Mr or Mrs Gimper? ©

Mr and Mrs Gimper wish I would just go away. 

How can they stand on these chollas?

 If only we could know what they are thinking or what they would like to say.  

I am thinking that these curved-bill thrashers will not return next year so they won't be in the limelight!

Maybe they are saying what my friend Judi says, "Ashley the bird paparazzi!"

(Copyright 2012)

The Wonders of the Wild ©

On Friday, the 18th of May, I was out early to check on the baby hawk, aka "Red E".  It was a great morning--it was even quite cool out.  The mama hawk flew away before she knew I was coming so I was not screamed at or did I hear her "Keeeer" in the distance!  Reddi was giving a bit of a show and looking like he/she could be ready any day to just take off, fly the coop and get on with its busy life, which we all know will be successful!


No more laughing at him/her; after all, the baby hawk has grown big and strong and he/she is at the top of the food chain!  Red E is still a little too downy to think that he/she is really ready to leave the nest but it won't be long.  Pretty soon the platform located near South Mountainside and Carefree Highway will be vacant and that part of the desert will be quiet and back to normal.  The little birds will be able to fly more freely without worrying about becoming Red E's breakfast, lunch or dinner!  It leaves me wondering--what will occupy the nest next year?  Will the hawk return or will an owl take over the ready-made nest for her owlets?

That was just the beginning of my morning!

I started my walk/hike heading south, just listening to the sounds of the early morning desert.  The small birds were chirping and tweeting saying, "good morning," the cardinal was calling "preee-ty preee-ty", the mourning doves were cooing  and the thrashers were singing their song.  The cry of the lonely sentinel from a far-off tree was warning the quails of danger, and maybe in the distance I heard the howling of a coyote!


As I passed the very small nest with five tiny blue eggs that I had discovered a few weeks ago, I noticed that two of the babies had emerged from their shells.

At the end of my walk/hike I had one more encounter.  It was getting warm and I was ready to get home but as I was walking near the street I noticed movement by the curb--what I saw was very small.  First I thought it was a mouse, maybe a kangaroo mouse--too small for a desert pack rat.




But it was not a mouse at all, but rather a new born desert bunny!  It was so tiny and I didn't even know if it was able to see.  It  knew that I was there because it ran from me and then ran toward me--I saw that it wanted up on the curb but couldn't get up.  It ran and tried to jump but it just hit the curb over and over--so I tried to help but it didn't want help from me.



Finally, I grabbed it (it squeaked a little--I have never heard a bunny voice before) and set it up and over the curb, but seconds later it was back in the street.

We did it all over again--the second time I was able to get the baby bunny into the desert on the other side of the road.

I'm sure mama bunny was somewhere close by, trying not to scream.

Just another morning in the beautiful desert!

(Copyright 2012)

I'm Red E! ©

I think I'm willing--I hope I'm able--but not quite Red E, yet!

My color is changing and I'm getting so BIG!

But I'm going to stay for a few more days anyway.

(Copyright 2012)

Naked as a Jay Bird! ©

Mr & Mrs Gimper's precious little babies--

--some babies only a mother can LOVE.

(Copyright 2012)

Name Me! ©

I need a name before I fly the coop!

My feathers are ruffled because I'm not named! 

The rumor is maybe my name will be..............

It's only a rumor that the top names so far are "Squawk, the Hawk" and "Spitfire".

I'm settling back in to wait for my name!  If you haven't submitted a name or if your name wasn't mentioned above, feel free to send in another one, but HURRY!

(Copyright 2012)

The Parents To Be! ©

Mr. & Mrs. Gimper

(Copyright 2012)

Babies to Come! ©

I have had my eye on this bulky platform nest made of sticks since the end of March or the beginning of April.  

It had to be a BIG BIRD that I would eventually see in it--an eagle?  Maybe not, since it is in the middle of the desert with no water close by.



A Hawk--my first thought was a Harris Hawk but it turns out to be a Red-tailed Hawk.  The Red-tail is the most common and widespread hawk in North America, seen year-round throughout the Southwest.

