Garden Visitors

[Silas_Sancona]

A pretty boi... One of the guyz anyway...
















..and gurl...





And a pair of Gilas  🎶 ....in a Palm Tree 🎶   ..as the year ends...



No side eye from either of you,  You'll have a new feeder to replace the one that broke, ...next year.. Lol.

[Silas_Sancona]

Uncommon, ...but not infrequent..  visitor patrolling the hood..  looking for a late day snack.. I hear Eurasian Collard Dove is quite tasty, lol..

Cooper's Hawk, Accipiter cooperi. 








While the two look very similar, even confusing longtime, expert birders,  Cooper's tends to be a bit larger ( approx, the size of a Crow ) than Sharp - Shinned Hawk, Accipiter striatus  ( ..which are often the size of a large Jay )  Both can be found in many of the same habitats, and consume a similar palate of prey. 

Both species are used in Falconry.

[Silas_Sancona]

New, previously un- documented Jaguar captured on Trail Cams in AZ. 8th individual Jag. recorded here since 1996   ...Welcome, ...and feel free to bring your friends,  please

https://tucson.com/news/local/environment/new-video-shows-arizona-jaguar/article_aa38b7b4-ab3d-11ee-8269-2f44833f0b62.html

[mnorell]

That's fantastic news, Nathan. Beautiful cat!

[Silas_Sancona]

17 minutes ago, mnorell said:

That's fantastic news, Nathan. Beautiful cat!

Even better once they're back to roaming every mountain range between San Jose, San Diego, and Tahoe, South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Taos,  Albuquerque, and the Big Bend in TX again.. More Jags,  Less Cattle. The way it's supposed to be.

[Daryl]

A few from down the road....

Little Pied Cormorants

Comb Crested Jacana

Willy Wagtail

Kingfisher

Superb Fairy Wren

 

[Daryl]

A few more...

 

 

 

[tropicbreeze]

On 1/12/2024 at 8:57 AM, Daryl said:

A few more...

 

 

 

 

 

I particularly like the Red-backed Fairywren. Get them at my place. But we get occasional visits from a Brown Goshawk family. The Goshawks like the small birds, but the small birds don't really like the Goshawks.

[tropicbreeze]

Now that the rains have set in it's frog time. There's 15 species I've identified on my place. Suspect at least a couple more, but they're very elusive and masters of camouflage, so time will tell. These are some from the other night.

Litoria nasuta

Litoria rubella

Litoria tornieri

Platyplectrum ornatus

Ranoidea australis

Ranoidea caerulea

Litoria ridibunda

Uperoleia crassa (under water)

 

Edited January 18, 2024 by tropicbreeze

[Hillizard]

Took a couple of years to get established, but my Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia californica, California native pipevine) is blooming vigorously right now. It's scrambling throughout a Tecoma bush that gives it some shade in the summer.
https://baynature.org/article/dutchmans-pipe-is-the-only-pipevine-native-to-california/
Managed to catch a shot of a dark winged fungus gnat that pollinates the flowers. It's either a Lycoriella spp. or Bradysia spp. fly. What I really want to see are pipevine swallowtail butterflies  (Battus philenor) that use the leaves as a larval host in the spring and summer.

[steve99]

[steve99]

Pale Headed & Eastern Rosella Hybrid.

 

 

[Silas_Sancona]

Where there are ripe Sunflower heads to be harvested, in the dead of winter,  the Finches will follow..   ..Even better when they are Gold..  Lesser Goldfinch, Spinus psaltria  in this case.

















































Say's Phobe, Sayornis saya     one of a pair  which has been hanging around the yard over the last couple weeks.

Today, he ..or she.. was brave enough to settle on a bucket i keep Cocopeat in ( to let the rain wash out any residual higher salt content it might contain ) directly behind where i was standing ...Seeming to ask where the bugs were. It than spotted something up on the patio and fluttered over, grabbing ..a cricket? i guess..  than settled in it's typical position up on the wall, surveying neighboring yards for more snacks. No pictures of that.. Another " Happened when i'd left the camera inside " kinda' moment.. 🙃

[greysrigging]

'Love Is In The Air' ( apologies to John Paul Young ) in suburban Darwin....
Canopus (formerly Fuscous) Swallowtails.
At least someone is gettin' a bit of action at my address.... 🤣







 

 

[greysrigging]

Australian Green Tree Frog tadpoles just chillin' on my front verandah....

