Las Brisas Del Mar

Ring-bill Gull

Who knew a gull could inspire so much happiness?  Growing up with gulls, I found them to be full of aggressive mischief and poop.  But on a recent outing with Kathie, this gull changed the way I felt about our day.  It was a difficult morning for me.  I had a hard time focusing.  I was tired.  And frustrated.  Essentially, I was not on top of my game.  What's worse was that I didn't get great shots of my lifebirds or any bird in general.  This was the only bird shot I was pleased with(above).  Kathie saw that I was not my usual self and was very kind and patient.  I've been pushing myself to do better, but as we all know and experience, we don't always have it our way.

Roosevelt Lake-no people

In times like these, I have to remember to breathe and just take it all in.  I used to do this but my brain is wrapped around birds birds birds birds.  Plotting.  Planning.  Scheming.  Ultimately, it has changed me.  Not all for the good.  I understand why many birders get irritated on the trails now.  Too many people will spoil a day quickly.  Such was the case when Kathie and I went to Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  Now Las Aventuras took you there about 2 years ago.  It was an amazing place.  And it was actually my first time taking pics of hummingbirds (which aren't really so good looking back on them:)  That's the fun part about having a blog. We watch ourselves grow as writers and photographers. I can only answer for the photography:) We have to start somewhere.  There were birds and oh so many of them.  But do you think any of them would work with the photographer???  Not on this day.  Terrible shots would be taken of the Williamson's Sapsucker, the Warbling Vireo, and Verdin nest!  The lighting was all wrong.  And hawks were hungry making everyone hide really well.

The Apricot Trees at El Presidio.  Each blossom is a fruit. 

So the biggest thing we looked forward to(the Boyce Thompson Arboretum) turned out to be the worst idea.  Sure I got lifebirds, but they came without awesome photos.  There were too many tourists screaming and shouting along the trails and THAT was frustrating.  I am a lister, chaser, photographer, and do enjoy the counts(as long as they aren't Northern Shovelers!:)  But I am chaser and photographer first.  We didn't dip on any of our birds this day, but I did dip on the photos and that made me frustrated.

Sabino Canyon near the dam-no people

So it made me rebel several days afterwards.  In fact, Kathie and I both had it up to our necks with people spoiling the birding mood and we went off and did our own thing.  When we arrived at Roosevelt Lake, it was like the dawning of a new day!!!  Except that the sun was setting.....as was the realization that we had a long drive back home! But what a truly magical and a great way to end our day.  Yet we both were sad that we chose to bird at Roosevelt at the end of the day instead of the beginning.  Live and learn I guess.  The days that followed made us focus more on the road less taken(by tourists) and our trips were unforgettable....and people-less.  And the glorious birds!!!

My Red Baron Peach Tree

But meanwhile, back in my garden at El Presidio.  Spring has arrived.  My peaches and apricots are blooming.  The winds have changed.  No longer are the cold breezes present.  And with this change marks the beginning of spring here in the Old Pueblo.

Lucy's Warbler -no people!

Kathie and I would both continue to bird together and alone.  But we grew wiser about our planning and we birded before the great masses of people came full force.  In Tucson, it's high season for tourists.

Great Egret as the sun sets at Agua Caliente Park-no people

Migration has really been an exciting time for us.  Sometimes it came from watching the Turkey Vultures blast off in the morning at Ft. Lowell park.  Or listening to the new chorus of bird songs around the city.

Turkey Vulture-I'm in a wash alone

This Lark Sparrow below tweeted and fanned his voice like a bug to catch that lucky lady to begin their new lark sparrow family. Good luck buddy!

Lark Sparrow-a guy with a dog was at the park....a sign to go home

Families begin.  Rookeries form.  And all around us is this wonderful harmonious song that is carried forth on the warm winds.

The Circle of Life.  Great Blue Herons land for the night around Roosevelt Lake

The Sandhill Cranes of winter have mostly gone and left these fields empty once again.

Whitewater Draw-no people

During one afternoon after work, I stood in the middle of Sweetwater as thousands of Yellow-headed blackbirds flew around me. The wind from their wings brushed against my face and made me smile.  Again no people were present.

