I figure it is about time to post something. I’ve been keeping busy with astrophotography, birding, and hiking. Yesterday I found a Rufous-backed Robin at the city park and even got some good photos. That is the third time I have seen Rufous-backed Robin in the Ajo area. Today, I found a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in the same park but could not get any good photos. I will keep trying.
Quite a few new birds are showing up yesterday and today. Another Red-breasted Sapsucker has appeared at the golf course and this one is, so far, easy to find and get close too. This morning it was in the shadows though, so I went back to the truck and got my flash. The flash didn’t bother it all. I also saw a Townsend’s Solitaire, Lawrence’s Goldfinch, Swainson’s Thrush, and a Lazuli Bunting. Finally, the moon is starting to fade and the weather looks good after Monday, I should have at least five good days of astrophotography and I am looking forward to that.
Today I drove out to a place I call 8115 Arroyo. It seems to have no name on maps but there is BLM Road 8115 that goes to it, so I have made a name for it. I’ve been watching the summer monsoon storms on radar for the last three or four months and this area has got quite a lot of rain. It shows too, the vegetation in the arroyo is lush and green, the spiny hackberry are loaded with green fruit that is just starting to ripen and should be attracting birds soon. The numbers of butterflies was amazing. It was mostly American Snouts and Cloudless Sulphurs, but I also saw Queens, Sonoran Metalmarks, Empress Leilia, Southern Dogface, Mexican Yellows, Gray Hairstreak, Leda Ministreak, and Pipevine Swallowtail. I saw my first ever caterpillar of a Pipevine Swallowtail too. The abundance of American Snouts was just amazing, sometimes hundreds on a single plant.
Birding has really improved with the latest storm. Today I saw two American White Pelicans at the ponds (first time ever for Ajo) and two Lewis’s Woodpeckers at the golf course, only the second time I’ve seen that species in the Ajo area. There were three Red-necked Phalaropes at the pond too. I had one good night for astro before the storm and now the moon is getting too bright again. I am enjoying this cooler weather but will miss snake hunting, I suppose till next spring, although I did have an encounter with a snake recently.
I think the heat of summer is behind me now. By next week it looks like an even more significant cool down is on the way. I’ve been getting a little bit of astro done too. I decided that I’m going to spend more time on fewer deep sky objects. I started out with the Helix Nebula. As always, one can right click on an image, open in a new tab and see a larger image.
Last year it was way too hot to come to Ajo until later in October, but this year, it isn’t too bad, so far. The big difference is that there has been rain this summer and that helps cool the ground and keeps the surface temperature lower. Last year it was so dry that all the vegetation was brown, this year everything is green. The herping has been great, as I already verified by finding my first ever Rosy Boa. Most nights I go out and find at least a few snakes, but nearly all are Western Diamondbacks or Sidewinders. I have seen one Long-nosed Snake. At the top of the list of what I want is Tiger Rattlesnake, Speckled Rattlesnake, Western Shovel-nosed Snake, and Coral Snake, and there are more that could turn up. Arizona has 52 species of snakes! Today I found a Regal Horned Lizard, only the second one I’ve seen and the first for the Ajo area.
I’ve been looking for one of these for a long time now. Tonight I finally found one. A nocturnal snake, this species is a constrictor that feeds on small mammals and birds. It is highly sought after by herpers because it is very docile, easy to take care of, and makes a good “pet”. I just wanted to find one and photograph it. I was walking up an arroyo that comes out of the Little Ajo Mountains and suddenly, there it was in the beam of my light, crossing the arroyo bottom. Made my day! There are two subspecies, the Desert Rosy Boa (which is more rosy colored) and this one, the Mexican Rosy Boa. Some herpetologists consider them two different species. (In my excitement last night, I forgot to mention that I am in Ajo, AZ now.)
I finally left Datil Well and drove down to Granite Gap. I’m still in New Mexico, a few miles outside of Arizona. The weather here is a bit warmer than Datil Well but it is not too bad. The area has has some rain and it shows, lots of grass and late summer flowers. I saw my first White-crowned Sparrows of the fall this morning. I tried some black lighting last night and did OK despite the full moon.
This area of New Mexico has the darkest skies one can find anywhere in the United States. It is a great place for astrophotography but this time of year, one has to deal with the monsoon season and clouds. To top that off, the moon is getting bright again. I got in a couple of pretty good nights though. It is amazing to be out at night here and see how bright the Milky Way really is. There are lots of birds around too. I have a couple of feeders up and one hummingbird feeder. The Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays have eaten all of my black oil sunflower seed already and there is no place to buy more. A large flock of Pinyon Jays is roaming the area and but have been difficult to photograph.
As always, right click on an image and open in a new tab or window for a larger image.
I left Valley of Fires yesterday, it was getting too hot. I drove 130 miles west to Datil Well Campground. This area is at much higher elevation and although the forecast is for record high temps in New Mexico, it will only get to around 85 here. This is a BLM campground, with campground hosts, water, restrooms, but no showers. A few of the campsites have electric hookups but most don’t. Cost is $5.00 a day, $2.50 with my senior pass. When I first got here, I saw several Pinyon Jays and immediately put out some feeders. However, all I get at the feeders so far is some Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays, Juniper Titmice, and Mountain Chickadees. I have a Rufous Hummingbird and a Black-chinned Hummingbird too.