 

Edited January 28, 2024 by greysrigging
large file

[steve99]

I had a mixed bag in the backyard today.   Ten King parrots (adults and juveniles) one Wonga Pidgeon, one Common Bronzewing and a lone Rainbow Lorikeet.  Its amazing what a few handfuls of bird seed will attract.

 

 

[Silas_Sancona]

Mr. ( ..or Mrs.. ) Cooper ..back on the hunt for a furry or feathery snack..

[Silas_Sancona]

A few day stretch of 80s brings out the first Ornates of the year.. Female in this case..   Tis' the season for the return of the neighborhood Owls ( Great Horned )  as well..

[Daryl]

Powerful Owl

 

[Chester B]

New house and new animals. We’ve already seen some American toads and a few Green Anoles. Today I almost stepped on this little guy. It appears to be a young Diamondback water snake. Non venomous, fortunately. 

[Silas_Sancona]

A taste of Spring = critters out and about...


Pond Sliders, possibly the Red- Eared form.. ( I'm sure both are present around here )



Ornates enjoying some 80s..






Green - throated male Ornate,  trying to impress a date..









Gila  waiting for me to walk away from the Hummingbird feeders..






Neighborhood Red - Tailed Hawk patrolling for dinner..





First Dragonfly of the year ..A bit early to be seeing any yet, imo.. Pretty sure it's a Variegated Meadowhawk.




NOID Fruit Fly




Warbler sp. doing something not - so - usual ..visiting the Hummingbird feeders.  Would have been a better shot had he  ...or she... decided to hang out where there was more sunlight hitting the branch.





Always present Anna's Hummers enjoying their new feeders..   Spied a Black Chinned visiting the bigger feeder before it got chased off ...Before i could attempt getting any pictures.




 

[EJPalm05]

Mourning Doves:

[Foxpalms]

A few finds from Morocco.

Cybra algerina

Heterosilpha ramosa

Banded garden orbweaver 

alopecosa/ wolf spider

European firebug

Not 100% sure possibly a mouse spider

loxosceles rufescens

 

Edited February 25, 2024 by Foxpalms

[Silas_Sancona]

Goldfinch,  and a Gila   ....That's it.. 




















 No shots but,  As of yesterday morning,  presence of Monk Parakeets in the immediate neighborhood confirmed.. Flock of about 6 passed overhead.  Overall #s may be dwindling  but still numerous large Pine and Eucalypt. specimens in the 'Hood for nesting in..  = 🤞

[Rivera]

Calypte anna nestlings in Dicksonia antarctica.

[Rivera]

Same birds a week later (today).

[Silas_Sancona]

The fearless goldfinch that allows me ( ..and a curious Basenji ) to get within 5ft of his favorite Sunflower..







Younger Anna's ..or Black Chinned  Hummingbird that has been enjoying the Penstemon out front each morning..  Because everything is in flower atm, feeders are empty.






Cactus Lady Beetle, Chilocorus cacti   ...i think..  There are several similar looking native Lady bug - type beetles that occur here but, despite having yellow-er spots compared to many pictured specimens of C. cacti, overall body shape ..and area observations.. suggest that species over some others that look similar.  First observation of this type of Lady Bug since moving here.





As mentioned,  While the the spring flowers have been a buzz in introduced Euro. Honeybees since the show started this year, emergence of CA. Diggers  signals spring has began in the desert..  Seeing a few of our native Furrow Bees roaming around the last few days as well.







Another uncommon observation... While Honey Tailed Striped Sweat bees are the most common, as mentioned in the past, there are a couple other sps that turn up in yards from time to time here.  While i'm fairly certain the other Sweat Bee i came across earlier this year was a Honey Tail,   Species below is likely Angeles Striped Sweat Bee,  Agapostemon angelicus,  which can be more commonly encountered a bit earlier in the year..

Stripes on it's back end are less pronounced / duller in color, Body itself has more hairs covering it compared to the Honey Tails.. Hoping it will hang around long enough to get a few more good shots.

Edited March 15, 2024 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Silas_Sancona]

Sum' Sunday Critters.....

