The purple variety is called the Santa Rita Prickly Pear. Those white fuzzy patches on the pad in the middle are the nests of the cochineal bug, which produces a bright carmine dye. According to Plants of Arizona, the purple variety is particularly susceptible to this bug. For the insect, it’s not a dye but an ant-repellant.

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Lots of birds on saguaros (Gila Woodpeckers, Cactus Wrens) but the highlight was an American Kestrel, shown in the photo. Also a Verdin, with the red shoulder patches showing clearly. The Phainopeplas were out as well, two plump Mourning Doves warming up on a telephone wire, and the sweet song of the House Finches in the morning sun. I saw a small grey bird, probably a Gray Vireo, but it’s hard to be sure.

The desert broom is still hanging on to its fluffy seeds in places.

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This is the Campbell Wash, looking north to the Catalina mountains. The mesquite trees were bare, but the palo verdes still have leaves. I saw Phainopeplas, glossy black when perched but flashing their white striped wings in flight, Gila Woodpeckers with up-and-down flight pattern as they alternately flap and glide, a Cactus Wren, sitting on top of a saguaro cactus and making his call like a car starting, an Anna’s Hummingbird flashing red in the morning sunlight, doves and house finches. I also heard the sweet sad song of goldfinches.

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