Mike in the Wild

It's always an exciting moment when I'm outside and identify a bird for the first time.  Just this week I saw and photographed a green-tailed towhee at Phoenix' Desert Botanical Garden.  But a new find along with cooler desert weather weren't the only causes for excitement.  I soon realized that I had seen in my short time birding ALL the towhees that call the West their home. Spotted, canyon, California, Abert's and now green-tailed were all the birds in the region known as towhees and I had found and shot each of them.  They are all either in the genus pipilo or melozone, totaling thirteen living species in the Americas, five of which are found in the western United States and are now known by me.  There's a great amount of satisfaction knowing I can skim over my Western Peterson Field Guide's towhee page, not needing to analyze the details at length anymore. However on further analysis I discovered that towhees are in quite a large family of birds, t...

With spring temperatures already hitting 100, Phoenicians are lucky to have higher altitudes and cooler climates for quick escapes.   No place is easier to visit than Prescott, less than a hundred mile drive. Over this past weekend, Prescott had highs in the 80's contrasting nicely with Phoenix' 106 degrees F.  Its mile-high elevation guarantees pleasant days and chilly nights when the Valley starts to swelter.  Several surrounding mountain ranges, including the Bradshaws and Mingus, have peaks that approach 8,000 feet, assuring comfortable outdoor adventures even during Prescott's hot spells. While roadrunners, Gambel's quails and Anna's hummingbirds call both the mountains and the deserts their home, other birds like scrub jays, bluebirds and nuthatches prefer cooler climates.  It's only fitting that an environment known for the saguaro cactus would nurture completely different species than one known for the ponderosa pine tree and alligator juniper.  Enjo...