critter connection challenge

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge

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Now that spring is in full swing, I am actually finding some critters again!

Believe it or not, this is the same hummingbird in all three pictures! Apparently, this species will “flash” his colors when he is irritated, or trying to find a mate. I am guessing he was mad, as opposed to attracted to me😳

My iPhone8 camera was fast enough to capture him as he went from green to fuscia, and the transition color in-between! The hummingbird accomplishes this cool trick by flipping some key neck feathers at break neck speed (see what I did there, 😝)

Have a great week everyone! 💕

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Winter Edition!

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Ok, so spring officially begins tomorrow, but I am still searching for critters in the Tucson area. My hubby and I were out walking in our neighborhood, around 10 am. We were walking on the lower road when a coyote casually went the opposite way on the upper road. Do you see him? By the mailbox?

Unfortunately this was the best pic I got as I was using my cell phone and shooting into the sun. This is a really healthy looking canine! We are just now starting to see chipmunks and lizards scurrying around as the weather has warmed. Clearly the coyote population has found plenty to eat this winter! Perhaps feasting on the many roadrunners we have nearby😊

Roda’s Critter Connection, Winter Edition!

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I really lucked into this one! I was sitting in our front room and this roadrunner hopped up on the wall in the back yard. He ran along the top and hung out just long enough for me to grab a picture.

It has been cold, by Tucson standards, and we have not seen a whole lot of critters, so this was a gift!

Have a great week everyone 🙂

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Winter Edition!

Another Monday, another critter! I was lucky enough to catch this desert toad while we were hiking Saturday. Well, I didn’t have to try too hard, he is in a terrarium!

There was a children’s animal program at Catalina State Park, near the trail head. They brought in quite a few critters that are commonly found in the desert here, near Tucson. It was a warm day and the animals were quite active inside their enclosures, but these two toads appeared kinda bored with the whole deal! Check out his fingers!

The feature image is where we ended up at the top of the hike. It’s a beautiful park 🙂

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I hope I can find an interesting critter for next week 🙂

Roda’s Critter Connection, Winter Edition

 

So I had to go all the way to Mexico to find a winter critter worthy of Roda’s Challenge! Well, perhaps I am exaggerating just a bit. But this little leaf guy really was quite friendly and hung out at our host home all day.

Enjoy!

 

Roda’s Critter Connection, Winter Edition!

It is Christmas Day and Monday, so I needed a special critter for the occasion! My son and I were heading out to go for a hike on Christmas Eve, when a pack (or herd, or squadron) of Javelinas came through our yard.

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They had a couple babies in the group and I would have loved to have captured those too, but they are faster than they seem!

Merry Christmas!!

Roda’s Critter Connection, Fall Edition

Now that I have returned to Tucson, Arizona I have been able to locate some critters again! The weather in Redmond, Washington is too cold, wet and dark for most animals to be running around but here in Tucson, I am having better luck!

Our son is done with his fall semester and he has not seen our new home here in Tucson yet. So he and I are setting out to do some rock climbing over the Christmas holiday, but our first stop was a quick hike in Sabino Canyon.

We happened across this road runner, who was stalking something and ran out in front of us.

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He was moving fast, and this was the best of the two shots I got before he disappeared!

We are heading to Sheepshead to climb Ewphoria and I hope to see some more critters 🙂

 

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Fall Edition

A while back we visited the Tucson Botanical Garden. It was a beautiful sunny day and the butterflies were out and about. I hope Roda likes this colorful little guy 🙂

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Have a wonderful week everyone 🙂

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Fall Edition

I know it is not Monday anymore but yesterday was crazy! I hope Roda will count these two boys I met while running yesterday. Such good models, of course they were just ignoring me 🙂

 

 

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Two male ducks hanging by the slough

Two Challenges, One Post!

Two of my favorite people currently have challenges due today.

Roda, from Growing Self Blog has her “Critter Connection, Fall Edition” and Linda from Everyone Else has the best titles started a “Black and White and Color” photo challenge.

I decided to mash them up today. I do need to explain a little bit about the critter I chose. We recently visited the Tucson Botanical Garden and when I saw this animal I immediately thought of Roda. I checked the “rules” for her challenge, and at no time did she specifically say the “critter” had to be currently roaming the earth.

I didn’t bother checking Linda’s rules because, well she doesn’t do rules!! So, I present the following:

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This velociraptor was part of the Botanical Gardens, prehistoric section. There were a couple other large reptiles, but this was my favorite.

I hope you ladies are ok with my interpretation of the challenges! Love you both 🙂

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