Sorting Algorithms

I can travel anywhere in the world and fall in love.  But there's something extra special about my state of Arizona.  I love it here.  I really really do. 

Sure.  I've taken a hit in pay for living here.  And sure Arizona ranks at the bottom in teacher pay and education.  The politicians here are made up by mostly savage greedy and uncaring people, but there is a glimmer of hope that things are changing. Our #RedforEd movement worked.  Kyrsten Sinema won and will be our first female democratic senator in Arizona. Katie Hobbs is Arizona's secretary of state. And Kathy Hoffman will watch over our public schools as the new state superintendent of public instruction. We can breathe a sigh of relief.  Maybe now, we will begin progress and get our schools to where they need to be.  Before, special interest people who owned charter schools were in control and they were bleeding monies from the public school sector!  That has been stopped.  For now.  We still have a ways to go!

I didn't move here for those reasons though.  I moved here because I feel a connection to the Sonoran desert, the grasslands, the Mexican people and specifically for the beauty and quirky nature of Tucson.  There is something that makes me feel happy here.  And no matter where I go, I miss my southeastern Arizona world. 

We did my Bisbee birding loop trek this weekend which encompasses the Whitewater Draw, Bisbee and the San Pedro House outside of Sierra Vista.  I was feeling craney and wanted to spend some time with the gathering Sandhill Cranes of the Whitewater Draw.  So Micheal and I took a road trip to the Draw.  

Then Micheal asked, "Are we going to eat in Bisbee?"  Of course!  We tried a new place that I had scouted out last year while on a fabulous student trip.  I'm sorry I didn't take many pics in the town of Bisbee but if you visit us here in Arizona, you really need to check this place out.  It was BUSY!

We spent the late morning/early afternoon with the cranes.  You can watch these birds for hours.  At the right time of day, they put on quite a show.  Many photographers go to the "Draw" to capture the cranes in action.  It's a great place during winter for waterfowl and 10's of thousands of wintering cranes.  More importantly, you can find the near threatened Bendire's Thrashers in this location on Bagsby road into the Whitewater Draw.

I needed this weekend to try and figure it all out.  Watching these birds while doing some relaxing birding helped me organize difficult ideas. 

Since our place has been painted (and now paid for), I'm ready for the next home project.  I've been working out in the garden putting in hummingbird plants and feeders.  Our next big scale project is the AZ outdoor room.  It will be great to open windows and not worry about the cats getting out.  

Juggling the birding adventures and home improvement projects are no easy task.  And yet they have to get done.  I mean, they don't, but I'm not one to sit and wait for something to get done.  The only way to get it done is to do it yourself.  The whole project costs about $3,300 dollars and will be worth every penny.  I'll feel safer, have an extra area for secured storage and an open room for the cats to enjoy being outside but not outside:)

A sleepy Screechy

Sometimes when I get stuck, I just go birding and let my thoughts sort themselves out.  And like these Sandhill Cranes that never crash into each other, travel and home improvement can also line themselves together to achieve the bigger picture. 

Everything eventually sorts itself out.  The chaos of this world can be overwhelming at times. 

I just need to remember to breathe and enjoy the moment. 

This week's photography took place at the Whitewater Draw near Bisbee and the San Pedro House along the San Pedro River near Sierra Vista. 

Greater Pewee

The special bird of the week is this lovely Greater Pewee that has been hanging out at Reid Park near our place. 

Winter has arrived.  There are so many options out there.  Where to go next?

Western Whiptail Lizard

Until next time.....

Nooks and Crannies

Baltimore Oriole

Over the course of several months, I have been collecting a group of pics demonstrating how watchful one must be out in the wild.  Somedays, my eyes are sore from investigating every nook and cranny.  For example, during our education on cranes(post coming up), this beautiful Baltimore Oriole flew out of nowhere!!!  I had to take my eyes off the instructor briefly for this shot!!  This is the male with his bright colors out for the world to see.

And then there were the Barn Swallows.  For me, these birds are very tricky to capture on camera in Arizona but while in Wisconsin I had better luck as many of them were nesting up in the rafters.

Barn Swallow

Love this particular shot.  Again, they hid among the cranes.  Sometimes they stole the show:)

And while here in Tucson, our reptiles certainly put on a great show.   This little guy slinks around a post as I try to capture a hawk in flight!

Western Whiptail Lizard

Along a trail, the edge of my eyesight sees a slight movement.  I feel the power of the heebie jeebie take over me.  My body shakes.  I turn around and keep calm to film this guy along the edges of the reeds.

Common Kingsnake

Beautiful.  Dark.  Mysterious.  I watch from a distance as this Common Kingsnake sticks out his tongue to check out what's going on in the area.  Was I food?  No.  But I better move on.....:)

Sometimes appearing as a pebble, I discover what appears to be a juvenile Abert's towhee along the path.

Juvenile Abert's Towhee

Of course other things jut out from the sides and briefly make appearances.  But the sun holds their attention long enough for me to snap a pic.

Desert Spiny

The clouds start to roll in.  Darkness begins to fall.  But there is still action going on......

A Cooper's hawk feeds in between branches.  A night snack after a long hot day.

Cooper's Hawk

And as I leave the trails, my eye catches a Night Heron hiding in the reeds. Playing detective is really enjoyable since everything likes to quietly disappear in the nooks and crannies of our cities, parks and gardens.

Night Heron

Sometimes you may walk by and not realize that a branch is really an owl.

And that's what's exciting about each and every hike.  You never know what will turn up:)