Pygmy Owls and Desert Reptiles

Northern Pygmy Owl in Tooele County, Utah, USA

I was beginning a new work week in my Salt Lake County office this past Monday when I looked out the window and was struck with the majesty of  the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains under clear blue skies. Temperatures were expected to reach into the 70s for the first time of the new year. We'd been through a winter of heavy snowfall and it was finally looking AND feeling like spring. I checked my calendar for Tuesday and made a swift decision to take Tuesday off so I could spend some much-needed time in the outdoors. I sent a text to my friend Eric to see if he wanted to join me. He had no hesitation on his part since he already had the day off. We made plans to visit a number of places, but I was particularly hopeful that we'd locate a Northern Pygmy Owl and confirm that reptiles were beginning to emerge from their winter retreats in our nearby desert. I admit that seems like an odd pairing of objectives, but that's what I wanted to do.

We spent the early hours before dawn attempting to locate a Long-eared Owl, which we did. We were able to hear one calling from the dark at Warm Springs WMA near Goshen, Utah. We also found a pair of Great Horned Owls and listened to them hoot back and forth to each other. As I was recording their courting calls the male flew over to the branch where the female was perched. They quickly copulated and then the male flew to another tree. It seemed late for Great Horned Owl copulation since they begin breeding in January and February here in Utah, but perhaps they had a failed clutch and were trying for a repeat clutch. Who really knows? In the same general area we heard a male Short-eared owl hooting from the tall grass of a nearby field.


Encountering three owl species in a matter of hours was fantastic, but we still needed to locate a Northern Pygmy Owl. We made a drive through Chimney Rock Pass and then up to Fairfield and over to Ophir Canyon. I love the wide-ranging public lands we can wonder here in Utah and other western states. We saw a Prairie Falcon, Golden Eagle, and small groups of Pronghorns along the way.

We eventually made our way to Ophir Canyon in Tooele (too-willa) County where we would begin our earnest search of a Pygmy Owl. Pinyon Jays were flying from Juniper to Juniper and giving their laughing calls as we entered the canyon. Scrub Jays and Juniper Titmice were also present in the lower section of the canyon. We stopped in one location part way up the canyon and began to scour the trees. I noticed the silhouette of a small bird that popped up from the ground and then perched on the backside of some trees downhill from the road we were on. With my binoculars I was able to confirm that it was a Pygmy Owl so we sat in the truck and waited a while to see what it would do. It was in hunting mode-twitching its tail, bobbing its head, and staring intently at times toward the ground beneath its perch. We eventually ended up watching the tiny bird hunt from a very close vantage point.

Northern Pygmy Owl Tooele County, Utah, USA

Northern Pygmy Owl Tooele County, Utah, USA

The owl pictured above was most likely a male. It seemed a bit small, but size is hard to tell without a relative comparison.

After spending a little time with the Pygmy Owl we made our way up the canyon where we discovered a Clark's Nutcracker and Steller's Jays. We turned around and headed back down the canyon and just as we drove past the previous Pygmy Owl location a larger female flew up to and landed on the tree right next to the road. We were able to see both birds at the same time and compare the relative sizes so we believe the bird pictured below is the female of a breeding pair.

Northern Pygmy Owl Tooele County, Utah, USA

Northern Pygmy Owls are diurnal birds, most active from dawn to dusk, and just over six inches long from head to tip of tail. They generally perch hunt, meaning they perch, wait, and then seize prey that passes beneath or near their perch. They generally prey on small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and even birds. When prey is seen they dive down and sink their sharp, powerful talons into the throat of the prey. If they take a bird they will pluck the feathers before consuming the insides of the skull and chest cavity.  You can see the sharp and relatively strong talons and hooked bill in most of the images I'm sharing. These birds seem rather cute unless you are on the wrong end of the food chain from them. From that perspective they are deadly beasts.

Northern Pygmy Owl Tooele County, Utah, USA

Northern Pygmy Owl Tooele County, Utah, USA

Northern Pygmy Owl Tooele County, Utah, USA

I never really plan on capturing video with my camera so consequently I'm never quite ready when the opportunity presents itself. The male owl was so accommodating while we were watching it so I decided to give video a  try. Unfortunately, it is hard to keep the lens steady without the use of a tripod when it is zoomed to 500mm. The first part of the video below was captured while using Eric's shoulder to steady the lens. Other parts were captured as I lay on my back away from the tree in which the owl was perched, rested the lens on my knees, and supported my head on the dried-out tree clump you see in the middle of the gravel area in the image to the right.

