Our second day in Arizona found us wandering in the desert. As it was pretty darn hot while we were there, we didn’t linger much, as we are often known to do. Even so, we were out long enough to spot some pretty cool things…like a Barn Owl flying toward a small stand of nearby trees. We were also fortunate to spot a Groove-billed Ani (a first for me), but it was buried too deeply in foliage to get a photo.
Our first jaunt was around the area of Whitewater Draw in the Sulphur Springs Valley. Due to sporadic monsoons this year, there was very little water, 
but a few small ponds could still be found. In winter this lake is a favorite watering hole for Sandhill Cranes, by the thousands! It’s quite a sight – if you ever have the chance to visit in the winter months, I’d highly recommend stopping to see them. There is a viewing platform with spotting scopes, offering the opportunity of seeing cranes up close for those who haven’t got binoculars. The lake lures in many other birds as well. We’ve seen herons, rails, harriers, ducks, geese, owls, and mammals such as javelinas (wild pigs), to name a few. But in August, during a reluctant monsoon, the abundance and variety just weren’t there. Both the Barn Owl and the Ani were exciting and unexpected sights, but 
otherwise the only creature I spotted was this wasp. I believe it’s some type of pepsis wasp, possibly a Tarantula Wasp. It was very large, I actually heard it moving on the tree before I spotted it, and with the naked eye it looked like a small bird. But seen through the camera lens, I was astounded to find it was an insect! I’m working on a definite ID, but whatever it was, I certainly wasn’t in any hurry to get closer to it! …Yeah, I’m a coward.
From Whitewater Draw we ventured west to a piece of land we bought 
some years ago. It’s in an area of open range that had been overgrazed for decades, so there wasn’t much left but red dirt and scrub. There are a few cacti that have taken hold, such as cholla and an occasional prickly pear, but it’s pretty bare otherwise, with patches of mesquite shade only large enough for a lizard. Our local friends have tried to slow down the water that flashes through during rains, in order to plant some native grasses, and in one area they’ve been fairly successful. Tom had also placed a couple of motion sensitive cameras near the draws (where water was most likely to be found), to see what wildlife might be moving through. We didn’t expect much, to be honest, so we were quite surprised and more than a little pleased when he sent us photo after photo…I think we stopped counting at 
around 40 different species! Javelina, skunk, roadrunners, owls, kangaroo rats, bobcats, and many more. It was thrilling to see so many creatures making use of our land, even if it was only using the arroyos as critter highways. We continued to keep track of these visitors until someone stole the cameras…can you believe that? Sheesh! This time around we noticed a few footprints (one we thought might have been a fox), but mostly I found a number of intriguing patterns in the rusty red dirt, left by rapidly moving water brought by rains that fell before we arrived. Usually these patterns are trampled, windblown, and faint when we stop by in the winter or early spring. But look closely… even dirt has beauty to show us and stories to tell.
After wandering around our land, watching vultures and hawks circling overhead, we turned in another direction. This time we visited a residential area in the foothills where a family of Harris’s Hawks had recently been 
reported. Sure enough, we found three young hawks calling incessantly to their parents for food. Mostly hidden in a large evergreen, the fledglings were tough to spot, but the adults came and went several times. These hawks are strikingly handsome, and distinctive in that they will hunt cooperatively, in groups, which is not typical in the raptor world. Although I’d handled Harris’s Hawks in the past, either birds that were permanently disabled or used in falconry, I’d never seen them in the wild until this day. The sight of them drove all thoughts of my recently melted sandals (which I’d stupidly left in the hot car) from my mind! What majestic birds!