Arizona Photography

 The summer influx of Hummingbirds seems to have started, as numbers have increased noticeably over the past week or so.  Within the next two weeks, I expect we'll see a greater variety of them as the southward migration picks up momentum.  Last visit, I took lots of Hummingbird photos, but was disappointed when I reviewed them on computer.  In general, the birds looked fine, but the backgrounds were terrible.  I tossed the entire batch and vowed to do better.  This visit I tried harder to avoid cluttered backgrounds, although it is the bird that decides where to go.  There is always room for improvement, but I am happier with these results.   Rufous (M) Broad-billed (M) Broad-billed (M) Black-chinned (M) Black-chinned (M) Anna's (F) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Anna's (M) Inca Dove House Finch (M) Ladder-backed Woodpecker (M) Canyon Towhee Lesser Goldfinch (M) Lesser Goldfinch (F) House Finch (F) White-winged Dove Black-...

 I couldn't think of a better way to spend the morning of July 4th, so I went birding in Ash Canyon.  Others must have a different idea, since I was almost alone there.  I didn't mind, however, because there were plenty of birds to keep me entertained.   Ash-throated Flycatcher Brown-headed Cowbird (M) Black-headed Grosbeak (M) Black-headed Grosbeak (J) Black-headed Grosbeak (F) Acorn Woodpecker (M) Rock Squirrel House Finch (M) Scott's Oriole (M) Scott's Oriole (J) Scott's Oriole (F) Canyon Towhee Mexican Jay House Finch (F) Gambel's Quail (M) Curve-billed Thrasher Lesser Goldfinch (M) Lesser Goldfinch (F Pyrrhuloxia (M) Mourning Dove White-winged Dove Cactus Wren Lark Sparrow Anna's (F)        Striped Whiptail lizards are common on the sanctuary grounds.  I sometimes photograph them, as I did this day, but I don't know much about them.  With a little research, I learned that the species is female only.  The embryos don't requ...