Photo Contest

Location: Sabino Canyon

Southern Arizona is one of North America's most renowned birding destinations, with thousands of bird and wildlife enthusiasts travelling to the area every year. Yet among the many unique and beautiful species that call the region home, in my opinion the coppery-tailed trogon is the most amazing of them all. Among the larger birds in its Madrean pine-oak woodland habitat, this resplendent tropical-looking species can be found in the U.S. only in the "Sky Islands" of southern Arizona, and rarely in New Mexico and Texas.
This species is definitely my favorite bird, and I have been fortunate to be able to see and photograph it multiple times. I like this photo because it shows the trogon's beautiful crimson breast, beautiful iridescent green back, and yellow bill and orange eye ring. The bird has its head tilted slightly, giving it a nice catchlight in the eye. Its perched on a moss covered branch with a background of out of focus orange leaves, giving an almost "fall colors" look to the seen.

Location: Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona

Location: Sabino Canyon

This photo was taken in the backyard of a small plant store

Location: Downtown Phoenix

Two birds eating the food gifted to them by nature.

Location: Tucson

This photo captures the beauty and versatility of the sky.

Location: Corona del Sol High School

The warm sky reflected through the glass of a depleted bird feeder. Birds gather around to both indulge and relax after a flight of unknown distance. The sound of fluttering wings slows down a bird's descent, and the sun slowly falls, marking the end of a beautiful day. If you think deeply enough, you realise this is but a serendipitous encounter, for the birds, captured in time. This is a picture of Nature.

Location: Tucson

I captured this photo in midafternoon, when lighting in the shaded mid-story of the Madrean pine-oak woodland of the Huachuca mountains (one of Arizona's famous "Sky Islands) was soft and even without harsh shadows. Several species of hummingbirds were present, but I especially liked the composition that the branches this violet-crowned hummer perched on created, as well as the soft out-of-focus background, drawing your eye to the hummingbird.

Location: Miller Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, Arizona

A young Red-Tailed Hawk is perched on a branch is quietly observing the nature around it.

Location: Tucson

A deer enjoying the last of the daylight before the evening takes over.

Location: Sabino Canyon

A Gambel's Quail perched on a dead branch in Tucson Arizona

Location: Tucson Arizona

This photo shows a section of Sabino Canyon Trail, with the path winding through desert vegetation and rocky terrain.

Location: Grand Canyon, Arizona