A springtime review of the area surrounding the world headquarters of Dashew Offshore has become somewhat of a tradition. This year we are also testing the high speed delivery system to its max, these images being harder on the pipeline than mere renderings.

We are often asked why we picked Southern Arizona as a base of operations when landbound. There are many reasons, and right now Mother Nature is showing one of them, just how alluring spring can be in the Sonoran desert. Surprisingly, there are a number of other circumavigators in the area (perhaps there should be a Southwestern USA circumnavigator association). All of the photos that follow were either taken on our property, or very close thereto.

 

To begin with, you cannot help but love the winged visitors. In the morning and evening, when they sing for joy or perhaps their mate, the air is alive with music.

Every few days a new species of cactus, here a saguaro, issue forth their particular color of flowers.

If you have water available, a stream of thankful visitors will be your reward. They are wary, and you must guard your movement lest their drink be disturbed, but a stealthy rise of the camera will result in a gift to take back to the boat.

We are in our fourth year of enjoying the love-making of this pair of sparrow hawks. The male often brings tasty morsels to his fair damsel. After which a bit of X-rated behavior may take place. Their nest is in a nearby sagauro cactus, and one day, if we are late enough getting back to Wind Horse, perhaps even this year, we shall see the result of their endeavors.

News flash. Caught this parent on the way to the nest with a morsel.

Perhaps the time has arrived and hungry progeny require sustenance?

Although a loving couple, Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow Hawk do not take kindly to interlopers. They will attack and drive off much larger raptors. Poachers–this hawk has a small bird in its port talon–are not tolerated.

Red-tailed hawks only fly over at altitude, lest they attract the ire of the much smaller sparrow hawks.

One exception to the territorial imperative is this resident raven. An enormous creature–its wing span must be close to six feet/1.8meters–it is an evil-tempered vociferous citizen who fights on high with overflying red tails, and vultures. An uneasy peace exists between it and the sparrow hawks.

This year has actually been somewhat of a disappointment in terms of wildflowers. Excellent rainfall during late autumn had us hopeful (typical being a couple of inches/25-50mm). But a dry winter–just an inch/25mm (about a third of normal)- has reduced the spring bloom.

A bit of local lore. Stay well clear of gila monsters. They can move very quickly if provoked, or think you a potential meal, and once they bite they do not let go. Unless you flip them onto their back on the ground, in which case, so we are advised, they shall relinquish their grasp. We have yet to verify this dictum. And lest you be thinking of moving to this harsh land, keep in mind that this fellow’s poisonous chomp is a love tap compared to the many rattlesnakes and scorpions just waiting for an errant human to pass by (a neighbor was bitten by a rattler last spring). And then there are the swarms of killer bees.

We have recently acquired a remarkable new camera body, the Canon 5D Mark lll. It has the ability to remain locked onto fast and erratically moving targets unlike any camera previously available.

The 5d3 processor is capable of producing images in almost total darkness, and works with a wide range of light. The image above is not a composite, and there are no external light sources, other than a small chunk of moon and the stars. We cannot wait to get this piece of gear onto Wind Horse. 

Speaking of which, with the FPB 97 preliminary design phase almost completed, we will be heading back to our test bed in the near future. We had given thought to returning to Greenland, but with the Wicked project starting up in New Zealand this plan has to be put on hold. So it will be localized testing this season, which, after all, is not that bad a fate.

As lovely as the wildflowers may be, they cannot begin to compete with the cactus blooms.

Of which this, observed last week, at 0400, has to be the most wondrous. Those flowers bloom for a few hours, the bats come by to pollinate, and then they are gone. Which goes to show what you are missing when you sleep in.

Speaking of procreation and pollination, the bees be a buzzing. Busy with the cactus blooms. This is one of our agave cacti.

And a favorite citizen, the resident roadrunner. He has just had a drink, one for the road so to speak, and is off to find a nice snake or lizard for lunch (now that would be a photo).

Most of the activity at our watering hole (that we witness) takes place just before dawn and at dusk. Nocturnal visitors we have aplenty, but at present we do not have a good photographic record thereof (we need to get a motion sensing trigger).

We’ll close with this shot from a week ago, taken on a nearby hill. The biggest moon of the year was a bust locally. There was an inversion layer sitting over us and the atmosphere is not clear enough for good detail. Still, given the prominence hereabouts to the study of celestial orbs (the University of Arizona being not just the home of the Wildcats of basketball fame, but also one of the top planetary exploration labs and telescope makers), we thought a moonshot was an appropriate ending.

What does the moon look like when it’s clear in our little valley?

This is taken at ground level, looking east from our neighborhood. The detail from ground level gives a hint of the normal atmospheric clarity. Which may explain the many telescopes on the four nearby mountain ranges.

And now a challenge. Can anyone identify the creature caught here? We have some ideas, but nothing firm, yet.

In case you are wordering about the progeny, we’ll  leave you with this from  late this afternoon. More details as they become available.

For a hi-def slide show with many more images click here. These will play full screen by pressing the  letter F (for return to normal size with the escape key),  or you can use the full screen symbol bottom right corner..