December 1, 2018
By Howard Myers
These photographs were taken in Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve over a number of years. The hawks in flight and turkey vulture drying its wings were taken at Little Granite Mountain just after the city bought the land and redid the trails. A once in a lifetime opportunity. No one was there then so these birds were close to the new trails. Don’t see them this close anymore. In one of the photos you can see the hawk yaking at me, I must have been somewhere near the nest. He was at the same place every time I took that trail.
The grey fox, a rare sight, was out by Cholla Mountain again when the trails were new and no people on them. The deer out by rock knob at the Tom’s Thumb trail head. The hawks on trees out north of Brown’s mountain again when the trails were first built and no people were on them.
The owl was keeping an eye on me when I was out trying to take a picure of the full moon rising. The rattlesnake at Little Granite right next to the trail, probably protecting newborns as he (or she) didn’t move as I passed.
Anyway, hope you enjoy these pictures, I know I felt really good seeing all these creatures and being able to take their picture. Part of the
magical and varied experience the Preserve provides.
Turkey Vulture
a
Grey Fox
Diamondback Rattlesnake
Great Horned Owl
Harris’s Hawks
Mule Deer
f
Butterfly
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December 3, 2018
Why haven’t you identified the hawk/vulture/? in the photo just above the photo of the deer??????Need some help ?
December 3, 2018
Thank you. The caption has been updated. I think I’ve got the id right. Used to have many of them sitting on the utility lines behind my home. These two look to be young. Les