Ligated Furrow Bee, Halictus ligatus.








Various Syrphid ( Hover ) Flies..




Green Heron which, unless it is just the angle of how the shot was taken,  appears to have lost the lower portion of it's right leg / foot.



And some Pond / Red eared Sliders nearby...

[Silas_Sancona]

Bees,  'Hoppers,  and another sure sign of spring ..Even if the weather is trying to hang onto winter....


Grey Bird Grasshopper.. Most likely. A little early to see advanced nymphs out already.





Cactus Bees / Cactus Chimney Bee,  Diadasia rinconis ( Complex D. australis )   doin' Cactus Bee thingzz.















NOID bee -like moth? ..Tiny and wouldn't sit still long enough to get the best possible shots.. Looks like a Bee, but Antennae suggest something else unrelated to Bees, ants, or Wasps.






  Globemallow Chimney Bee. Diadasia diminuta  ( Complex D. diminuta )    Interestingly, these and Cactus Chimney Bees are in the same Subgenus, Coquillettapis  and Genus ( Diadasia ) but only frequent the suggested groups of plants. Numerous Chimney / Turret Bee sps, in a few other Genus across AZ and the Southwest / CA. as well which should start emerging soon..



Furrow Bee sp. Don't think it is a Ligate.





Audubon's Warbler.. One of several N. AM. Birds whose current names may be revised in the coming months.





First White Winged Dove of the '24 = another sure sign of Spring in the Low Desert. As mentioned in the past, they are supposedly present year round here, but seem to disappear / aren't heard much -if at all- locally between November and about now.  Population here could briefly migrate down into N. Mexico for a few weeks, but have seen observations of White Wings in Dec. / Jan. 🤔

[Silas_Sancona]

Native Bees  ...Galore..

Cali. Diggers..





Globemallow Chimney ..I think..













YTBID' ed #1








YTBID' ed #2

Edited March 30, 2024 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Silas_Sancona]

Painted Lady..



The fearless Goldfinch ( Lesser G.F. ) who must access the Sunflowers, no matter who is nearby.





One of our locally abundant King Bird sps.  Have at least a pair sally back and forth between all the nearby Washingtonia, chattering about something,  particularly in the mornings / around sunset this time of year.

Hard to tell exactly which sp in just past sunset lighting.







Some unusual visitors   ..on Eclipse day..

After trying to lure em' in over the last 6 months or so,  some of the neighborhood Love Birds decided Eclipse day was the day to visit the Sunflowers.














American Eagle wandering by overhead,  Just after the Eclipse had ended, local time.  While there are American Eagle pairs here in AZ, today was the first time i've spotted one anywhere in the area since moving here 8 years ago.. 





Always a great day when an Eagle crosses your view.  Extra special when one follows the sun as it returns to the sky after a quick break.

[Chester B]

@Silas_SanconaThose lovebirds are pretty cute, I had no idea there were populations of them in the US.  I get a lot of Crows and vultures in comparison!

To be fair I have so many birds flying overhead due to the proximity of Lake Houston, so it's tough to tell what they are, lots of what I think are gulls of some sort and sometimes Brown Pelicans.  Since I have now moved east of the mountains I'm starting to see a lot of familiar birds which weren't in Oregon - Cardinals and Bluejays specifically.  A few new feathered friends in my yard have been Bluebirds and Mockingbirds.  No signs of hummingbirds yet but I have started planting things they will like.

[Xenon]

17 minutes ago, Chester B said:

@Silas_SanconaThose lovebirds are pretty cute, I had no idea there were populations of them in the US.  I get a lot of Crows and vultures in comparison!

To be fair I have so many birds flying overhead due to the proximity of Lake Houston, so it's tough to tell what they are, lots of what I think are gulls of some sort and sometimes Brown Pelicans.  Since I have now moved east of the mountains I'm starting to see a lot of familiar birds which weren't in Oregon - Cardinals and Bluejays specifically.  A few new feathered friends in my yard have been Bluebirds and Mockingbirds.  No signs of hummingbirds yet but I have started planting things they will like.

Tons of feral quaker parrots in east/southeast Houston if you're interested. You'll see them flying around the mix of industrial wasteland and green space that is the Port of Houston. They even nest in a wooded area next to where I work right on I-10 east. 

