Desert Life

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 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.

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.

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.

Yikes! Spikes! of a Saguaro cactus.

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.

You never know what (or who!) awaits you in the desert. These are the spent blooms of a Teddybear Cholla.

A Black-throated Sparrow drinks from a fountain at the Cave Creek Recreation Area north of Phoenix.

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?

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.

It's usually a Cactus Wren that builds its nest in a Saguaro.

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.

The Overton Trail, which connects to the Go John Trail, is a three-mile loop at the Cave Creek Regional Park, north of Phoenix.

The surrounding shots were taken at the Lake Pleasant Regional Park in Maricopa County, Arizona.

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.

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.

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.

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.