Saturday, March 20, 2021
A text invitation from a friend that birded with me and several others in the past was heartwarming. Cautionary restraints during the Covid pandemic meant I frequently birded solo. But today, Lois Lorenz and I caught up with Julie Clark (her invite) as we started out at Boyce Thompson Arboretum showing her its Wallace Garden additions.
Busy birds had us turning our heads in every direction while still trying to take in the new plantings that show little trace of being “new” in the garden.
Male and Female PHAINOPEPLA
Female NORTHERN CARDINAL
At a specially-designed section of the Wallace Garden, including a sculpture of a horse looking out for the welfare of its Native rider getting a drink, stood some rocks showing the azurite and malachite that are mined in Arizona.
That area, too, was buzzing with hummingbirds and other species displaying their spring behaviors of chasing one another, gathering nesting materials, hanging out together as partners.
Out in the Demonstration Garden, the Mexican Redbuds were in full bloom.
L-R: Lois; Julie
On our walk up to Ayer Lake, I spotted this TURKEY VULTURE perched on a ridge pole near old Highway 60.
The vulture stayed so still for so long, I kept looking back to be sure it wasn't an installed sculpture! Finally, its wings closed. Next, it had joined a kettle of TuVu up in the blue sky circling higher and higher. Would some of them be migrating?
Having listened to the arrival of several WHITE-WINGED DOVE, I finally found one perched for a decent photo. It supposedly arrives about the time Saguaro Cactus blooms as it is one of that plant's major propagators. Seemingly early for its main task, I would be surprised by a saguaro bloom in another part of the arboretum.
Rare to be able to photograph a saguaro's top bloom, this one was camera accessible from a ramada on the trail up to Ayer Lake.
Birds at Ayer Lake continue to surprise me. Today, we spotted two RING-NECKED DUCK, a PIED-BILLED GREBE, an AMERICAN COOT plus a GREAT EGRET.
GREAT EGRET
PIED-BILLED GREBE
Passing by the mansion in the arboretum, we were serenaded by a CANYON WREN on the stones along the wall beneath it.
NORTHERN CARDINAL were abundant from east to west throughout the gardens with a conservative count of 18.
Male and Female NORTHERN CARDINAL
Six (6) BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRDs were stunning to observe but too fast for good photos. Below, one from my files.
Having walked the new Wallace Garden as well as the perimeter trail around the arboretum, we had a comfortably warm Spring Equinox day to be surrounded by flowers, birds, lizards, plants, trees, sculptures for over three hours.
Two birds: the WHITE-WINGED DOVE and the LUCY'S WARBLER (photo below) were first-of-season sightings for me.
Together, we counted 32 species. Clicking the link below will give you access to the full list.
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View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S83744679
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