The video quality is best when viewed in HD.

On our way home we stopped at a friends house in Fairfield and observed a White-throated Sparrow, a rare bird for Utah. We also encountered a couple more roosting owls in Fairfield and a Golden Eagle that had a rather full crop that made us wonder what it had been eating, most likely one of the many jack rabbits that inhabit the sagebrush habitat surrounding Fairfield. We drove up and over Soldiers Pass at the south end of Lake Mountain and on the west side of Utah Lake. It is one of my local happy places. I have some great memories of camping with my sons and birding with friends at Soldiers Pass. We see coyotes, foxes, jack rabbits, reptiles, and unique summer birds that breed at Soldiers Pass during the spring and summer months. The desert habitat, lake, and distant mountains create beautiful landscapes that change with the seasons.

The View From Soldiers Pass Looking Over Cedar Valley to the West in Utah County, Utah, USA

We didn't spend much time birding Soldiers Pass. My objective there was primarily to check one of my favorite herping (reptile hunting) spots to see if the reptiles were surfacing for the season. I was delighted to see that several Common Side-blotched Lizards had emerged from their winter retreats. It felt good to be out enjoying the spring weather with the critters I had not seen since early fall of last year.

This Common Side-blotched Lizard Recently Emerged From a Winter Retreat at Soldiers Pass
Early Spring in Utah County, Utah, USA

Here is the final scene as Eric and I left Soldiers Pass and headed out to grab a late lunch of Mexican food before making our way home. Being in a desert, next to a lake, while surrounded by snow-capped mountains was refreshing and energizing. I can't wait to see what new discoveries will be made in the months to come.

The View From Soldiers Pass Looking East Across Utah Lake in Utah County, Utah, USA

Battle of the Desert Icons: Mojave vs Sonoran

I will share images of a few birds observed in Gilbert, Arizona and St George, Utah as I made my way back to Utah July 24th, but first I want to share evidence of a very slow moving battle I witnessed between the icons of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts along Highway 93 in Arizona.

A Little Background
Marrying a southern California girl resulted in frequent trips from Utah to southern California. When we traveled with our children I would often point to the icon of the Mojave Desert and declare, "That's a Joshua Tree!" As the kids got older they would beat their old man to the punch and say, "Hey, Dad. Do you know what that is? It's a Joshua Tree!"

When our daughter married a young man from Chandler, Arizona we began making trips from Utah to the Phoenix area. As a matter of family tradition I would announce, "That's a Saguaro!" when we'd see our first one on the way to Phoenix.

Battle of the Desert Icons
I had always associated Joshua Trees with the Mojave and Saguaros with the Sonoran Desert. It wasn't until our most recent trip to Gilbert, Arizona that we took a new route. On the advice of our son in law, we drove Highway 93 to State Road 74 (aka Carefree Highway). The usual route of Highway 89 through Paige, Arizona was not an option since the road south of Paige was out of commission. As we drove along 93 I was surprised to see a Joshua Tree. Before I knew it there were more Joshua Trees and the road actually took on the name of Joshua Tree Parkway. "What are Joshua Trees doing in the Sonoran Desert? Are we in the Mojave Desert?"

As we continued our drive we saw Joshua Trees and Saguaros right next to each other.  I felt like I had just made a Columbus-like discovery. My two favorite deserts were merging. I shared my discovery with my wife hoping she'd appreciate what we were seeing and warm up to the idea of stopping for some photos. She did not share my level of enthusiasm and was anxious to get to Gilbert so I made a mental note to stop and get photos of this amazing place on the way home (I'd be driving home by myself).

I spent an hour engaged in speed birding at the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch the morning I was leaving to return to Utah. I also did some speed birding at Tonaquint Park in St George, but the most fun I had was the drive between those to birding spots. The images below were taken along Highway 93 between Wickenburg and Wikieup  Click here to learn more about that stretch of the road. I did my best to document the battle of the desert icons at several stops along the way. I had never seen a Joshua Tree and a Saguaro anywhere near each other--they were always hundreds of miles apart until my first drive along Highway 93.