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Chester B said:

@Silas_SanconaThose lovebirds are pretty cute, I had no idea there were populations of them in the US.  I get a lot of Crows and vultures in comparison!

To be fair I have so many birds flying overhead due to the proximity of Lake Houston, so it's tough to tell what they are, lots of what I think are gulls of some sort and sometimes Brown Pelicans.  Since I have now moved east of the mountains I'm starting to see a lot of familiar birds which weren't in Oregon - Cardinals and Bluejays specifically.  A few new feathered friends in my yard have been Bluebirds and Mockingbirds.  No signs of hummingbirds yet but I have started planting things they will like.

Peach / Rosy faced Lovebirds are very common here and expanding their reach down to Tucson, and in some areas of S.Cal.

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/19079-Agapornis-roseicollis

We're also seeing increasing #'s of both Fischer's and  Yellow Collared Lovebirds around town / other areas nearby.

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/19075-Agapornis-fischeri

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/19076-Agapornis-personatus

As mentioned earlier, heard and saw the first Monk Parakeets here about a month ago. Looking forward to seeing many more soon as they settle in and expand their footprint here.


Have seen everything from various Hawks, White and Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, Ibis, Herons, Egrets, Geese and both Turkey & Black Vultures pass overhead, depending on the time of year. 

Awaiting seeing Crested Caracara, Golden Eagle, ...and / or one of the " Tropical " Hawks that wander up here from Mexico every so often.

Our neighborhood Ravens may have moved on to ...where ever they go... for the summer over the past week.


As far as Hummingbirds?  Should be about handful of sps. that may show up in your yard out there, inc. the ultra rare Green Breasted Mango, Anthracothorax prevostii  that has been wandering into Texas / Louisiana  a bit more regularly over that past decade or so.



 

[Chester B]

We also have a crazy crow that is easily recognized by his/her calls. It sounds like a person making crow sounds. We suspect it was raised by humans. My wife is trying to make friends with it but no luck so far. 
 

I’m definitely going to look for those parrots. The only invasives I’m seeing in my neighborhood aside from Humans are the giant apple snails and one gecko. 

[Silas_Sancona]

20 minutes ago, Chester B said:

We also have a crazy crow that is easily recognized by his/her calls. It sounds like a person making crow sounds. We suspect it was raised by humans. My wife is trying to make friends with it but no luck so far. 
 

I’m definitely going to look for those parrots. The only invasives I’m seeing in my neighborhood aside from Humans are the giant apple snails and one gecko. 

A casual guess, but, what you may be hearing are Fish Crows, Corvus ossifragus.  Typically smaller than the common Crow, and their call sounds " off " for a Crow..  ..More nasal-y and higher pitched. To me it sounds like if you caught a normal Crow and covered its nose while it tried to call. 

Next to White Ibis, Fish Crows were a common sight in FL. During certain times of the year, flocks easily numbering over 100 would pass back and forth between the beaches and inland areas around sunset or sunrise when i lived in Bradenton. 

Quite a sight when you hear them calling, and then dozens of birds are filling the sky overhead as they pass.  That happened once while i was at work in Sarasota not too long before i moved and pretty much everyone in the nursery at the time stopped to watch the flock pass overhead and settle in some nearby trees, then flush from the trees in groups of about 20 or so and move on a few minutes later.  Wish i'd had had my camera with me that day.


Haven't seen them yet ..mainly because i haven't made any trips up there  but one ( or two ) of the rapidly spreading  Apple Snail sps have been spreading down the Salt River just east of downtown Phoenix..  Have been found in other areas around town, and down in Tucson over the last couple years also. Every year ..about now actually, you'll see a reminder that if tubing on the river, if you see the egg clusters, destroy them.  ...Not sure how much of a dent in their population that would make, but, guess any effort to slow them down could help.

Showing up in more areas of California as well.

Geckos are out, but due to the current up and down weather pattern, they've been staying closer to the house.  As it warms up, they should start roaming more ...to the point where i'll find them hanging out on the mailbox / roaming through the the planting beds by the sidewalk.
 

[Chester B]

9 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

A casual guess, but, what you may be hearing are Fish Crows, Corvus ossifragus.  Typically smaller than the common Crow, and their call sounds " off " for a Crow..  ..More nasal-y and higher pitched. To me it sounds like if you caught a normal Crow and covered its nose while it tried to call. 

