#why az

Cacara at Sunset - April 2018 Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Why, Arizona It was dusk by the time we finished our trip on Puerto Blanco Drive in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. It was almost too dark to take pictures, but when I saw the silhouette of a Mexican Eagle (Caracara) perched on one branch of a cactus, I had to try. He was hoping that one of the desert mice would leave its burrow a little too soon, and I was hoping that this image would turn out. The second image is a closeup that was also mainly a silhouette, but I was able to bring out more detail with my editing software. It is still dark, but the distinctive head crest and beak shape definitely identify it as a Caracara. MWM http://michael-massa-micon.tumblr.com

Sunset Horsetail Clouds - May 2023 Kathy was watching the sunset at Sonoran Skies Campground in Why, Arizona, when she saw these Horsetail Clouds illuminated by a red sunset. It makes a very interesting image with the higher clouds tinted red by the sun while the lower clouds are already black. MWM

Cactus Face - May 2023 Birds often bore into a Saguaro cactus to build a nest. The juxtaposition of the bird’s nest and a small arm growth gives this particular cactus the look of a face… with a flower growing out of its nose. I couldn’t resist taking this image. MWM

Collared Dove - May 2023 The Collared Dove is considered an invasive species in the United States. They are much quieter than mourning doves and slimmer than more common doves. This particular one was sitting on a power line just outside our RV at Sonoran Skies Campground in Why, Arizona. It was early morning so the sun created an interesting shadow effect on the dove’s body. MWM

View from Ajo AZ Visitors Center - April 2018 Ajo is located a few miles north of Why, Arizona, on the Ajo Sonoita Highway. Both are within 40 miles of the Mexican border. MWM

Milton Mine Trail - April 2018 Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument - Why AZ The Puerto Blanco Drive through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is advertized as a four-hour drive. That evidently does not include time for side trips such as a walk back to the Milton Mine. (We were on the drive for a little over nine hours.) I never made it all the way back to the mine. My sandals weren’t up to the trip through hard rock mine tailings, but I did get some interesting images before I turned back. MWM

Bee on Flower - April 2018 Ajo Visitor's Center Patio - Why AZ I didn’t expect to find bees pollinating flowers in the heat of southern Arizona, but this patch of flowers at the Ajo Visitor’s Center was literally buzzing with bees. MWM

US-Mexico Border Fence - April 2018 Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Why, Arizona I took this image while we were on the Puerto Blanco Drive in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. The fence looks very much like a power line in that the trees, brush, etc are cleared away from it for several fee in both direction. I am sure that the squiggle in the line is caused by an optical illusion, but it looks... different when you see it from the distance. MWM http://michael-massa-micon.tumblr.com