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Critters

The Early Squirrel Gets The Nut

In the title, I paraphrased the 17th century proverb to describe the morning activity of the little White Tailed Antelope Ground Squirrels that inhabit the area around our little house. I usually carry a few almonds in my shirt pocket to toss out to the squirrels when they are brave enough to come out looking for a handout, which is more often than you might think.

This morning, the little guy in the image above was out of the burrow and into the open area in the wash behind the house to receive the nut that I tossed out for him (her?). I usually can’t tell unless a female that is nursing the little ones stands erect and I can see her teats exposed.

The one shown was the only taker this morning, although, on occasion, several might show up. I carry several almonds and can usually throw enough for all that want them.

Image: taken with my Canon EOS Rebel SL3, Normal Program, 1/500sec, F8, ISO 100, EF-S55-250MM Lens @ 250MM, cropped.

October 4, 2025 by Arizona Critters Photography

Cactus Wren

One of our favorite local birds, the Cactus Wren, perches next to the seed block feeder in the back yard. Click on the image to view enlarged.

From the link above:

The Cactus Wren is a large chunky wren with a long heavy bill, a long, rounded tail, and short, rounded wings. The Cactus Wren is the largest wren in the United States and is similar in size to a Spotted Towhee.

The Cactus Wren is a speckled brown bird with bright white eyebrows that extend from the bill, across and above their red eyes, to the sides of the neck. They have pale cinnamon sides and a white chest with dark speckles. The back is brown with heavy white streaks, and the tail is barred white and black—especially noticeable from below. Males and females look alike, but juveniles are slightly paler and have a brown eye.

Unlike other wrens that typically hide in vegetation, the Cactus Wren seems to have no fear. They perch atop cacti and other shrubs to announce their presence and forage out in the open. They do not cock their tails over their back the way other wrens do. Instead they fan their tail feathers, flashing white tail tips.

August 29, 2025 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography Retirement

Saguaro Propagation

If I understand the propagation of the Saguaro Cacti in the southwest correctly, the seeds in the fruit are eaten by various critters and deposited along with bird waste randomly in the desert, where a young cactus may eventually grow.

In any case, I photographed this Curve Billed Thrasher dining on some of the fruit on the big saguaro in our yard today. Click on either image to enlarge in the image viewer.

June 28, 2025 by Arizona Critters Home & Garden Photography

A New Camera Lens

My 75-300mm telephoto lens disappeared mysteriously over the last year, basically since we went to view the total solar eclipse near Waco, Texas, last year. The lost lens may eventually turn up, since we’re not generally that lax with keeping and caring for our equipment, but (s-word) happens.

So, in the meantime, before (and if) the old lens shows up, we ordered a new telephoto lens for my Canon EOS Rebel T6i camera, namely a Canon EF100-300mm replacement for the lost lens. To be sure, the new lens is somewhat superior to the old one, since it is lighter, has less chromatic aberration and is more compact than the “lost” lens.

As a quick functional test of the newly received lens, the photo above was taken of a white winged dove that perched on the bird feeder crook in the back of the house. The photo above was taken through the new lens at about a range of fifteen yards and cropped down to feature the bird. Thankfully, there seems to be no signs of chromatic aberration and the bird’s features come through very well.

Now, if the old lens turns up, it will go to one of the local charitable foundations for resale in their thrift store. The new lens, will be available for more shots like this of wildlife or whatever presents itself as we continue to photograph the world around us, both at home and on the road.

June 4, 2025 by Arizona Critters Photography

Flower and Squirrel

These are a couple of candid shots from around the property this morning:

The Pride of Barbados shrub, also known as Caesalpinia pulcherrima, is a beautiful and fast-growing plant native to tropical America. It can grow up to 10 feet tall as a shrub. Our three in the courtyard have been with us for about thirteen years and still going strong. We trim them to the ground in late fall and they come back in the spring boasting flowers in May through late fall when they get trimmed back again.

Overall, the Pride of Barbados shrub is a stunning addition to any garden, with its vibrant flowers and fast growth rate making it a great choice for those looking to add some color and texture to their outdoor space.

The white-tailed antelope ground squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus) is a small, diurnal species of ground squirrel found in the southwestern United States and the Baja California Peninsula of northwestern Mexico.

  • Habitat: They inhabit arid regions with hot and dry climates, often living in burrows and using them as shelter from extreme temperatures and predators.
  • Diet: White-tailed antelope ground squirrels are omnivorous, feeding on foliage (10%-60% of their diet), seeds (20%-50%), arthropods, and vertebrates (mainly lizards and rodents).
  • Behavior: They are active during cooler parts of the day, avoiding midday heat and using their burrows as a refuge. They are solitary animals, but may live together in burrows during winter.
  • Reproduction: They reach sexual maturity by their first year, breed from February to June, and typically have one litter per year with 5-14 young.

From AI:

The name “white-tailed antelope squirrel” is somewhat misleading because the tail of this species is not entirely white. Instead, the underside of the tail is white, while the outer surface is brown to gray with two white stripes from the shoulder to the hind end. The white stripes on the sides of the body and the white underside of the tail are distinctive features that help identify this species.

May 21, 2025 by Arizona Critters Flowers Home & Garden Photography

Cactus Wren Nest

I have been observing a cactus wren nest in a cholla cactus by the west fence for a few days. I frequently see one of the wrens attending to the nest as though there may be hatchlings in it.

Today, I was lucky enough to see one of the wrens coming out of the nest. I had my Canon EOS Rebel SL3 with me on my morning walk and got the photo above. Canon Normal Program Mode with EF55-250 lens set at a focal length of 250mm.

Click on the image to enlarge.

March 24, 2025 by Arizona Critters Photography

Avalon 1998

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