Songbirds in the Snow

Posted January 3, 2019 by Chris Cunningham

Summer is the season of inferior sledding.–Eskimo proverb

Spotted Towhee, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Spotted Towhee,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1,4x TC). Natural light.

During the last hours of our holiday visit to Cave Creek Canyon, I took a walk in the wintery landscape. The previous day a blizzard deposited about eight inches of snow. On this trek, I saw mostly common species that I’ve seen many times before (except for a Fox Sparrow!), but the light was bright and clear, and the sky was blue–a welcome change from days of fog, rain, and snow flurries.

Hermit Thrush, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Hermit Thrush,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

According to the locals, this sort of heavy snowfall is highly unusual for Cave Creek Canyon. The last time it happened was about a dozen years ago. I made an attempt at photography the previous day, during the blizzard, but that turned out to be fruitless: It was a weird combination of darkness and glare. It’s tough getting satisfactory results involving quick songbirds at ISO 1600 and above and shutter speeds at 1/320 second or below at 840mm. On this trip, I really discovered the limitations of the sensor in a 7DII–and wished I had a 1DXII or a Nikon D5!

Pyrrhuloxia, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Pyrrhuloxia,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

But on the bright, clear day, the 7DII performed just fine. I had some worries about glare from the snow and blowing out the whites while photographing dark-colored birds against the snow, but these turned out to be mostly unfounded. Overall, with the creamy white backgrounds, rather than green foliage, the results were very different from the normal sorts of images I capture in steamy Gulf Coast Texas.

Dark-eyed Junco, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Dark-eyed Junco,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Hopefully this day of shooting will serve as a practice session for trips to photograph boreal species that I’ve been dreaming about for some time. It was mostly practice on sparrows for time with rosy-finches, redpolls, and crossbills . . . .

Canyon Towhee, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Canyon Towhee,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Chipping Sparrow (Winter), Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Happy New Year from Two Shutterbirds!

Posted December 31, 2018 by Two Shutterbirds

Ring out the false, ring in the true. –Alfred Lord Tennyson

Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Snowy Thicket, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Snowy Thicket,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Several recent snow storms turned southeast Arizona into a spectacular landscape of snowy desert, mountain, and forest. We took several opportunities to chase birds around in the white–a real treat for Houstonians! Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

As we put 2018 in the rear-view mirror, we wish all our friends and readers the happiest new year! Here’s to a 2019 that is quite unlike 2018! Cheers!

Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Sharp-shinned Hawk in the Snow,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 7DII/300mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Hand-held. Natural light.

Chihuahuan Desert in Snow, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Chihuahuan Desert in Snow,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 5DIII/Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 @16mm. Hand-held. Natural light. Although this is a crop-sensor lens, it will not vignette at 16mm on a full-frame sensor.

Those Pesky (but Wonderful) Woodpeckers!

Posted December 28, 2018 by Two Shutterbirds

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—

Only this and nothing more.”–Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven

Northern Flicker (red-shafted), Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Not so Innocent: Male Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) on Agave Bloom Stalk,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

A few nights ago as we lay in bed, around 4 am, an eerie scratching noise pried us from the arms of Morpheus. Having had roof rats in our Houston house many years ago, we were terrified that rodents had found their way into our new Arizona house–those suckers were really hard to get rid of! After wondering who or what was making the noise, Chris got out of bed, grabbed a flashlight, and proceeded out the balcony door. Fully expecting to find a cliff chipmunk living it up on our roof, he was startled to discover a female Northern Flicker attempting to chisel her way into the stucco beneath the eaves! “You have a whole forest, but you have to drill into my house!” exclaimed Chris.

Pileated Woodpecker, Kalaloch Beach, Olympic Peninsula, Washington — *I Make Everywhere Look Like WWII: Female Pileated Woodpecker,* Kalaloch Beach, Olympic Peninsula, Washington. The whole retention wall, composed of large conifer logs, looked like it had been riddled with gunfire. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Even the most dedicated bird-lovers must have doubts from time-to-time when it comes to woodpeckers. Up in the North Woods of Minnesota they are reviled pests. Once Chris watched in fascination as a Hairy Woodpecker chiseling into a log cabin at a lodge in the Colorado Rockies. He was fascinated, mainly because he had never before had such a good look at this species,* but also at the audacity of the creature. Taking such liberties with private property in broad daylight, ten feet from a human onlooker! Doubtful the owner of the lodge would have been so charmed.

