Mike in the Wild

What stands out most on an early September hike in Prescott right now is the lush green landscape and the kaleidoscope of colors bursting from the endless varieties of blooming wildflowers.  The summer monsoon storms might have dumped close to fifteen inches of rain in the area, irrigating the parched landscape after an especially dry winter and dotting the green hillsides with red, violet and yellow flowers. Another striking sign of a seasonal change is the arrival of our rufous hummingbirds, making short stops across the state during their long migration from their breeding grounds in the Pacific Northwest to their winter homes in Latin America.   This past weekend I discovered a Townsend's warbler, another bird joining this tough-as-nails traveler on a similar journey.  Just as colorful as the abundant wildflowers, its bright yellow markings made it stand out like many of Prescott's more common warblers such as the yellow-rumped and Wilson's.   L...