Pygmy owl

A few years ago I spent several delightful days hiking trails among the sauguaros in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. I also got a chance to visit the wonderful Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
In the outdoor wildlife section I encountered this charming pygmy owl. Its curious gaze intrigued me and I was able to get a great photograph to include in this mandala.

Blue Morpho

The flash of brilliant metallic blue always surprises and delights me. It was one of my favorite sights while hiking in the primary rainforests on the Osa peninsula, Costa Rica. And when a blue morpho would encounter the occasional shaft of sunlight that managed to get through the canopy, the blazing iridescence was astounding to see. Their erratic, wobbling flight is attributed by the locals to their diet of fermented fruit. But the luminous dance is a joy to watch.