Some are native wildflowers just like the PCIs in CA or the LAs in LA. Arils are in danger from several sources. Arilbreds are easier to grow than one might think. I grow and hybridize arilbreds in rainy, humid Mississippi. Elevation and sharp drainage are the keys to success. Three quarterbred and halfbred are the easiest to grow with quarterbreds being quite temperamental, which is strange. They have the least aril blood in them. Walter Moores

TMFF: The Crossley guide is inching up on the list of things to get. Soon, when I want to give myself a treat. One thing I'd like to see in a field guide is a photo or illustration of the back of the bird. They usually show the side view and often the front to show the coloration of the breast and maybe the notched tail, but never the view of a bird that I often see as it perches on the wisteria in front of my window, or forages on the ground, facing away from me. Sure, you can infer what the back looks like by mentally subtracting the underparts from the side view and doubling the top view, but that doesn't really tell you that an American Goldfinch can look like this when molting. or a White-winged Crossbill from behind: Luckily, the crossbill (I've only seen one, ever) turned around for me. Claire

The rare bird spicie -Paradise flycatcher. Actually, I am in love with its tail plus color. :D I have seen it once, its only in Sri Lanka. Did you guys seen one before? Here is a link that might be useful: Paradise flycatcher

8/2--During the day found some Slevin's Bunchgrass Lizards, Yarrow's Spiny Lizards and a Desert-Grassland Whiptail. Like Keith I had a good night on the roads. I found a gorgeous and very large green Mojave Rattlesnake (3 feet plus with 10 buttons on the rattle) at 7:45PM. I was thrilled as it was my first live Mojave in the wild. Twenty minutes later I found a 15-16 inch subadult Mojave rattlesnake. Toads were also in force and I saw many great plains toads and a couple of spadefoot toads. 8/3--no interesting herps today. Saw an Arizona Woodpecker and a Sulfur-Bellied Flycatcher for a couple of lifelist birds. 8/4--hiked to the top of a mountain with my wife and dad in the Portal area and nearly slid off a steep point where the trail was partially eroded. My mom had turned back because of the hazardous trail quality in some places. Saw lots of lizards and had fun seeing the species change as we gained in elevation. Start of the trail was dominated by whiptails, then Striped Plateau Lizards and a Clark's Spiny Lizard and finally Mountain (Yarrow's) Spiny Lizards. Saw an enormous 55 inch snake skin at lower elevation on the way back. I imagine it belonged to a Western Diamondback by size alone. If it is a Blacktail Rattlesnake it is a remarkable specimen. My mom saw a Green Rat Snake down at lower elevation. Wish I'd been there for that instead of going on the mountain ledge balancing tour. The night road cruise that night was disappointing and only produced two DOR snakes. A Western Diamondback and a juvenile Mojave.