Baby Cactus Wren in Saguaro
- Thread starter GT von
- Start date
- Status
OP
GT von
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 194
- Name
- GT
- Edit My Images
- No
The cactus wren is the state bird of Arizona (US) and the Saguaro cactus grows only in the Sonoran desert (Arizona, northern Mexico and a few strays in southeastern California) and no where else and is Arizona's state bird.
Arizona was made a state in 1912, on Valentines day and had it's centennial in 2012.
This particular saguaro is about 22 feet tall and just starting to get it's first arm. It is in my neighbors yard.
Saguaro grow very slowly. A 10 year old plant might only be 1.5 inches tall. Saguaro can reach heights of between 40-60 feet tall (12-18m). When the saguaro is fully hydrated it can weigh as much as 3200-4800 pounds or from 1451 to 2177 kilograms.
Most of it's root are only 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) deep, but can extend in a circle around the plant as far as the plant is tall, and soak up every drop of rain that falls in that are very quickly storing it in its folds.
It also has one central tap root that extends down to just over 2 feet (0.6096 meters).
In the picture you can see what is called a "saguaro boot", the area in the center that looks like a small pouch, this was a former birds nest that was later dug around by more recent building activity. Those saguaro boots can also be found in the skeletons of dead cacti and were used by the natives to carry water before the advent of the canteen. The actual skeleton of this cactus can also be seen in the photo as the dark brown woven looking area to the rear of the nest.
Arizona was made a state in 1912, on Valentines day and had it's centennial in 2012.
This particular saguaro is about 22 feet tall and just starting to get it's first arm. It is in my neighbors yard.
Saguaro grow very slowly. A 10 year old plant might only be 1.5 inches tall. Saguaro can reach heights of between 40-60 feet tall (12-18m). When the saguaro is fully hydrated it can weigh as much as 3200-4800 pounds or from 1451 to 2177 kilograms.
Most of it's root are only 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) deep, but can extend in a circle around the plant as far as the plant is tall, and soak up every drop of rain that falls in that are very quickly storing it in its folds.
It also has one central tap root that extends down to just over 2 feet (0.6096 meters).
In the picture you can see what is called a "saguaro boot", the area in the center that looks like a small pouch, this was a former birds nest that was later dug around by more recent building activity. Those saguaro boots can also be found in the skeletons of dead cacti and were used by the natives to carry water before the advent of the canteen. The actual skeleton of this cactus can also be seen in the photo as the dark brown woven looking area to the rear of the nest.
Last edited:
- Messages
- 12,684
- Edit My Images
- No
that's "shut me up" ....... as we would say in Yorkshire
OP
GT von
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 194
- Name
- GT
- Edit My Images
- No
As the Beatles said so eloquently, this bird has flown. It fledged and flew the coop the next day. It actually flew out as I approached for another shot, flew straight into the grill of a parked car and landed in the street.
I felt responsible for it at that point and I tried to help it out, but it just kept flying into walls and such in panic. It would call out and momma would answer but it was hearing the echos and couldn't pinpoint the direction to go, so
I chased it under a car to sit in the shade for a minute and got a broom which I used to chase it back to the area under another large organ pipe cactus in the same yard where momma found it and they went off together.
I do have a shot of it's rather dull looking mother though, but it's set in an urban environment and not very appealing.
I felt responsible for it at that point and I tried to help it out, but it just kept flying into walls and such in panic. It would call out and momma would answer but it was hearing the echos and couldn't pinpoint the direction to go, so
I chased it under a car to sit in the shade for a minute and got a broom which I used to chase it back to the area under another large organ pipe cactus in the same yard where momma found it and they went off together.
I do have a shot of it's rather dull looking mother though, but it's set in an urban environment and not very appealing.
OP
GT von
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 194
- Name
- GT
- Edit My Images
- No
It is what it is, merely a document of what was there, not really anything that you would call art, but it isn't trying to be. It serves it intended purpose.Sorry but this one does nothing for me. Very interested in seeing some new birds though.
I'd like to see a shot though if you could get it out in the open, maybe when it fledges?
- Status