For the third year in a row (that we know of), the curve billed thrashers have built a nest in the buckhorn cholla cactus in front of our house. We discovered three eggs in the nest a few days ago.
The nest is in the inhospitable-looking cholla cactus, buried deeply between the branches of sharp needles. Egg predators like snakes and rodents are severely handicapped by the harsh spines. That, and we have personally seen thrashers defend their territory by attacking a gopher snake in our yard, running it off by pecking at its tail as it slithers off to the desert underbrush.
I took this photo today holding the camera above the cholla and pointing it down toward the cup-shaped nest embedded below the needles. Click on the image to enlarge.
