Yet again April showers didn't bring May flowers to Arizona, a place where rain falls mostly in the winter and summer months. However the longer, hotter days of spring brought the blooms of plenty of drought-resistant plants like cacti and agave, sustenance for lots of wildlife.
While local wintering bird species have left to breed in northern climates, several others have remarkably just arrived in the desert to nest. White-winged doves might be the most noticeable as they fill our yards and urbanscape, timing their visits in anticipation of ripening saguaro cactus fruit. Cliff swallows are the most intrepid visitors due to their lengthy flights from as far away as Argentina. It's hard to miss these swiftly darting birds as they feed on the multitude of insects above our canals and lakes.
Along these same waterways, year-round residents like mallards have been raising their ducklings for more than a month. Nearby on land, surviving on grasses, flowers, and seeds, Gambel's quails are herding their many chicks in tight coveys. Sometimes up to a dozen tiny birds at a time flock near their parents. They signal the arrival of summer, when triple digit temperatures seem to trigger a population explosion in the species.
In sun, heat, and drought, the quail matures in our arid climate's most extreme conditions. The hardy bird is a good symbol for the endurance of all of us desert dwellers. "Heat? What heat?" they seem to be asking us.
 |
| New Gambel's quail family in my Phoenix neighborhood. |
 |
| Gambel's quails in my Phoenix neighborhood. |
 |
| Gambel's quail chicks in my Phoenix neighborhood. |
 |
| Female (left) and male (right) Gambel's quails in my Phoenix neighborhood. |
 |
| Female Gambel's quail with two chicks in my Phoenix neighborhood. |
Comments
Post a Comment