Female Williamson's Sapsucker, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado — *Trust me! The trees love it when we do this!* Female Williamson’s Sapsucker on aspen, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Despite their tendency to knock holes in trees and human structures, woodpeckers are among our favorite birds. We are always thrilled to see them. Even in the middle of the night. Well . . . .

Acorn Woodpecker. Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Acorn Woodpecker,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Notice how the branch has nearly been chiseled out of existence. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). High-speed synchronized fill-flash.

Fledgling Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Texas — *Fledgling Golden-fronted Woodpecker(?),* Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. Unfortunately Santa Ana NWR is on the chopping block as a result of Trump’s wall. Visit before the place is trashed. Canon EOS 7D/500mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

*Even though they look very much alike in books, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are readily distinguishable in person. The size and robustness of the bill is very different.

Working Our Way back into the Field

Posted December 15, 2018 by Chris Cunningham

Let the great world spin for ever down the ringing grooves of change. –Alfred Lord Tennyson

American Coot Surrounded by Waves of Psionic Energy, Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *American Coot Surrounded by Waves of Azure and Gold Psionic Energy,* Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. An immensely common bird, the Coot is still fun to observe with its goofy behavior and weird croaking hoots. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Over the past few weeks we’ve been slowly getting back to observing nature. It hasn’t been easy, but when it has occurred, it has been a tonic. We haven’t really had time to seek out the new and unusual, but rather have visited several nearby favorites like Brazos Bend State Park and Fiorenza Park.

Neotropic Cormorant Take-off! Fiorenza Park, Houston, Texas — *Neotropic Cormorant Take-off!* Fiorenza Park, Houston, Texas. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

After next week, we’ll be in the field again regularly, and we hope to rack up some new experiences and species. Until then, we’ll plan, stay local, and reminisce about birding trips of the past. Never has what a long-time birder told us when we were first beginning seemed more true: “Go birding, you’ll live longer.”

Neotropic Cormorant wiht Crunchy Snack-treat, Fiorenza Park, Houston, Texas — *Neotropic Cormorant with Crunchy Snack-treat (South American Armored Catfish),* Fiorenza Park, Houston, Texas. I’m a sucker for these birds-with-prey shots. Luckily we’ve got a great spot for them about ten minutes from the house. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

We are Still Here!

Posted November 11, 2018 by Two Shutterbirds

The most splendid achievement of all is the constant striving to surpass yourself and to be worthy of your own approval.–Denis Waitley

Baby American Tree Swallows, Potter Marsh, Alaska — *American Tree Swallow Fledglings,* Potter Marsh, Alaska. Parents were circling around, occasionally alighting to deposit bugs, mostly craneflies and mayflies, into gaping maws. Legs can be seen protruding from the mouth of the youngster on the right. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Regular readers will no doubt have noticed a decline in the rate of posting on twoshutterbirds.com. This is not by choice! This drop-off in productivity has been the result of a number of factors affecting our luxurious new post-Harvey lifestyle. A change in Chris’s teaching schedule has also meant the loss of an hour after work every day–the time he used to work on bird photography. Chris having a tenacious head cold the past few weeks hasn’t helped, either. In any case, for the near-term we’ll likely not be as productive as we have been in the distant past. Keep checking back! We’ll keep slogging forward, and a new equilibrium will eventually be reached!

Green Heron: Beautiful Hunter

Posted October 4, 2018 by Chris Cunningham

When, according to habit, I was contemplating the stars in a clear sky, I noticed a new and unusual star, surpassing the other stars in brilliancy. There had never before been any star in that place in the sky.–Tycho Brahe

Green Heron, Fiorenza Park, Houston, Texas — *Portrait Green Heron (Non-breeding),* Fiorenza Park, Houston, Texas. Even in non-breeding colors, the Green Heron is a spectacular bird. This heron was standing on the bridge plucking small fish from the water. Canon EOS 5DIII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x). Natural light.

