Stuck out of the way near the foot of the Rincon and Catalina Mountains in the northeastern corner of Tucson Arizona, is Agua Caliente Park. Here sits a hundred acres of parkland with groves of trees, ponds and open grasslands, next to a desert wash, providing a rich habitat for man and beast to enjoy. … Read more
Early spring can be a fun time to visit Davis Camp in Bullhead City Arizona. The camp is located at the base of Davis Dam. Behind Davis Dam is Lake Mohave, which stretches 67 miles upstream to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. I’ve visited here in October with little luck in capturing bird images, but … Read more
Along the Colorado River between Lake Havasu City and Bullhead City Arizona is Havasu National Wildlife Refuge. My visits to this refuge have been at the northern section, between Interstate 40 and Bullhead City. Leaving Interstate 40 east of the Colorado River, is the Oatman Highway. I often start my tour of the riverside marshes … Read more
I like out-of-the-way places, and Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is such a place. Located along the Colorado River between California Route-78 and the low range of rocky desert mountains lining the Arizona side of the river, is the small town of Cibola Arizona. Highway access via rough dirt roads is possible from the Arizona side, … Read more
Thirty miles east of Kingman Arizona, in the high country south of I-40, where the Big Sandy River and the Santa Maria River join, the Bill Williams River begins its 46 mile journey to the Colorado River at Lake Havasu. Rain in Arizona comes fast and hard when it comes, and then there are long … Read more
Albuquerque is the largest population center in New Mexico. This town rests in the Rio Grande River Valley, a stream whose headwaters are in the highlands of central Colorado on the eastern slopes of Canby Mountain on the Continental Divide. Between 1900 and 1973, 22 dams have been constructed along the Rio Grande. Most of … Read more
Tucked away within an urban setting in the small town of Lakeside California is a large pond called Lindo Lake. The lake is divided by a roadbed, giving the impression of two lakes. During dry months the upper section sometimes turns into a mudflat, but the lower section stays wet year-round. Surrounding the water are … Read more
I’ve only visited Mission Trails Regional Park a few times, but enjoyed each one of my stays. My introduction was in the spring of 2009, when the San Diego Natural History Museum organized a BioBlitz at the park. It was only the second time the museum put a BioBlitz together. In 2008, the first BioBlitz … Read more
Water treatment facilities can be environmentally beneficial and often provide great habitat for wildlife, especially waterfowl and other water-loving species. Santee Lakes is a prime example and one of the better locations in San Diego County to find interesting birds. Two million gallons of partially treated sewage enter the facility and progress through a series … Read more
Activity at the water feature over my fish pond was hot and heavy in late November. I thought I could enjoy the activity with my binoculars, but when a female Summer Tanager showed up four days in a row, I broke down and setup my camera gear. It was par-for-the course that the tanager did … Read more
