Early August in the Desert

One of our lizards--the adorable Common Lesser Earless.

It's August and we are still fortunate to enjoy the monsoons.  The rains are not as frequent as they were in July, but passing storms continue to dribble enough on desert flora to keep things green.  The temperatures, though, are soaring well past normal, setting new records.  Over the next few days, Tucson will see 108 degrees F and Phoenix will suffer 116 with excessive heat warnings posted.  Here in Corona de Tucson, we'll heat up to a mere 102-104 degrees F.

The Gambel's quail are still bringing new clutches of chicks into our back courtyard.  We continue to see tiny puffballs along with maturing teen-age fledglings.  Scaled quail have once again shown up to compete with Gambel's for feed.  A zone-tailed hawk has been flying over stealthily, disguising itself as a turkey vulture.  But I think the birds are wise to it by now.  A Cooper's hawk dropped by a few days ago for a long drink at one of our water bowls.  This morning, I heard the familiar, dry rattle of a roadrunner's beak as it communicated with nearby siblings.  We've seen as many as three in our back yard.


This Desert Spiny Lizard lives along our north courtyard fence. 
He is one of the larger lizards.

There are not as many rabbits feeding now, but I often see one or two stretched out under my rose bushes getting a little relief from the hot sun.  Last night I heard coyotes singing after a two-month hiatus.  The coyotes are often silent for a period during the summer as they raise their pups.  But once the pups have grown, they chime right in with the adults, albeit with higher-pitched voices.

A Canyon Towhee gets shade in our eaves.

We're happy to see Scaled Quail again.

The lizards are still active and a Canyon Spotted Whiptail has twice sought refuge in our screened patio.  I don't mind lizards, but my cats love to hang out in what we call the Arizona room.  They also love to chase lizards.  So I've removed the handsome reptile using a butterfly net I keep handy for just such jobs.  The first time I saw the yellow-spotted, brown-striped creature, it had the longest orange tail I've ever seen on a lizard.  But the last time I relocated him, I noticed that part of that beautiful tail was missing.  I think Baxter, our male Abyssinian, is probably responsible.