Yellow-headed Blackbirds at Sweetwater-no people

And the gull over the water reminded me why I bird.  It's not always about finding the lifebird or getting the shot.  Sometimes it's about taking it all in.  Kathie has that part down.  I still work on it. When I saw the gull, I felt energized again and excited.  This bird is the symbol of my hometown from Wisconsin and it reminds me why I moved to Arizona many years ago. In my own way, I'm that hometown gull who found his way into the deserts and canyons. On this night, I saw something incredible.....a majestic gull flying over a desert lake.

 I must remember to pay attention to the direction of the wind.  Going against it is most unpleasant and creates more work. Yet when I move with the momentum, I float effortlessly like the gull over water. In other words, sometimes it's just best to stay home and not bird:)

Blenheim/Royal Apricot

Before I begin with more information on fruit trees, I'd like to explain a bit more on what I'm doing right now with these posts over the past week.  I've been writing on these fruit trees because people in Tucson are now in the "season" of fruit tree hunting.  We type in things like "Blenheim Apricot in Tucson" and nothing really personal or informative comes up.  As part of my docent training, I am trying to help guide people into the hours of research and experience I have collected with these trees so that they will feel successful in their own gardens here.  I'm sorry about the break with personal stories and efforts around the garden, but I realized over the course of the year that I haven't been writing about my plant purchases and how they're progressing on the property. For the most part, I have a green thumb, but like any gardener, there are plants that have totally failed with me.  A write on this will happen after the Fruit Trees for Tucson series is over.  I am not a scientist who studies the microchemical balances of a leaf....just a gardener who knows what works and what doesn't. The only things I can get technical about are language structures, linguistics,and that kind of thing which of course relate to all things Spanish:)  Right now I am trying to help out my fellow city people who are preparing their gardens for this upcoming summer because it's what we love!

Following up now with another powerhouse of a fruit tree in Tucson....the Blenheim Apricot.  Apricots do extremely well in our climate and again require a certain amount of water. I purchased two ultra-dwarf apricot trees to keep the scale of the trees from getting too large....and also creating that layered tree canopy effect on the property.  However, the words "ultra-dwarf" may be a misnomer as these trees are wonderfully tall.  I'm tall and they are taller than I am!!  They are about 7 feet in height and are paired together as guardians to the palm tree garden.  They, I feel, will get taller.  Like the peach trees, I have fallen in love with them and treat them as sacred entities on the grounds.  The leaves are beautiful and the trees themselves are beautiful......while we haven't had fruit in the first year here, I believe that this year they will produce something special as the buds are beginning to get larger.  They took the full summer heat and sun extremely well. When the wind blows thru the leaves, these trees remind me of the Arizona Cottonwood tree.  I give this tree a 9 out of 10 for beginning gardeners as they will need to water this tree and it is for the same reason as the Red Baron Peach tree. It's not xeric, but the tree is special for the fruit alone and if you are wanting an edible landscape, you should definitely consider this tree as an option. The maximum range is listed as zone 9.  Now for the cold facts.....

1. Fertilize in spring.
2. Prune while dormant
3. Cold hardy to 0 and negative 10 degrees
4. Chill hours 400-500
5. Common tree around town, but not commonly seen on side streets.  These trees are considered "special" by the locals and  many gardeners don't want random people picking fruit off their trees yet interestingly enough people don't mind others, as a general rule, picking grapefruit or some varieties of oranges from the overhang of trees off their property walls.  The rule is always to ask first before picking anyone's fruit.  Remember here in Arizona, anyone..and I mean ANYONE...has a right to carry a gun.  It's a bit scary and we all saw nationally what happened in the recent tragedy.  If you're visiting, most of the locals are pretty nice people but because this is a transitional state, it's best to speak with the owners first.  I'm from Wisconsin originally and for the most part, people are genuine and nice.  However, Arizona is a mix of people and the state can be a bit of a culture shock for people, like me in the beginning, who grew up in the midwest or small towns. I find that there are more "crazies" than the national average....it must be our hot sun:)  I do love the weather and the ability to garden all year round.  The sunshine makes me smile.  Arizona is a great place to visit, but our recent national attention, SB1070, Jan Brewer, border violence and the drug wars, and Congresswoman Giffords and the killings, make us look like a dangerous place to visit.  You might then understand why people may be a little "standoffish" at first, but there are a lot of great people here....it's just about who you associate with.....end of that deep thought:)

And speaking of headlines, prepare yourself for the Middle East in my next posting on the culture and rules for this controversial fruit tree in Tucson......stay tuned for more on the Fruit Trees for Tucson series!