While out photographing the mountains and desert wildflowers east of Phoenix last weekend, I heard some rocks tumble. Looking in that direction, I saw what I thought was a deer several hundred yards away. Pointing my telephoto lens in that direction, I could see the round white butt of a bighorn sheep. So I abandoned the canyon shots and went in pursuit of the three desert bighorn sheep.











If you are interested in the desert wildflower images from the Superstition Mountains and Bartlett Lake areas east of Phoenix, here is a link to that gallery:
https://www.plateaulightphotography.com/Landscapes/Arizona-Landscapes/Desert-Wildflowers/

Sometimes I do the same thing and point my telephoto cell phone out the window. Amazing how much the country in Arizona and Montana look so similar...

RedRabbit
Why do they look mangy?
Is it dirt or are they shedding
their winter coat?
Great pictures anyway!

Maybe I'm trying to compare them to other sheep.
I dont know anything about sheep and did not intend to offend.

I think they are two different species of sheep, and the sheep shrapnel sees have their heaviest coats on after a cold winter.
The desert bighorns are a different species aren't they?

I don't see anything similar in the pictures though.

Ken

Amazing set of horns on that dark faced ewe. Wonder what her age might be?

Nice shots.

Shrapnel-sometimes Edward Weston photography close to the road is a good thing. AZ does have some Rockies just south of Flagstaff and also in eastern AZ.
Texczech- the desert sheephave shorter hair on their coats. Looks like the one ewe bedded in some mud of poop. Arizona has received some very good rains this winter.
1' - at first i thought the larger ewe may be a young ram due to the horn length, but images from below showed no nutsack.

The gender terminology for this species seems to have regional dialects. Back East (NY) we use the term "Ewes Guys" - - Ala "my Cousin Vinnie" - - "Yous Guys".

I wonder if these are all adults or if there are an "Yoots" in the group?

Seriously tho - - Great photos!!!

real nice photos. thanks for posting

yep......your Sheep need to gain some weight.......purty skinny

still pics are great as usual

not to hijack thread......but 600 miles north of your Sheep......

ours seem to be eating better.......

these......just east of town.....

tikkanut, it would have been nice to catch a band of rams like you did.. The Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix where those ewes were was burnt earlier this summer by the Woodbury Fire.