HEAVY ON BIRDS THIS TIME

Our time is rapidly winding sown here in Arizona.  In another week or so, we will begin our trek northward.  We hope to explore a bit of new country in the first few days then as we approach the cooler high country, we will pick up the pace and drive straight through.  We have had several card games with various friends.  I've been riding at least twice every week and Aileen at least once a week except she didn't go to Superior with us last week.  It was way too warm and she knew it would be very rough also.  She went today and will likely go again on Friday.

I call this one "Bird on a pole".  These crop duster pilots cut things pretty close.

This is the above plane, moments later

Mitzy and I walk out in the desert behind the park most mornings.  This is a Cactus Wren that posed for us.

Mitzy posing in the Greasewood that has really started to bloom in the last couple of days.

Also on our morning walk was this Black-chinned Hummingbird

Several mornings this Roadrunner has been teasing us.  He draws our attention by clucking like a chicken but he won't let us get much of a look at him.  I think he is laughing at us. Beep, Beep!

We see these Round-tailed Ground Squirrels often on our desert rides but they never stop for a photo.  I was very pleased to have this one let me take his portrait today.

We saw several hawks on our ride today including this Red-tailed one sitting on a nest.

We also spotted this Horned Owl on a nest.

Last Friday, I took our Caliente group over the mountain to Superior where we had lunch at Los Hermanos Restaurant.  Since I was leading, I was able to actually make a few brief photo stops at the more photogenic places.  I have always been back in the group and stopping disrupts the line and it is very difficult to catch up again.  It was 34 rough miles over the mountain trail and 43 miles back using a smoother but more round about return route.  It took us from 8:30 am til just after 5 pm to complete the ride.

My co-pilot, Richard, spotted this yucca in bloom.

Some Brittlebush was blooming giving some colour to the hillside.

There were some really nice clouds happening with a weather front moving in.