This scenic drive took us to West Mamm Creek Road it quickly takes us into the White River National Forest. Unfortunately Gas and Oil leases in this area abound. And yet fortunately that means the roads are well graded! So if there is a the silver lining...
It's hard to believe the color that is showing up already!
The night's have been cooling down into the 50's so in the higher up elevations probably 40's!
I really liked this charming building with post n rail corrals....looks like it has seen it's best years but is aging well..
Fences posts really do provide lots of perching spots for birds, and other critters...
California spotted squirrel
m bluebirds, western kingbird
the western meadowlarks finally sat still long enough...CLICK!
Summer is short lived here...soon it will be over not like back home in SC where September is as hot as August only drier, a cooling trend has already begun, just this week we had 97, 94, 89, and today 89.
Here is what I think is the Vesper Sparrow hanging out on barbed wire...I have seen so many immature sparrows that I can not identify...it's been such a challenge, I am not familiar with what's here and they all look a little off being juveniles, about gone cross eyed!
Maybe one day I will look though my photos and know what it was...Grasshopper with a pale lores??
Here is a really cool cow I met, I didn't see her calf though...this was in free range area, so he could have been bedded down nearby.
Spotted another Lincoln's Sparrow I have to wonder why it's called the Lincoln's? So I found out Thomas Lincoln was a member of James Audubon's team when he was painting every bird in North America....it was Lincoln who caught this bird for Audubon to paint, it was new to them so they named it after the 21 yr old Lincoln.
??? Lost this photo
Nothing is as pretty as an Aspen Grove, did you know they share one root system?
??? LOST photo
The road down below that we use to get off this hill is being paved so today we stayed home...I took a hike down the back hill put my hiking boots on for the first time since the toe break, it felt okay...not great but okay..anyways down the bottom of the hill I found this skull...looks like a cow skull that the horns have been cut off of...what do you think I am no skull expert.
...that's a shame...
.I haven't seen any adults lately so I think they vamoosed and left the kids to fend for themselves!!
...and check this out!! Found this inside the house up on the wall-->y'all know I'm scared of arachnids right...even if it's only an inch long
Scooped him up in the duster and escorted him back outside where he belongs!! I will be shaking my towels and shoes from now on!
I got a nice text from my cousin up in Michigan if you guys recall last year at this time I was in St Ignace Michigan celebrating Labor Day with all of them. Sure was nice! Here we will have a quiet get together just the 3 of us and the 4 dogs!
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
I Googled your scorpion and Genus Paruroctonus is the largest scorpion genus in the U.S and its bite is not lethal to humans.
ReplyDeleteJuvenile birds are a pain to identify although it obviously helps if there parents are nearby. It's interesting watching them on our feeders and comparing them to the adults. But without the adults being nearby I would be lost.
That skull and jawbone look like a cow to me.
The leaves are beginning to change here and the nights are getting colder too.
Wow,,,the largest scorpion in the US! It's only tiny...but it was still chilling to me. I think the adults have flown the coop and left all these almost birds behind to confuse us all..Haha.
DeleteI misread your comment about the scorpion, the largest GENUS...now I read it properly. I know there are larger ones in size than this little young one I suppose. It's the only wild scorpion I've seen.
DeleteSorry Dave that scorpion is not the largest one, we have some really large ones and while their sting isn't lethal they burn like hell itself for a few days.
ReplyDeleteAnother beautiful day trip and you just know I love the old buildings. I have almost the same picture of the hummers at the feeder and yes trying to ID the females is really hard. The skull looks small or is it just the picture maybe a young one?
Happy to read that your toe is doing better and you can get your hiking boots on again.
I'll probably need your help to ID a bird I can't seem to figure out. I can't remember if I posted it yet so many more pictures and was to tired to finish.
I'll be glad to help with your bird ID maybe between us all we can figure it out...I thought AZ had some big scorpions I haven't seen one but I sure have seen some big spiders and rattlers down there!
DeleteGlad you were able to put your hikin' shoes back on girl..... It looks so clear and crisp where you are -- makes me wish for a magic carpet to Colorado (though it probably couldn't see to get off the ground, it is so smoky here).... you have seen so many great birds and I continue to be impressed with your ID knowledge as well as your skill in finding and photographing them.
ReplyDeleteHI Sallie, our luck ran out the past couple days the smoke blew in but it has created some awesome sun and moon looks! I try like heck to ID all the birds I see but it's especially hard this time of year. I hope your home in FL is not in the path of Irma?
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