Burrowing Owls

Burrowing owls are at home in the dry open areas of the desert southwest.  These small long-legged owls nest and roost in underground burrows, often the prior home of prairie dogs or gophers.  Unlike most owls, they are active during daytime hours.  Burrowing owls eat large insects, small rodents (mice), and lizards (geckos).  They may also eat fruits and seeds of prickly pear and cholla cacti.  One sometimes sees an owl standing on a rock or high mound of sand to look for food.  Although not endangered in this area, they are a threatened species.  Observers should be considerate when approaching nests and/or birds, keeping a good distance away.  If nests are in an unsafe area, there are ways for wildlife officials to trap and move the owls to a safer location.  This winter I was successful and got some photos of a nesting pair...

Dwarf Car Museum

This winter we took a tour of The Dwarf Car Museum, located near Maricopa, AZ.  The museum, an unassuming corrugated steel shed in the desert, is the workshop and showroom for Ernie Adams dwarf cars.  Ernie, a native of Nebraska, started his love for cars as a child.  In 1965 the first  dwarf car, a 1928 Chevy 2-door sedan, was built using primarily parts of old refrigerators.  In the early 1980's his interest turned to dwarf race cars; the first race was in 1983 at the county fair in Prescott, AZ.  

Following the race cars came his dwarf cruisers...miniature fully dressed classics, complete with chrome, fenders, accessories, and interiors.  The cruisers are street legal and have been driven the Route 66 circuit, appeared in street fairs and rallies around the country.  While there we met the artist himself; Ernie is usually on-site to answer questions or just talk shop. The Dwarf Car Museum web site had lots of pictures...