Desert Gazette

So, editing a section for the natural history of the wildlife of the Mojave Desert, I keep running into the phrase, “Avian predators.”  I think that sounds so cool!  In relation to lizards, such as the zebra-tailed lizard, this phrase keeps coming up.  I wonder what a red-tailed hawk or great horned owl would want to have to do with such a small meal? This is what I’m thinking when I read the phrase.  (more…)

I thought I’d post a note in regard to the recent update of the Glossary on MojaveDesert.NET.

 -Word-

Several hundred words have been added.  I’ve been going through some of the more popular definitions and adding photos and backlinks. It’s a project that will take awhile, especially since I’m finding words I need to add everytime I work on it.

Rainbow Basin National Natural Landmark, located a few miles northwest of Barstow, Ca.,  is known in geo-lingo as an “unconformity.”  That’s all I know about it, and since I usually forget all the technical junk that I read about how the landscape bashed and battered itself along the fault lines that meet, pass nearby, under and around this beautiful place, I’ll just agree; It does not, geologically conform to the general landscape of the area.

Now for the cool stuff. This place is awesome for photography! (more…)

The phainopepla is a pretty bird. I’ve seen quite a few of them at the Oasis of Mara in Twentynine Palms and flitting up and down washes where willows are plentiful. The males are jet-black with white patches under the wings, the females are sort of a blue-grey and both have the redest eyes I’ve ever seen on any kind of animal. (more…)

I’m continually impressed by the wildlife photos of Raymond J. Barlow. Inspired in fact; To the point where I thought, that maybe if I could do even 1/10 of that good I could use the shots I took on my web site.

Not so- in any way.

So I spent a few hours trying to capture some birds in flight. (more…)

The raven are ”cheesy-friendly” at Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley. I hear they are in Furnace Creek too.  By “cheesy-friendly”, I mean, if you have some little cheese snacks in your hand, they will be your best buddies. Note that they are just using you. (more…)

Rather than delve into a discussion regarding; What on Earth does ‘Blog’ mean?  I’m more interested in the sunset I shot yesterday on the way home. I’ll write a little about the photo and try to insert it in the page. At worst, I’ll stick a link to it.  (more…)