Green Heron in Breeding Colors, Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *Green Heron in Breeding Colors,* Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. Note the violet-blue lores and brilliant orange-red legs and feet. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

The Green Heron may be my favorite wader. This bird is unusual in a number of ways. On the small side (7-9 oz) for North American waders, the Green Heron is brilliantly-colored. The sexes are said to be similar, with females having slightly duller coloration. Immature birds have whitish triangular flecks on the wings and more white around the throat than adults. A number of subspecies are recognized by experts, but some of these are rejected by others. Some Green herons migrate, and others do not. Reportedly these two populations can be distinguished biometrically: the migrating birds have longer wings.

No wader is more fun to watch hunt. Like most North American waders, Green Herons are indiscriminate in their choice of prey: fish, frogs, tadpoles, crayfish, insects, spiders will all do. But their repertoire of hunting behaviors is unsurpassed. They will hang in wait, gargoyle-like, from logs, hide from fish below on tops of lotus pads, or stroll through the weeds like other waders in search of small prey, vertebrate or invertebrate.

Green Heron, Elm Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *Young Green Heron About to Strike,* Elm Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. Canon EOS 7D/500mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). High-speed synchronized fill-flash.

Green Heron with Shad, Elm Lake, Brazos Bend State, Texas — *Fruits of the Strike: Young Green Heron with Shad,* Elm Lake, Brazos Bend State, Texas. Canon EOS 7D/500mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). High-speed synchronized fill-flash.

Most interestingly, Green Herons use tools. They exhibit bait-fishing and have been known to drown air-breathing prey in water before swallowing. I have seen this done with frogs on a number of occasions. Likewise, it is possible (rarely) to see Green Herons bait-fishing by placing aquatic beetles on the surface of the water to attract prey at Elm Lake.

Green Heron with Fish, Elm Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *Green Heron with Small Fish,* Elm Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. Canon EOS 7D/500mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Although Green Herons commonly nest across the eastern half of Texas, I usually see Green Herons in non-breeding colors. Only rarely do I see full breeding colors. Green Herons generally do not nest among large wader rookeries as most herons do, but when they do, they tend to nest away from the masses. They will nest in single pairs or in small groups, too.

While Texas Coastal populations will remain for the winter, soon the inland populations will be largely gone for wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America. They will return again next year for the sweltering summer weather.

Stretching Green Heron, Pilant Slough, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *Stretching Green Heron,* Pilant Slough, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. Although Green Herons typically walk around with their heads against their bodies, their necks are capable of tremendous extension to grab prey. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). High-speed synchronized fill-flash.

Fall Limps In

Posted September 27, 2018 by Chris Cunningham

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others. –Buddha

Eastern Phoebe, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *October Eastern Phoebe on Hackberry Branch,* Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. Canon 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light

All of Texas Gulf Coast creation must breathe a collective sigh of relief when the first hint of fall arrives. This time, the first backing-off of the dantesque Texas summer was modest, indeed. l woke to find one day this last week that it was slightly less unpleasant outside. Surely a harbinger of great things.

Portrait Great Blue Heron, Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *Autumn Portrait: Great Blue Heron,* Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x). Natural light.

Despite the fact I’d rather than be almost anywhere other than the Gulf Coast in summer, there is almost no place I’d rather be in winter. The Upper Texas Gulf Coast and Coastal Bend are fantastic when north winds blow. The bays, beaches, barrier islands, and coastal marshes are hopping with life. Fluffy white clouds zip across the sky, the waters sparkle, and you can breathe! Surely we now stand at the brink of the best of times!

Baby Alligators, Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *Baby Alligators in November,* Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. Only a few months old, these young killers soak up the autumn sun. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

What Happens When They’re Gone?

Posted September 19, 2018 by Chris Cunningham

l want to interpret the natural world and our links to it. It’s driven by the belief of many world-class scientists that we’re in the midst of an extinction crisis… This time it’s us that’s doing it. –Frans Lanting

Portrait: Wood Duck Drake, Socorro, New Mexico — *Portrait: Wood Duck Drake,* Albuquerque, New Mexico. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

We were able to get out to get out birding (briefly) this last weekend–we took some time out from furnishing one house and giving another a face-lift. We took a walk around Brazos Bend State Park, binoculars in hand, hoping to run into a friend (RD). It was sweltering. The ground was soggy. The air was not full of bird-sounds–in fact, we were quite shocked by the lack of bird life. Mosquitos ruled.

