Archive for the ‘Wilcox Arizona’ Category
Sandhill Cranes at Whitewater Draw — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Sandhill Cranes wintering in southeast Arizona and northern Sonora many have migrated from their nesting area in Siberia.
Whitewater Draw is an Arizona Game and Fish Wildlife Area is of state and regional significance as the primary wintering area for Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) in Arizona and includes both the Lesser (most numerous) and Greater subspecies. Located in the southern Sulphur Springs Valley, cranes are coming from both the Rocky Mountain population and Mid-Continental population. The area also supports wintering Snow Geese (80-200) and a few Ross?s Geese (occasional to 40). Counts of Sandhill Cranes in early January have steadily climbed from 4,000 in 1991 to over 22,000 in 2008 at Whitewater Draw, with another 13,000 present 36 miles north in the Willcox Playa area, and another 600 present in the far north of Sulphur Springs Valley at Bonita, AZ, and 400 present in the Safford Valley near Duncan. The Greater subspecies breeds in the northern states of the continental U.S., and the Lesser subspecies, breeds from Alaska and eastern Siberia. (Source: Audubon.org)
Every year the town of Wilcox hosts Wings Over Wilcox — Birding and Nature Festival (January 17-20, 2019). Birds have been arriving for weeks now — the birds have their own schedule.
— kenne
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Saguaro Blossoms
Ocotillo Blossoms
Palo Verde Blossons
Spring in Sabino Canyon
Desert Hibiscus
Signs Of Spring In The Desert — Photo Essay by kenne
Desert Song
I thirst
for your rivers
your rippling mesas of sand
gold mirrors
on your sinuous curves
I thirst
for the saguaro
for the sweet juice of cactus
in the prickling sweat
of a desert sun
I thirst
for the searing of hot valleys
the bend of shimmer and heat
that bow that arcs the arrow
toward this center, my heart
I thirst
for the bloom, the sweet
languorous smells
this subtle perfume
elusive, as the scuttle of desert life
I thirst
for this tallest, deepest night
of stars and silence
when the moon is only a moon
silvering this light
— Ruth Housman
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Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area is located in the Sulphur Springs Valley in southeast Arizona. It consists of 1,528 acres and is owned and managed by Arizona Game and Fish Department. The area supports an average wintering population of about 22,000 sandhill cranes. Located about two hours from my home in Tucson, on December 30th I spent a couple mid-day hours photographing these large beautiful birds.
kenne
(Click on any of the images to see a larger view in a slideshow format.)
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Apple Annie’s — Grunge Art
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