Reasons to be obsessed with October

The barrel cactus flowers have turned to fruits. Some of them still green, but most taking on a yellow tone.

The Desert Paradise has beautiful seed pods waving against the blue blue sky.

Just outside the back door is a new arbor/seating bench my son build for me recently. It has grape vines growing up the side that attaches to the back of my home, and a bench built into the other side. The Orange tree is peeking around the corner, offering some fruit that is just starting to turn orange in response to the increasing cold temps at night.

I've got baskets of mint and other herbs hanging from the arbor/bench.

The little rescued Pomegranate only had one fruit make it to maturity but isn't it a beauty?

I picked a big bowl of limes today...now to find time to make my Key Lime Endeavor. Yum!

The snaky cactus is growing amazingly fast. The ends of the longest are past the ground. I can't keep finding higher places to put this pot. Maybe the roof? :)

My little Skyflower tree is just beautiful. It is still putting out the prettiest cinnamon scented flowers, but now there are tiny yellow fruits as well. This plant is also called "golden dew drop" because of the little fruits that form in the fall.

My little Baja Fairy Duster is always in bloom..one of my favorite care-free plants.

And the peach dahlia blooms and blooms and blooms!


I planted this little barrel cactus from a pot to its permanent home near a prickly pear in the big front area. This little guy had never bloomed but look what I found today. Are these buds?

I've more than babied my little Hydrangea, but it has so been worth the effort. The flowers which turned green after the initial deep pink, now have a delicious rosy color for Fall.

The Blue Plumbago I planted this summer is doing well...I just love this color blue.

Pink rose buds in the morning light.

The pink Coral is also showing some fall changes...little ivory colored flowers with pink edges...just delightful!

Look who else is watching over my desert garden? Most specifically watching over the bird feeding side of the house. It is the Hawk...waiting for her next meal. Isn't she/he a beauty? Click to see the details.

There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir: We must rise and follow her, When from every hill of flame She calls, and calls each vagabond by name.
-William Bliss Carman

Hunting for breakfast

I was in my home office early this morning, trying to focus a little on work, while still listening to the birds at the feeders outside the window. Suddenly things got quiet outside, and then I heard the familiar call of the hawk-Coopers Hawk, I think- and I grabbed my new camera and took a look. Sure enough, there in the pine tree that overlooks my feeder area from the neighbors yard, was the hawk I've grown accustomed to seeing and more often, hearing. But this was the first time since I've gotten the new camera. I have got to "learn" how to use this camera as it is hit or miss, if the zoom stays in focus. But a few shots turned out pretty good- click to see them full size.

After awhile of looking away from me but sneaking peeks over her shoulder she turned and faced me head on....what beauty!!

And then took off, seemingly straight for my open office window, but she veered off and went around the house, leaving me literally trembling in excitement!

Happy Hunting Miss Hawk! Just stay away from the feathered ones in my yard, like the little Cactus Wren in the picture below.

I "really" don't know if this is a Miss or Mr Hawk- but I think of it as a her. If anyone else knows please comment and set me straight!

Who visits the feeder?

The Cactus wren mostly eat insects, so I don't see them at the feeder much, but yesterday after all the others had left both of them were out there pecking at the suet cake. This first picture was taken through the window so it isn't the best but it shows both of them together. The Cactus Wren form permanent pairs, and they defend their territory where they live all through the year.

This little Cactus Wren is determined to build another nest in the big scary Cholla. He was hopping all over this morning, collecting dried grass and flying each piece up to the cactus.

The Curved Bill Thrasher who also likes to hang out in the Cholla, was a little camera shy and turned his back to me when I caught him sitting on the fence. These birds are on the decline due to urbanization. They prefer to build their nests deep in the Cholla cactus.

This Gila Woodpecker is a regular visitor to the feeder, calling out his presence as he arrives and waiting for the smaller birds to depart before he eats. I often see the female at the feeder as well. She doesn't have a red cap. I often hear woodpeckers thumping away on the palm trees, before I actually see them. The Gila Woodpecker makes his nest in the Saguaro cactus- of which there are quite a few in my neighborhood.

The hawk I posted about previously is becoming a regular visitor as well, although I haven't seen him catch anything since that first day. He swoops through the area, and often perches on the fence before flying up into the big pine tree that overlooks my yard. The picture below is vague- he is impossibly camera shy! He seems huge- I am really thinking it is a Coopers Hawk.

In trying to take pictures of the birds that visit my yard, I've come to the conclusion that my little point and shoot camera just doesn't cut it. The more I enjoy the birding side of nature the more I want a better camera. Birds just don't make the easy targets flowers do.

Habitat or Hunting Grounds?

This morning, I noticed the bird feeding area was awfully quiet, even though there was available food and water. I could see birds lined up on the telephone wires but none were coming to eat. It didn't take me long to spot the reason- sitting on the fence, pretty as could be was a hawk, just waiting for breakfast to fly by.

He was beautiful- just amazing to see sitting there. I tried to reach for my camera but he was gone, swooshing up over the roof of my house. The birds didn't come out though and a little while later I saw him again, flying through the area, and around the corner of the house. I went outside to look for him, but couldn't see him again, and pretty soon the birds came to the feeder as usual and started to eat. It wasn't long though, before he came back- causing a huge uproar with birds scattering everywhere and him right on the tails of one of them, which soon became breakfast as he flew off and over the rooftops across the street.

He returned this afternoon, when my son found him squeezing the life out of a dove, in the yard. He quickly flew away with the dove in his talons, and perched in a nearby Mesquite tree. My son tried to get some pictures but most are blurry. The one posted above is the best of the bunch. Click on it for a closer view. I am not sure if it is a Coopers Hawk or a Sharp Shinned Hawk. He is gorgeous but I am not sure how I feel about my bird habitat becoming a bird hunting ground!

The pictures below were taken through my office window of the bird area.

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