Ornate Tree Lizard — Image by kenne
This ornate tree lizard appears to have come out of his winter home to catch some morning sun in Sabino Canyon. The lizard is darker than normal, allowing for more absorption of the sun.
The hole and pipe are in a large rock and was originally a source of drinking water for visitors to the dam area of Sabino Canyon.
— kenne
At first glance, you might think these two images are of the same mountain wildflower.
Wrong, my friend, with the help of fellow hiker and naturalist, David Dean,
I’m able to pass on the correct identification.
Mountain flowers have a way of slowing the pace of a hike to the pace of a nature walk, especially when hiking with very knowledgeable people — Thanks, David.
— kenne
Western Dayflower, Commelina dianthifolia
(Mt. Lemmon, August 12, 2016)
— Image by kenne
Spiderwort, Tradescantia
(Mt. Lemmon, August 12, 2016)
— Image by kenne
– Edna St. Vincent Millay
Wildflower Images, February 25, 2014 Nature Walk by kenne [Place cursor over image to see name of flower, and/or click on any image to see slideshow.]
— Edward Abbey
Sabino Canyon Volunteer Nationalists training 8th grade students to become youth naturalists after a nature walk in the canyon.
— Image by kenne
— Frank Lloyd Wright
Desert Marigold Blooming Early In The Desert (January 29, 2014) — Image by kenne
A Pocket Gopher Collecting Fresh Greens — Image by kenne
While vacationing with family on the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina, we took in some of nature’s best. Since most of our time was spent on the shore side, we made a special effort to explore the sound side. (OK, I know everyone was being nice and trying to appeasing me.)
In Nags Head there is Jockey’s Ridge State Park, which contains the tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States attracting hand gliders and wind surfers from up and down the east coast. 
There are plenty of self-guided hiking trails, however we learned of a guided nature walk Wednesday morning that proved to be very information — at least for me. Our guide was a retired high school teacher/administrator that spends his summers as a park docent.
As it turned out, we had a our own personal guided nature walk, since our family were the only people on the walk. There were a lot of people in the park, however, most were on the high dunes watching the gliders. The maritime thicket of live oaks, persimmons, red cedar, wax myrtle, bayberry, sweet gum, red oaks, and pines grows best in areas protected by the large dune.
A lot of the older pine trees died a few year back then a large storm pushed saltwater in the low areas of the park.
Shifting winds are constantly reshaping the dunes. Because the Ridge is always changing, it is often called “The Living Dune.”
Looking out over Roanoke Sound.
The edges of the maritime forest contain a lot of marshy areas attractive to birds.
While on the nature walk, the docent told us about the Nags Head Woods Preserve, so after completing the walk, Joy and I decided to go for a short hike in the preserve.
The preserve is a nature conservancy containing the largest maritime forest on the east coast. The trails wind through marshy woods and wooded dunes.
The Nags Head Woods Preserve Center — Images by kenne
kenne
Gila Monster — Image by kenne
This morning I took a small group of Cub Scouts and parents on a Junior Ranger nature walk in Sabino Canyon. The walk is only a quarter and is designed to increase their knowledge of the desert. Although the gila monster is reasonably common to the Sonoran desert, they spend 90% of their time underground except during the mating season, which is May and June. This morning’s sighting made the scout’s day! (Mine too!)
After completing the walk, the scouts were awarded a Sabino Canyon Junior Ranger certificate.
kenne
Male Phainopepla — Image by kenne
The phainopepla is a common southern Arizona bird, spending its summers on Mount Lemmon, moving south to the Sabino Canyon for the winter. And even though I have many photos of this very attractive bird, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to photograph this male phainopepla during this morning’s Ned Harris & Friends nature-walk in the canyon.
kenne
