Humor in the Desert

I see something funny, and I take a picture. Here, I share a few amusing shots, mostly from southern Arizona.

Unique to the desert are the crazy poses of some of the saguaro cacti (Carnegiea gigantea). Books of photos have been published. I will try to find one for you.

Birds also engage in some interesting antics from time to time. They're fun to watch. While birds do not think like we do, they often do things that if humans did them, would be downright funny or silly. In particular, Vermilion Flycatchers often like to sit on signs, and sometimes that is funny, depending on what the sign says.

Even the clouds can get humorous.

Not much commentary needed. Just have fun.

European Starlings have a beautiful song. This one delighted me for as long as I was willing to stay and listen.

I think he was courting her. He kept diving at her, while she watched. House Finches.

Didn't do him any good. He couldn't get it into his mouth, and eventually dropped it into the water.

I don't know if this is territorial or mating behavior, but they seem to do it during a certain time of the year. That's a Great-tailed Grackle.

This is actually the result of a gene that causes a small hole to develop in the skull. Fatty tissue pokes through and forms feathers. These ducks are bred from Mallards. They're called Crested Ducks.

The hand belongs to a man who fed the ducks every day at 4 PM, at Fort Lowell Park. I don't think he has been there lately. The ducks were obviously very tame as far as he was concerned. They know where their bread and butter (er, seeds) are coming from.

Vermilion Flycatchers like to sit on signs. Even though I doubt they know the significance of where they are sitting, it's fun to imagine they do. They pick some very interesting messages to point out.

Hey, I was going to get the whole bird, but just as I snapped the shutter, he pounced on a fish, and this is what I got instead!

April snowstorm on Mount Lemmon. Yes, it snows in the desert. This is an outdoor table at a place I used to like to eat. Unfortunately, the place burned in the Aspen Fire. :(

Somewhere under all that white stuff is my lunch. Just kidding.

This Ruby-crowned Kingbird is trying a little acrobatics, much to my amusement. Yes, the picture is right side up. The BIRD is upside down.

I promise to give them back.