Arivaca Monsoon

It was well into August before the first big rain fell in our part of Arivaca, when more than an inch and a half fell in a couple of hours. The Yellow Jacket Wash finally ran and brought the first water into Sapo Tank, which is at the west end of my property. We had been down to a couple of feet just in the center of the tank area, and grasses had grown up around the last bit of water. This is the view after that first good rain.

I didn't realize what a serious case of "monsoon anxiety" I had until the rain came that actually filled the tank up. I was delighted and relieved. So were the hopeful would-be residents that immediately moved into our newly filled lake. This is the west half of the lake, with three ducks moving away from the photographer.

	The Black-bellied Whistling Ducks had done a few fly-overs when the area was still dry. Perhaps they remembered the water from previous years. The tank filled up and they moved in just two days after my neighbors and I put up a nesting box for them.
Another unusual visitor has been this immature Green Heron. I think this bird is enjoying something other than fish.

	Baby frogs are everywhere. This group seems to be enjoying a last bit of time in the water,
while this mass of little frogs was trying to figure out how to get up a bank. Most of them still have quite a bit of tail from their tadpole days. Quite tasty bits of protein for a Green Heron, I would think.

	There are dragonflies all along the edge of the water, watching the exodus.
But, the presence of a pair of Belted Kingfishers makes me think that there must be a few fish around. The rattle of this female was a very welcome sound. I never thought I would have a Kingfisher on my birdwatching "yard list"!

	This Spotted Sandpiper was the first shorebird to find the revitalized pond. It bobbed and teetered along the edge of the water.
Just overhead, the female Vermillion Flycatcher (Miss Peach) studied the water pensively.

	Her buddy was hanging out on the other shore.
Phainopepla spent much of the summer hanging out around the water, but had left before the tank filled.

	The Curve-billed Thrashers sang all summer long, and are still singing as the days shorten.
One morning, as I drank my tea on the couch, a Varied Bunting peered in at me from the mesquite tree out front. I wasn't quick enough to get a picture, but this one posed for me on the way to Madera Canyon one day.

	There's a hummingbird feeder in that mesquite tree, just feet from my couch. The Broad-billed Hummingbirds entertained me all summer.
The other major summer residents were Black-chinned Hummingbirds. Starting the last few days of August hordes (swarms even!) of migrating hummers came through. Many of the birds are juveniles making their first migratory jaunt. This young male Black-chinned is just getting his first purple feathers.

	The Rufous hummingbirds are gorgeous. Most of the migrating birds so far have been females and juveniles although I did see one adult male (who refused to be photographed.)
This young Rufous guy is getting his first copper feathers in his gorget. The entire head of the adult male is shiny copper.

	There are still just a few Summer Tanagers around, although most have begun their annual migration.
I was surprised when this Roadrunner decided to start nesting in late August in my neighbor's cactus. She laid three eggs, but gave the whole proposition up when one of our local creatures ate them. I don't think she was looking at me; I was a long way off taking pictures through my telescope.

	Wow. Bizarre Barrel beetle.
I'll be working on my flower and cactus ID!

	Working hard. . . please send in your thoughts and help!
The deer have been enjoying the feast.

	Lark Sparrows are very abundant now. I hope they're trying to make a dent in the skeeters!
I don't know who eats grown Tarantulas. But, there have been plenty of Tarantula Hawks around trying for the young.

	Is this a Desert Spiny Lizard?
No ideas on this one. I don't really understand lizard field marks yet!

	This certainly looks like a Ringneck Snake to me ~ see the ring around that little head?
The underside of the snake is bright yellow and orange/red. What's strange is that this snake was down by the pond in Arivaca, and my one field guide says that only the race of this snake in eastern New Mexico actually has a ring. Humph.

This glorious dragonfly was sunning on the shore of Patagonia Lake, not the pond in Arivaca. But don't you love it?

A monsoon sunset, obviously in Arivaca, with Baboquivari shining in the distance.

The Arivaca monsoon season ~ incredible life and color and beauty in the desert.

	Speaking of cactus. Wow. Big.
Wow. Little.