This lack of avians got me thinking about our current state of affairs, ecologically-speaking. To despair is to read old-timey field accounts of bird-watching from the 1950’s and before. Works like Arizona and its Bird Life by Herbert Brandt (1951) and The Warblers of North America by Griscom and Sprunt (eds.) (1957) describe a world nearly as remote as the Miocene.

American White Pelican, Fiorenza Park, Houston, Texas — *American White Pelican in Flight,* Fiorenza Park, Houston, Texas. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

On this latest trip, I felt like I was looking into the future. Project the current trend twenty five years into the future, and you’ll see what we saw: A world nearly free of birds. It’s hard to come to grips with this, but songbird numbers have dropped by half in my lifetime. Some other groups have suffered even more significant declines. Auks, as we saw in the Pribilofs the summer before last, for example, have been decimated. But the perpetually innocent fishing industry, of course, has nothing to do with this. Welcome to the Anthropocene . . . .

In this terrible future, it’s hard to imagine what I’ll do in the park. Perhaps I’d better bring something to read.

Young White Ibis, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *Young White Ibis,* Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. This bird had a number of parasite-induced growths on its face: Larval insects, perhaps? Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Blow, North Winds Blow . . . .

Posted September 10, 2018 by Chris Cunningham

Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. –Robert Frost

Parakeet Auklets Battle, St. Paul Island, Pribilof Islands, Alaska — *Parakeet Auklets Battle,* St. Paul Island, Pribilof Islands, Alaska. Nesting real estate is at a premium on cliffs frequented by sea birds. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

If given the choice, I’d choose the latter . . . .

The recent uncharacteristic silence has been the result of being ridiculously busy with work and a variety of messy projects. We haven’t been able to work on anything related to photo-birding, except adding a few volumes to our growing ornithology library. And the disgusting dog-days of summer here along the Gulf Coast haven’t made the prospect of being outside very attractive–even if we had the time.

Common Loon Takeoff, Offatt's Bayou, Galveston Island, Texas — *Common Loon Take-off,* Offatt’s Bayou, Galveston Island, Texas. Common Loons fish the deep waters of Offatt’s Bayou in winter. Although you won’t see breeding colors until just before they depart for breeding grounds, Offatt’s Bayou offers the prospect of seeing these birds without having to make a blood sacrifice to the Insecta of the North Country. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

What I have been able to do, though, is fantasize about glorious birding outings in the cold, fresh frosty air in my face. Blow again north winds, blow! Make being outside a joy, again!

Black Rosy, Sandia Mountains, New Mexico — *Black Rosy-Finch,* Sandia Mountains, New Mexico. This difficult-to-see bird can be found on the frozen heights of the Sandia Mountains in winter. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Twoshutterbirds Takes a Break!

Posted August 11, 2018 by Two Shutterbirds

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. –Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Sandhill Cranes in Flight, San Bernardo National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico — *Sandhill Cranes in Flight,* San Bernardo National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

It’s been a busy summer, but now it’s time to fly away from the exotic plants and animals of the desert and get back to work work. For a while we’ll be too busy to spend much time on twoshutterbirds. But, dear reader, never fear! We’ll be back on the ball in no time flat with more images of, and prose about, our beloved feathery friends (and others)!

Staghorn Cholla, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Staghorn Cholla (Cylinderopuntia versicolor),* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 5DIII/100mm f/2.8L IS Macro. High-speed synchronized macro ring-flash.

Desert Bird of Paradise, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Desert Bird of Paradise (Erythrostemon gilliesii),* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. This plant is native to the Tropical Americas and has been naturalized in parts of the Southwest. Canon EOS 5DIII/100mm f/2.8L IS Macro. High-speed synchronized macro ring-flash.

Birds on a Found CF Card

Posted August 4, 2018 by Chris Cunningham

Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again? –A. A. Milne

Male Baltimore Oriole, Quintana Neotropical Migrant Bird Sanctuary, Texas — *Male Baltimore Oriole,* Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Texas. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). High-speed synchronized fill-flash.