I was quite impressed by how robust the Joshua Trees appeared and had a hard time deciding which ones to photograph. I settled for the one below because of the Creosote Bushes in the foreground and the blue sky in the background.

Joshua Tree with Creosote Bushes in Foreground Yavapai County, AZ

Further along the road I saw evidence that these desert icons were actually trying to stake their territory by intimidating one another. You can see that the Saguaro below has actually intimidated the young Joshuas to the point of them bowing at its feet.



Just meters away was a Joshua Tree sneaking up from behind on a still-confident Saguaro. Joshua was raising his arms and preparing to unleash a terrifying scream on the unsuspecting Saguaro.



After witnessing and documenting the desert battle I was relieved to discover that one mighty Saguaro was dedicated to providing direction to travelers along Highway 93. He was very faithful in his service because he was standing in the very same place on the way down to and back from Gilbert.

Now The Birds on Both Ends of the Desert Battle Ground:
On my way out of Gilbert, as mentioned previously, I did a very quick walk-through of the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch. Because I moved quickly I had to be opportunistic with photos. The first willing subject was a female American Wigeon.

Female American Wigeon Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

The distinct cooing of Inca Doves caught my attention so I spent about ten minutes tracking down on the other side of one of the Preserve's ponds.

Inca Dove Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Inca Dove Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

It wouldn't be a trip to the preserve without seeing the ubiquitous Curve-billed Thrashers.

Young Curve-billed Thrasher Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Curve-billed Thrasher Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Curve-billed Thrasher Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

I found Northern Mockingbirds looking rather normal yet fluffy...

Northern Mockingbird Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

...and rather odd. This bird didn't quite have the fully developed plumage .

Northern Mockingbird Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

I captured the image of the Canada Goose below because the band was so visible. I wanted to report the band to the North American Bird Banding Program and learn where it was originally banded. I submitted the image, band number, and location to www.reportband.gov. About a week or so later I received a certificate of appreciation which provided the location and date of the bird's banding. I was hoping for an exotic location, but it turned out that this goose was banded June 26, 2009 at Chaparral Park in Scottsdale, about 15 miles from where I photographed the bird. Apparently, this bird returns to the same general area for the breeding season. B58 is a female according to the bander.

Tagged Canada Goose Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Snowy Egrets were foraging on most of the ponds at the preserve. This one was very cooperative as I was hurrying back to my car after to begin the road trip back to northern Utah.

Snowy Egret Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Snowy Egret Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch Gilbert, AZ

Since I was the only one in the car on the way back to Utah I stopped a number of times to photograph plants and landscapes. Below is a Prickly Pear Cactus near the multi-directional Saguaro I shared earlier in this post.

Prickly Pear Cactus on Highway 93 in Arizona

Male Apache Cicadas were using the "timbals" on the sides of their abdomens to make a lot of noise in hopes of attracting females. Adults only live for a few weeks. This guy was quite noisy so I decided to capture an image. Cicadas are the only bugs in the world that can sweat during the hottest days of summer. These cicadas spend most of their lives in underground burrows, but individuals emerge in three to five year cycles to breed. They are not considered pests and do not harm people. They don't even bite. If a bird were to pick up a male cicada it would be in for quite a shock when the cicada turns its whole body into a rattling noisemaker made of armor. Female cicadas, on the other hand might become a delicious meal, especially if it were laden with eggs.

Apache Cicada Along Highway 93 Yavapai County, AZ

I know nothing about the plants of the Sonoran Desert so I consulted with a local botanist and was informed that this plant is Nolina bigelovii. It is often called Bigelow's Nolina and Beargrass. I liked seeing them stand out with the light yellow flowering stems.

Bigelow's Nolina Along Highway 93 in Arizona

This scene included several of the desert plants that fascinated me along Highway 93--Creosote, Nolina, and Saguaro. What other plants can be identified in this image? Please share what you see when you leave a comment at the end of the post.

I stopped at Tonaquint Nature Center in St George for my last stop on my way home. The park was quite due to the lingering heat of the afternoon, but I did hear the song of my favorite summertime passerine, a bright male Blue Grosbeak. I followed his song and captured a few images before completing the last 3.5 hour segment of my return trip home.

Blue Grosbeak at Tonaquint Nature Center in St George, UT

Blue Grosbeak at Tonaquint Nature Center in St George, UT