The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Very Hungry Caterpillar Before:

Very Hungry Caterpillar After:

All done!  

I took the second photo almost three hours later, on the way back from my hike.  It's the very same stalk, but...no more flower.  The caterpillar is a beauty, but he's indeed a very hungry caterpillar.  Poor flower.   

Spotted in September at Workman's Creek in the mountains between Young, Arizona and Roosevelt Lake.

  

An Osprey with a Fish...in the Middle of Phoenix

It's a little hard to see, but the thing in that osprey's talons is a fish!

I'd been birdwatching at a water source in the middle of the Phoenix metro area when I saw what I believed to be an osprey flying around.  He started diving dramatically, often pulling up at the last minute,  sometimes splashing all the way into the water and coming up empty-clawed.  It was awesome to watch.  But I started wondering if maybe he was young and inexperienced, or maybe just not a great hunter.

Then he made a gentler dive and maneuvered as if to land on the water.  But he came up with a fish!

With the fish in his talons, he started flying around and around, like, "Okay, I got the fish.  Now what am I supposed to do with it????"  Finally he flew out of sight.  

I waited about five minutes, seeing if he'd come back.  No luck.  So I got on my bike and rode around to the other side of the ponds.  I was about to leave the area when I saw something on the banks.  It was the osprey!  Eating his fish!  

Here he is, craning his neck back to look at me:

There was a chain-link fence between us, which wasn't conducive to good picture-taking.  He was quite distant, so I figured I could sneak up to the fence and shoot through it, but I apparently scared him, and he flew off.  But not before I hurriedly snapped the picture above.

I wish I'd been a bit more sneaky or just stayed where I was so I could watch him longer (and not harass him).  But still...and awesome experience! 

Here's a better picture of an osprey on a different day at the same place:

They're now one of my favorite birds.  So beautiful and so fun to watch.

NaNoWriMo 2021

 NaNoWriMo Rebellion Complete (sort of)

This year, instead of writing a 50,000-word novel from scratch, as is the traditional goal of NaNoWriMo (National Novel WRiting Month), I dedicated the same amount of time to revising the first part and reworking/finishing the second part of a middle-grade novel I wrote during another NaNoWriMo.

I just finished the time/word count this evening.

I still need to write a few more scenes and revise the second part (which will, of course, require more revision of the first part).  But I'm pretty happy with how things have gone.  

Sacred Datura

Here are some close-ups of the fruit and the not-yet-blooming flower of the sacred datura plant (Datura wrightii).  The flowers are huge and beautiful when they bloom in the afternoon and through the night, attracting their hawkmoth pollinators.  

Be careful:  the plant is poisonous (and/or hallucinogenic) and can be irritating even to the skin.  

I took these pictures between Roosevelt Lake and Young, Arizona.

   

California Condors on Navajo Bridge, Arizona

I've always wanted to see a California Condor.  This largest of all North American land birds nearly went extinct in the 80s.  They captured all the remaining animals, bred them in captivity, and then began re-releasing them.  One of the main release areas is the Grand Canyon and the Vermillion Cliffs area of Arizona.  I'd read that you can sometimes see them at Marble Canyon / Navajo Bridge.  When we stopped there this summer I thought, "Yeah, I won't see condors."  But I did!  

Sitting on the bridge.

Flying above us.

Awesome!      

Here's 54:A male born in 2004, released in 2006.  

If you spot one and can get its number, ask at the information center to get the details.  I also spotted 2Y, a juvenile female born 2019 and just released last year, plus a couple of others.  

At one point four were flying in circles above us at the visitor center, a couple quite close for a time.  It was awesome.  Everyone there was just standing, looking up.  I loved it.  

Jacob Lake, Arizona

Okay, I know this is about three years late, but was on a walk up near Jacob Lake in northern Arizona this summer, and I saw this broom just lying on the ground.  I couldn't resist. 

Here I am, sweeping the forest.  You're welcome.  :)  

   

Chipmunk at Cedar Breaks

 Just sitting here eating.  Why are you taking pictures of me???

Picture taken in August