Backyard Bliss

Creatures can be found almost everywhere, even in the deserts on our planet. I live in north central Arizona, between the heat of Phoenix and wintery Flagstaff. We do not get much snow, unlike my home state of Minnesota, but as you see in the picture above, it happens now and again.

I love to put seed out for the animals. It started as a love for quail, but I was surprised at the variety of wildlife we get. We have seen everything from birds and bunnies, to skunks and snakes.

My friend, Bob Todd, was a National Park Ranger. He told me one of the sayings around the parks is "Deer fed, deer dead." It used to really anger him when he saw people in parks feeding the animals. I understand that wild animals should remain wild, so I am not hand-feeding them, and I am not giving them people food. Bob used to put out seed in his backyard as well, so I know he would approve. (RIP Bob, March 2021)

Roadrunners are some fun, quirky critters. They are actually members of the cuckoo family. They can sprint over 20 miles per hour, the fastest speed for a bird which can also fly.

Ravens are omnivorous, but this is the only one I ever saw in the backyard. Ravens and crows are very intelligent. They remember people who help them, and they carry a grudge against a bird who isn't holding its own in the food collection department.

This beauty was about three inches long. Tarantulas are harmless unless provoked. They help keep bug populations down, so they are best left alone.

I don't fear snakes, but I do give them a wide berth. This cute rattlesnake probably smelled all the other animals that come around. It looks like he already caught something to digest, judging by the size of his mid-section.

Quails are dart-y and skittish, and they blend in with the desert surrounding, so I don't have any good quail photos. We would often count the number of quail chicks. They would typically start at between 10 and 13 tiny ones and dwindle down to around five "teenagers." The lucky few made it to adulthood.

One of my favorite Arizona stories happened when I was leaving home. The road was dirt at the time, and I slowed down and moved over for a small cottontail rabbit, in order not to spook it. Just as I was abreast of it, a lynx ran at it from in front of my car, followed by a cloud of dust. It caught it by the neck and jumped over the neighbor's fence. While at the time it was a traumatic experience, I have come to accept that it is nature's way. The lynx may have had cubs to feed. Plus, that is why so rabbits are so prolific.

Javelinas are not pigs. They are peccaries. Southwestern cousins-of-pigs, if you will. Javelinas will eat anything! My daughter once had a glass jar of avocado pits soaking outside to try to grow roots. The javelina came along and ate the jar to get at the pits! Seriously, they ate the jar! There were only two small shards left after they vacated the backyard. The biggest group of javelinas we ever counted had 24 individuals, counting the little ones. Why is is that babies are always better-looking than their adult counterparts?

I hope you enjoyed my Arizona backyard bliss. Nature is truly a wonder to behold!