Well you learn something new everyday.  Yes you are correct it/they are fish crow(s).  From a distance there is no discernable difference in appearance and they make typical crow calls, but then the "weird" call.  I listened to some calls and it matches perfectly.  I've never even heard of a fish crow.  I had look at their range map and it all makes sense.

Upon further investigation it appears they were not native to Houston, but are spreading westward.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/gardening/article/Crows-of-a-different-feather-fish-crows-are-14105549.php

As far as the apple snails, there is no way I'm going to make a dent.  Just in the one small canal by house their were dozens of egg masses.  They lay them above the water line on vegetation/sticks and are pretty brightly colored.

Edited April 10, 2024 by Chester B

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Chester B said:

Well you learn something new everyday.  Yes you are correct it/they are fish crow(s).  From a distance there is no discernable difference in appearance and they make typical crow calls, but then the "weird" call.  I listened to some calls and it matches perfectly.  I've never even heard of a fish crow.  I had look at their range map and it all makes sense.

Upon further investigation it appears they were not native to Houston, but are spreading westward.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/gardening/article/Crows-of-a-different-feather-fish-crows-are-14105549.php

As far as the apple snails, there is no way I'm going to make a dent.  Just in the one small canal by house their were dozens of egg masses.  They lay them above the water line on vegetation/sticks and are pretty brightly colored.

I also hadn't realized that there were two different types of crows ( at the time ) until i'd moved to FL the first time and would hear them, and then looked up what i thought might be some sort of Grackle..

Read that they are slowly expanding westward as well..  Seems numerous " Eastern " birds are doing that currently.. Blue Jays turning up in the Pac. N.W. / California being a good example.

To complicate matters, appears a 3rd sp. of Crow, Corvus imparatus ( Tamaulipas Crow ) extends it's range up to about the Houston area. New to me.

What's somewhat ironic is here, i can't recall seeing any Crows, though i'm sure they're around.

Ravens on the other hand are fairly easy to spot, esp at certain times of the year, whereas back in San Jose, you have to head out into less developed areas before you'd see them, though i'd occasionally see them soaring overhead.

We also have another Raven sp here Corvus cryptoleucus ( Chihuahuan Raven ) whose range extends up to roughly Tucson / Oracle, but has been spotted as far north as Florence / San Tan Valley, just to my south, ..so, it's totally possible one or two wander into town un noticed at times.

While i don't think there have been any documented observations of it on this side of the " border " we're easily within " wandering " distance for the Sinaloa Crow, Corvus sinaloae also..


While i get the message they're trying to put out, i chuckle a little each time i hear the " destroy snail eggs " messages. For one, the Salt River is long, with some areas being surprisingly more difficult to access ( and deep ) than people realize. #2., most folks are not going to be on the lookout for snails / egg cases while tubing down the river..  If they've enjoyed a few too many " beverages " while cooking in the sun as they float down river, they might see egg cases everywhere, lol.

3rd, Honestly, even if a group of people regularly went up and down the river looking for / destroying eggs they see, there are likely many more that get missed because not all the snails will place the eggs where they will be spotted as easily  ..So, while you may slow the spread by removing a portion of what is obvious, tough to completely eliminate it, esp. at this point in the game, so to say. Now that they're showing up -everywhere- around the valley, going to be tougher to knock them down.

What's kind of interesting is with Apple Snails starting to spread around much more, could that cause a rapid range expansion of Snail Kites ..both out of FL, and / or Mexico?  I'd think they'd be the most obvious predator to follow a preferred food source that few others have acquired a taste for..

[Chester B]

I found another invasive creature brought out by the hellacious storms that kept me up half the night. 
 

A Black-velvet leatherleaf slug (Belocaulis angustipes), native to South America. 

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Chester B said:

I found another invasive creature brought out by the hellacious storms that kept me up half the night. 
 

A Black-velvet leatherleaf slug (Belocaulis angustipes), native to South America. 

That's one weird looking Slug.. Resembles seed pods off Sweet Acacia, or TX. Ebony..  Apparently, Tropical Leatherleaf Slug also occurs there as well..

Reading that both can be hosts for some pretty nasty Nematodes in certain areas as well.