You can see the Red-tail, with its four-foot wingspan, lazily circling in the air against the endless blue sky or surveying its hunting ground sitting upon a telephone pole.  Maybe you are lucky enough to see it swoop down to pounce on a bunny or mouse--a reassuring sight and proof that there are places wild enough for the hawk to exist.

Both the male (smaller) and the female of this large brown hawk have a pale streaked breast, a dark belly band, a tail that is a rusty red, and wings that are broad and rounded.  Once the Red-tails mate, the male and female stay together for life.  The mated pair return to nest in the same territory year after year.



The first time I ventured out into this raptor's territory, it was to snap a few pictures of the nest and to satisfy my curiosity--were there eggs, would there be babies?  I think I got my answer when she flew over and swept down and around me, and then from a distant tree I heard her chilling "Keeeer"!  The scream of the Red-tailed Hawk was setting the scene and making a statement.

The reddish tail of this large hawk is very noticeable in the right light, and along with its piercing scream, this bird is very identifiable!

(Copyright 2012)

Little Hoot Update ©

I have known for about five days where I would be able to get an update on Little Hoot but was afraid to call.

I guess I wanted to keep in my mind the image of the baby at the raptor rescue, being cared for and rehabilitated to be released back into the wild!

But my curiously, caring and interest got the best of me and I made the call.  I'm almost sorry I did make that call because I was told that Little Hoot passed away.  But I was reassured that Little Hoot had been well cared for and passed peacefully.  Little Hoot died of internal injuries--the baby was not old enough to take any kind of flight to break the fall.

(Copyright 2012)

Curve-billed Thrasher ©

You don't have to look any further than your own yard!

About ten years ago when we lived in the Bent Tree house, I had a one legged Curve-billed Thrasher friend.  How we became friends I have no idea, but we did!  I would put bird seed in the feeders and my friend would be there watching me and waiting for food.   I called my friend "Gimper", (not politically correct) and it stuck!  It was amazing to go outside and have this bird show up and squawk at me!   I would repeatedly say, "Hi, Gimper" and he would respond with his bird call. This went on for about 4 years and after we moved I missed my friend a lot!

The Thrasher is a no-nonsense personable bird who strides on its strong legs or runs in spurts and often becomes quite tame.  It is grayish brown on the back and the wings, buff on the breast and belly with a long, strong, down-curved bill, orange eyes and mottled undersides.  The Thrasher typifies desert nearly as much as the Roadrunner.  The Thrasher lives among the cholla and prickly pear, mesquite and creosote-- it digs into the ground for insects, seeds and berries but it can be found on backyard feeders!  The Thrasher is a cousin to the Mockingbird so there should be no surprise when a sweet series of warbles and melodies come from him/her perched atop a cholla!

Over the weekend I was lucky to find a Curved-billed Thrasher's nest in one of the Staghorn Cholla in our yard.  A decoy and the real nest!

And an EGG--will there be more eggs?  Yes!

(Copyright 2012)

Little Hoot ©

It has been a frustrating few days--no Little Hoot in sight to capture in my camera lens.  I have visited the nest in early morning, mid-day and at dusk, but there has been no baby.  This was not good--something seemed terribly wrong with the situation--but I was persistent by checking and checking, but no baby.  Late this afternoon I made another attempt to see Little Hoot after having already checked twice this morning;  I learned the worst had happened.  ABC Channel 15 had a camera set up and was reporting on the poisoning of the baby owl.  Sometime this morning Little Hoot was found on the ground right below the nest, still alive but very sick, and was taken to the vet.  ABC news checked with the animal hospital and found out that they are doing their best to help Little Hoot--I hope somehow we will hear the outcome.  The speculation is that the mother owl had fed the baby (maybe two babies) a poisoned rat.  The mother and father owl have not been seen.  I am so sorry to have shared my beautiful pictures of Little Hoot with all of you only to have to say there will be no more pictures this year.  We will not be able to watch these babies grow and fly away.  These last pictures were taken only four days ago on April 29th.

(Copyright 2012)