Palo Verde trees. This one was lovely.

#Easter #PaloVerde #SonoranDesert #Arizona #Photography