the wandering chick
...Arizona Desert Life
Saguaro cactus
plants and wildlife of the Sonora Desert
Saguaro cactus
The Saguaros stand tall out here in this part of the Sonora Desert. There are no two alike, and they are the symbol of the southwest.
wild burros
wild burros
Wild donkeys (or to use the Spanish name as they do out here: Burros) can be very elusive. Shy and timid, they graze on the shrub and usually travel in small herds. On this particular day, there were 8 of them grazing about.
Saguaro cactus
the Ocotillo plant
The Ocotillo plant is another common bush in the desert, and they grow quite large. It is not a cactus. In the Spring it blooms to a flaming red bush.
the Ocotillo plant
the Saguaro cactus
The Sonoran Desert
Lake Pleasant Regional Park
Lake Pleasant from the regional park
The Teddybear Cholla
Lake Pleasant is a 10,000-acre lake in this area north of Phoenix. It sits within the Lake Pleasant Regional Park, which itself is almost 24,000 acres. It has numerous boat ramps, a marina, hiking trails, campgrounds and gorgeous views.
The Teddybear Cholla is another common desert cactus. Personally, I think the name is deceiving. It may look soft and cuddly, but those are SPIKES you're looking at, and I hear they are very painful to remove.
Coots can be found on most bodies of water in Arizona. These two pictures were taken on the lake near here, Lake Pleasant.
coot in Lake Pleasant
coots on Lake Pleasant
saguaro cactus
Saguaro Cactus near Pleasant Harbor RV Resort
close up of a saguaro cactus
Yikes! Spikes! of a Saguaro cactus.
a common desert iguana
a burro in Lake Pleasant Regional Park
I'll have to check, but I think this guy is a common desert iguana. To me, it just looks like an ordinary lizard. Both normally have longer tails, but this poor guy got his chopped off. Not to worry, they grow back in time.
saguaro cactus

Feel free to visit my other Arizona locations by returning to the Arizona home page.

off Highway 74, near Lake Pleasant

Thank you for visiting these photo pages.

If you're interested in seeing more, please return to the Main Menu at the bottom of my home page and make your selection.

All images within 'The Wandering Chick' Web site are copyright protected. They may not be downloaded or otherwise copied.

Please contact me if you think a particular photo or set of photos can be used in your publication.

spent blooms of a teddybear cholla
You never know what (or who!) awaits you in the desert. These are the spent blooms of a Teddybear Cholla.
a black-throated sparrow
A Black-throated Sparrow drinks from a fountain at the Cave Creek Recreation Area north of Phoenix.
dead cholla plant
Sometimes the 'corpse' of a plant is as interesting as the plant itself. This is the remains of a dead Cholla plant. Go ahead - free your imagination. Do you see what I see?
Cave Creek Regional Park, Go John Trail
saguaro cactus
A hike at the Cave Creek Regional Park put me on the Overton/Go John Trail where this picture was taken. I like this shot because it gives perspective on how tall the Saguaros actually get out here.
bird's nest in Saguaro cactus
The surrounding mountains of Cave Creek Regional Park
It's usually a Cactus Wren that builds its nest in a Saguaro.
Tallest of Saguaros
saguaro dead
The Saguaros have a very shallow root system, perhaps 3 feet deep. But they have one main root that is as long as the height of the plant. This root wraps itself around rocks and other underground roots, acting as an anchor to the plant.
A decaying or dying Saguaro is not a pretty sight. Diseased or picked to bad health by birds, it can take years before one succumbs. And when they do, the skeleton (above) takes on a character of its own. I've seen Saguaro skeletons being sold at outdoor antique/garden stores for pretty hefty prices. The plant is strictly protected by law in Arizona, and a permit is needed to remove the Saguaro, dead or alive.
dying Saguaro
The Overton Go John Trail at Cave Creek Regional Park
The Overton GoJohn Trail at Cave Creek Regional Park
The Overton Trail, which connects to the Go John Trail, is a three-mile loop at the Cave Creek Regional Park, north of Phoenix.
globe mallow at lake pleasant regional park
globe mallow at lake pleasant regional park
a saguaro skeleton
The surrounding shots were taken at the Lake Pleasant Regional Park in Maricopa County, Arizona.
a saguaro skeleton
a burro shows a little less interest in me than i do in him
The Waterfall Trail at White Tank Mtns
saguaro arm's beginning
All living things begin as babies. Here's the beginning of a saguaro's arm. The saguaros don't begin to grow arms until they're at least 65 years old.
waterfall trail at White Tank Mtns
One of the easier trails in the White Tank Mountains is the Waterfall Trail. It leads to this very small corner where water collects. Once the snow begins to melt in higher elevations, the water will probably rush over the rocks we're climbing on to see the pool.
saguaros near bloomtime
The waterfall trail at White Tank Mtns
saguaro flowers near bloom time
Above and to the left are photos of the Saguaros just before the flowers blossom. Most of the Saguaros are still in this stage, but if I see a really cool blooming shot before I leave the area in a few days, I'll add it here. Check back.
saguaros in bloom
saguaro cactus in bloom
prickly pear bud
argentine giant
This is the growth of a new pad, or leaf, of a prickly pear cactus.
This plant and the next three pictures are of the Argentine Giant. Like the saguaros, each individual flower lasts a very, very short period of time, but as can be seen here, there are many buds yet to pop.
Argentine Giant
Argentine Giant
Argentine Giant