One of my goals for this summer in Arizona was to go through a lifetime’s worth of debris and discard the worthless junk and organize and store those things we want to keep for the future. One particular challenge was to sort through the old photo gear. We have camera stuff going back to the 1950’s: Equipment inherited from my dad, Elisa’s grandfather and uncle, and all our stuff. Most of it was hurriedly thrown into cardboard boxes in the aftermath of Harvey.

White-eyed Vireo, Laffite's Cove, Galveston Island, Texas — *White-eyed Vireo,* Laffite’s Cove, Galveston Island, Texas. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). High-speed synchronized fill-flash.

Black and White Warbler, Lafitte's Cove, Galveston Island, Texas — *Black and White Warbler,* Lafitte’s Cove, Galveston Island, Texas. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). High-speed synchronized fill-flash.

Going through a pile of obsolete or broken bodies, I found a 32 GB CF card that I had forgotten about. On it were four or five hundred images I had forgotten about, also. Most of the images were Texas Gulf Coast stuff from five or six years ago. Many shots were attempts to deal with the murky and broken light of Texas Gulf Coast barrier island oak mottes during spring migration using flash.

American Bittern, 40-acre Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas — *Displaying American Bittern,* 40-acre Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). High-speed synchronized fill-flash.

I can almost feel the heat, the air heavy with humidity and the frequent sting of mosquitoes piercing my clothes–so different from the recent adventures featuring the blistering glare and UV fog of high altitude Arizona, but so similar in the sense of possibility of see something new.

Clearly the richness of your life depends upon the richness of your memories. Photography contributes to memory, if only in diverting our minds from the meaningless rubbish of contemporary daily life back to things . . . worth remembering.

Grackle, Corps. Woods, Galveston Island, Texas — *Male Boat-tailed Grackle,* Corps. Woods, Galveston Island, Texas. Judging by the images around this one, this bird, too, was in the middle of a courtship display. Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). High-speed synchronized fill-flash.

We photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing, and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth can make them come back again. We cannot develop and print a memory. –Henri Cartier-Bresson

Find the Food, Find the Critters

Posted July 28, 2018 by Chris Cunningham

If my leg falls off, I’ll get a prosthetic. There’d be no deep sadness about. I’d just get on with it! It’s called life, and I love life. You have to be positive, and you have to crack on no matter what. –John Lydon

Anna's Hummingbird on Agave Bloom Stalk, Cathedral Vista, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Female Anna’s Hummingbird on Agave palmeri Bloom Stalk,* Cathedral Vista, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. This bird has laid claim to this agave: Invaders are driven away mercilessly! Too bad for the photographer. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

Food, water, and cover are essentials for wildlife. All of these resources vary in their distribution over time depending on climate and weather. As a newcomer to Cave Creek, my forays out into the desert have lately been mostly about finding food plants–so I can find the birds and bugs!

Currently a number of plants are in bloom in the lower valley. Cenizo or Texas sage (Leucophyllum frutescens), mountain yucca (Yucca schottii), Palmer’s agave (Agave palmeri), and trumpet vine and elderberry (as noted in previous posts), are all providing food for birds and other animals. When not clearing brush or refinishing woodwork, I have been hanging around these plants hoping to see some visitors.

I have, for example, spent several hours on several occasions camped out by a large Palmer’s Agave. Although hoping for Bullock’s Orioles (Never mind the Bullocks, MP!), which I’ve seen at other agaves while driving through the canyon, the only birds I’ve seen at this particular plant have been hummingbirds and Black-headed Grosbeaks. I’ll give the orioles the old college try a few more times!

A Seed-bug(?) Confronts a Net-winged Beetle, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *A Seed-bug(?) Confronts an Arizona Net-winged Beetle (Lycus arizonensis) on Trumpet Vine Flower,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. Canon EOS 7DII/100mm f/2.8L IS Macro. High-speed synchronized macro ring-flash.

Cloudless Sulphur on Trumpet Vine, Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona — *Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) on Trumpet Vine,* Cave Creek Canyon, Arizona. This species seems to have replaced the marine blue as the most common butterfly around the lower canyon. Canon EOS 5DIII/100mm f/2.8L IS Macro. High-speed synchronized macro ring-flash.

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Birding by Camera | Adventures in Nature Photography